MATES Cafe

MATES Cafe - Eliminating Isolation & Bringing People Together

We help people out of isolation toward satisfying relationships.

The MATES Organisation has worked tirelessly over 15 years to create and implement strength-based programs to empower men and women to become the best versions of themselves.

We identify the key to community empowerment is for men and women to work together with respect and focusing on what they can achieve. This includes support and encouragement to help each other take personal responsibility for their thoughts, words and actions which all have an effect on themselves and others.

Ceasing to blame events or situations for dilemmas arising in their lives. Drawing on each other’s strengths enables men and women to repair relationships and reduce feelings of isolation.

Men are seen by many in our community as the main problem, especially concerning male suicide being 3-4 times that of women and the high rates of family violence. Unlike women, men tend not to talk about issues which are troubling them and generally don’t have a support network in place to help guide them through the rough times. This leads to an increased emotional burden and feelings of isolation and desperation which can lead to violent outcomes.

We see the main issue and society’s greatest challenge being emotional triggering which leads to isolation, loneliness and relationship breakdown. MATES was founded to provide the resources needed to support, empower and educate men to become in charge of themselves. So they can be better role-models for the women, children and other men in their lives.