Blokes just wanna have fun (too)

A program to alleviate loneliness in men has proven wildly popular.

As Australia’s loneliness epidemic grows, a transport company in south eastern Sydney is providing men with companionship and social engagement.

Run by Activus Transport, the Just4Blokes (J4B) program gives men a monthly chance for some much-needed company in a safe, non-threatening environment.

Activus is a community transport organisation that mainly provides community access to those over 65 who need help getting around, with a paid or volunteer driver helping them to get to medical appointments, catch ups with friends or just to spend some time outside.

The company also runs social outings for up to 100 people at a time, taking them to tourist attractions for a day out and some lunch.

But around six months ago, staff noticed that of those who came on the social outings, only a small fraction of them were men.

“We thought, well, where are all the men?” explained Pam Collocott, business development officer at Activus.

Staff put their heads together and came up with an idea: tailored social outings just for men, where they would visit “blokey places… that we hoped would be attractive to men”, like automobile or cricket museums, followed by a trip to a pub for lunch rather than a cafe.

A trial was put together, and on the very first trip, the bus was full.

“We were very inspired by that and thought, well, OK, I think we’re onto a winner here. Let’s just see what happens next time. And the next bus was full. And the next one. And the next one and the next one. And we have people on waiting lists now,” Collocott said.

Picture: SUPPLIED

An upcoming trip will see two busloads of gentlemen taken on an overnight trip to the Australian War Memorial in Canberra. This event was so popular, the names of those going had to be drawn from a ballot.

“It’s just taken off like a rocket and we are thrilled to pieces that it’s really touching a nerve,” Collocott said.

She explained that the team has witnessed health and wellbeing benefits in the men too as they connect with others through shared interests and experiences in a safe and familiar environment.

“They’re learning about other people, they’re making friendships, they’re happier, they go home, their partners are happy that they’re happy. [We] are quite impressed that we’ve given something a shot, we’ve tried it and it’s proven to be incredibly successful.

“It’s just this wonderful ignition of social connection. Given the popularity of it, we’re hoping that we’ll be able to do it perhaps twice a month [in future].”

It’s also been a joy to watch the gentlemen realise that they can go out and have as much fun as their wives and partners, she added.

In a similar vein, Activus is currently trialling a program called Buddy Up, where people experiencing loneliness are paired with a volunteer for a couple of hours who can sit with them and have a conversation, help them with shopping and provide the physical and mental support they need.

“We’ve noticed that [loneliness] is a problem. And as we see problems come up, we try to do something to find a solution for them,” Collocott said.

“We don’t just want to be only a transport provider. We want to be a quality lifestyle provider or facilitator.”

The J4B program is now a finalist in the HESTA Excellence Awards, and Collocott said the fleet manager who has driven the program will be there for the awards ceremony.

She hopes that with increased recognition of the program, it will be able to grow to service more men and alleviate some of the loneliness that they experience.