The Rotary Club of Tauranga Te Papa is proud to be working alongside Good Man Wellness to bring the Tauranga Men’s Mental Wellness Forum to our community on Saturday 24 October 2026.

The Forum, themed “From Awareness to Action – Real Conversations, Practical Insights, Lasting Impact”, will bring together lived experience, medical expertise and practical community insight. Its purpose is to help men, their families, friends, workplaces and the wider community better understand some of the factors that can affect men’s mental wellness – and, importantly, what we can do about them.

This is a community education initiative rather than simply another conversation about mental health awareness. The programme will look beyond diagnoses such as depression and anxiety and explore some of the life circumstances and less obvious pressures that can affect men, including relationship breakdown, financial pressure, ADHD, menopause and fatherhood.

A strong line-up of speakers

Former New Zealand rugby league captain Richie Barnett will be the keynote speaker. Richie will share his own lived experience and the lessons he has learned through his mental health journey.

Dr Adam Harrison, former GP and founder of Good Man Wellness, will speak on “Outside the Clinic: How life circumstances can push men towards crisis”. Dr Caleb Armstrong, consultant psychiatrist and ADHD specialist, will explore “The Emotions of ADHD” and the impact ADHD can have on emotional wellness.

Scotty Harvey, founder of UOkBro NZ, will address an often-overlooked issue – the impact of menopause on male partners, relationships and family life. The morning will conclude with a panel discussion bringing these perspectives together and focusing on practical ideas people can take away. Jim Smith from Kidz Need Dadz will join the panel, adding his perspective on fatherhood, families and support for dads in the community.

Why Rotary is involved

For Tauranga Te Papa, the Forum is about helping turn awareness into understanding and practical action. We hear a great deal about the importance of men talking about mental health. That is important, but encouraging someone to talk is only the beginning. We also need to help men, their partners, friends and workplaces recognise what may be happening, know how to begin those conversations and understand where to go next.

The Forum is deliberately designed for a broad cross-section of our community. It is not only for someone who believes they may be experiencing a mental health issue. It is equally relevant to husbands and partners, fathers and sons, friends, workmates, employers and managers. Most of us will, at some stage, encounter someone who is struggling, and greater understanding can help us respond more effectively.

We are also encouraging Tauranga businesses to promote the Forum within their workplaces, particularly among managers, business owners and those responsible for staff wellbeing.

Supporting our local community

The primary purpose of the Forum is community education. Any surplus remaining after the costs of delivering the event will be reinvested into local mental health and men’s wellness initiatives in the Tauranga community.

Event details

Join us on 24 October and help move the conversation from awareness to action.