For professionals · Referral information
Is it appropriate to refer someone to us? Here's the straight answer.
The Wandering Man is a peer community, not a clinical or therapy service. We are men supporting men through shared experience - regular, low-barrier social connection with an explicit wellbeing purpose. We are a registered incorporated association (ABN 707 257 545 13), run by volunteers, not clinicians.
A good fit for men who are
- ✓Emotionally stable and ready to take a step toward connection
- ✓Socially isolated, lonely, or lacking a support network
- ✓Recovering from a rough patch and needing somewhere to belong alongside (or after) clinical care
- ✓Unlikely to engage with formal services, but open to a coffee or a walk with other blokes
Not resourced for men who are
- - In acute crisis or actively suicidal
- - Not yet able to regulate aggression toward others
- - Needing clinical treatment, case management, or supervision
Peer support isn't the safe container for that stage - for the man himself or for our untrained volunteer members. For acute presentations: Lifeline 13 11 14, the Suicide Call Back Service 1300 659 467, or emergency services.
The handshake
We welcome referrals once someone has taken that first step toward stability - we catch men after the acute stage, and we're built to hold them for the long haul: weekly rhythm, familiar faces, and a community that notices when someone stops showing up. We treat this boundary as responsible scope, not exclusion.
What a referred man actually walks into
So you can describe it accurately: no intake, no forms, no disclosure expected. He turns up, someone greets him, and he participates as much or as little as he wants.
Coffee Catch-Up
Wednesdays 12:00–1:30pm, Orchid & Co, East Geelong. Hosted, informal, coffee provided - the lowest barrier and the usual first referral.
Community BBQs
Larger gatherings through the year, plus an "Orphan Christmas" lunch for men with no one to spend the day with.
Talk to us before you refer
Happy to take a call or email about whether we're the right fit for a particular man, and to make sure someone's expecting him at his first event.
hello@thewanderingman.com.au