By Mikayla van Loon
The process of joining a new club or meeting new people can be a daunting task, that’s why one local man decided to organise R U OK 2 PLAY? with an event being hosted at Chirnside Park’s GAMR this weekend.
Matthew Stone has been involved in board gaming groups and networks for quite some time but late last year decided to turn his social games into a way of getting people who may be struggling with mental health out into the community for R U OK? Day.
“It’s maybe not so much about the conversations around mental health but just to know that people can connect not through traditional means,” he said.
As someone who has had his own experiences with mental health, Mr Stone said while R U OK? Day is a great initiative, sometimes for people who are “struggling or suffering and on their own” the question of ‘are you ok?’ is not always enough.
“One of the things too with R U OK? Day, there is a pressure on people to ask and a pressure on people to answer honestly,” Mr Stone said.
“We want to take a bit of that pressure away. You can just come and be with us and make those connections and share the time together.”
Mr Stone’s partner Fiona said after lockdowns, she sees these events as an escape from social isolation.
“[For a lot of people] who attend they have that social anxiety or that social nervousness and when you play a board game, you get to make a social connection and break some of that isolation, which is particularly prevalent since Covid,” she said.
“[But it can happen] without having to make small talk, without having to go through those niceties because the board is there. It’s structured with turn taking so when it’s your turn it allows you to then break into the conversation.”
Thinking R U OK 2 PLAY? would just reach the surrounding suburbs of his local community in Ringwood, instead 25 events are now being hosted across the country over the weekend of 2, 3 and 4 September.
While the event at GAMR falls on the regular social games evening held there once a month, Mr Stone said he hopes new people feel comfortable in coming.
“It’s a shared activity, we can sit down at a table and there’s people across from you that you don’t really know and all of a sudden you’re laughing together and you’re sometimes picking on each other in good fun.
“It’s just that camaraderie around the table. It’s that atmosphere. I’ve always really enjoyed the atmosphere and have connected to those people. I really hope new people can do the same.”
Although GAMR is a licensed venue, meaning those under 18 need to be accompanied by a parent, Mr Stone said he would welcome people of all ages to join in the fun.
Having been sponsored by one of the biggest board game suppliers in Australia, VR Distribution, Mr Stone said there will be a range of tabletop games of all different difficulty levels.
These games that have been donated will also go into a raffle system, where the people who play the games go into a draw to win them.
R U OK 2 PLAY? will get underway at GAMR on Saturday 3 September at 3.30pm and will go throughout the evening for people to come and go or stay the entire time.
“People come and go. We want to keep it casual. We’re not into competitive gaming. We’re more about having a few laughs and winning a few games.”
