New space to help men connect and grow

There's a new space in Parkes coming for men where they can talk, connect and grow, and you're invited to be part of it. The Parkes Men’s Growth Room at the Parkes Leagues Club is about to launch and it's for regional men who are doing it tough. Lifeline Central West say loneliness, stress, relationship pressures, burnout, and the quiet weight of expectation are wearing men down. Especially in regional towns where the silence around mental health can be deafening. "We know the statistics. But behind every number is someone’s mate, someone’s dad and someone’s son," said Lifeline Central West RAPID and Community Development Manager Andrew Greig. "And in places like Parkes, the cracks can show up quietly — in withdrawn behaviour, unhealthy habits, or just blokes disappearing from the community a little more each week." That’s where Lifeline Central West comes in, Mr Greig said, and where Growth Rooms offer something different. A Growth Room is not therapy or a lecture, and it’s definitely not a place to be judged. Growth Rooms are free monthly gatherings where local men meet to talk honestly, listen respectfully, and support each other through whatever life’s throwing at them. They’re low-key, practical and built around real conversations — about parenting, relationships, money worries, grief, resilience, and what it means to show up for yourself and your mates. And now, thanks to the support of the Mazda Foundation, GrainCorp, Parkes Shire Council and the Western NSW PHN, Lifeline Central West is launching a Growth Room in Parkes. It takes place on Tuesday, 27 May at 6.15pm for a 6.30pm start in the Pioneer Room, upstairs at the Parkes Leagues Club and it's free entry. "This is more than just a launch. It’s a chance to come together as a community and be part of a new chapter for men’s wellbeing in Parkes," Mr Greig said. "You’ll hear what the Growth Room is all about, meet some of the team behind it, including me - I help build and support these rooms across the region - and have the chance to share what support you think Parkes men really need. "There’ll be light food, some good yarns, and an open invitation to stick around, sign up, or just see what it’s all about." Women are welcome too - Mr Greig said the launch is also a broader community consultation to make sure the services they build reflect what the whole community needs. There are Growth Rooms right across the Central West with spaces already established in Cowra, Orange, Bathurst, Rylstone, Lithgow and Mudgee and a new room in Katoomba. Mr Greig said they're also on the lookout for local men who want to step up as facilitators. No special qualifications are needed, just a willingness to learn and a desire to support your mates. Lifeline’s free training gives you skills in therapeutic listening, mental health awareness, de-escalation, and running a safe, inclusive room. "If that sounds like you, or someone you know, come and chat to us on the night, or register at lifelinecentralwest.org.au/growthrooms/," Mr Greig said. "At Lifeline Central West, we work across 40 per cent of NSW, with nearly 100 regional staff and deep ties in towns like Parkes, Canowindra, Cowra, and Blayney. "We know solutions can’t be copy-pasted from Sydney. That’s why we build programs like Growth Rooms from the ground up, shaped by the people they’re meant to serve. "If you're a bloke who's been wondering if there’s a space where you can be real, or someone who just wants to see things get better for the men in your life, come along. "You’re not alone, and change starts with conversations like this." RSVP at events.humanitix.com/parkes-growth-room for Tuesday night's launch. Bring a mate, your story, or just yourself.