vancouverMen in Vancouver are lonely. Not all of them, and not all the time. But enough that "mens groups vancouver" is one of the most common searches that lands people on this site.
I get it. Most men I know lost their friends the slow way. School ended, jobs moved, partners and kids took the evenings. Nobody decided to stop calling. It just stopped. Then one day you notice you have no one to tell about your week, and you are not sure how to fix it.
The good news is that some men in this city have built places for exactly this. Here is what exists, sorted by what you might be looking for. Every group below is a real Vancouver listing from the directory's men's groups page.
If you want to talk (a men's circle)
A talking circle is simple. A few men sit together and say what is actually going on. Others listen. Nobody fixes anyone. It sounds small. For a lot of men it is the first time they have said certain things out loud.
- The DUDES Club runs men's talking circles focused on health and wellness. It is participant-led, so the men in the room shape it. The word they use is brotherhood.
- ManKind Project BC offers supportive men's talking circles. Their site has a "find a men's group" page, which helps you find a circle that fits.
- Pathways Men's Talking Circle is another participant-led community for men's health and wellness, built around brotherhood and support circles.
If you have never done this before, start with one of these three. They are made for listening, not performing.
If you want a push, not just a chat
Some men want support. Others want someone to hold them to a goal. Both are fine.
ARKA Brotherhood combines leadership training with community. Its circles meet weekly and are action-focused. The theme is mature masculinity. If "talking about feelings" makes you want to leave, but "set a goal and report back next week" sounds good, this is your door in. You will probably end up talking about feelings anyway. That is sort of the point.
If you want to look after your health
Men's Wellness Groups (Meetup) is a Meetup page that gathers men's health groups in Vancouver. It covers fitness, mindfulness and social events, with a whole-person approach to wellness. It is a good place to browse if you want to do something with your body and meet other men while you do it.
If you're a dad
New fatherhood can be strangely isolating. You are busy every minute and still somehow alone.
Metro Vancouver Dads runs meetups for fathers with young kids. They are casual playground hangouts. The kids play, the dads talk, and some parenting support happens along the way. It is a low-stakes way to meet men in the same season of life.
If you just want friends
Not every man wants a circle. Some just want a few guys to see on a Thursday. That is a fine goal, and an activity makes it much easier. Men often talk best side by side, not face to face.
- Run clubs give you a route, a time and the same faces each week.
- Board games hand you a reason to sit at a table and talk.
- Social and friend clubs exist only so strangers can become friends.
- More sports has drop-in leagues and games where you are on a team by default.
I wrote a longer guide on how to make friends in Vancouver. The short version is one rule: pick something that meets on a schedule, and go three times before you decide.
How to walk in the first time
The first visit is the hardest part. You will feel awkward. So will the new guy next to you. That is normal, and nobody there will hold it against you.
Go alone. Groups take in a single newcomer fast. Two friends tend to talk only to each other.
You don't have to share. In most circles you can just listen the first time. Nobody will push you.
Go three times. The first time you are a stranger. By the third, someone knows your name.
If things are heavy right now
These groups are for connection and support. They are not a crisis service. If you are in crisis or thinking about suicide, call or text 9-8-8. It is Canada's suicide crisis helpline, and it is free and open all day, every day.
Find your group
There are more men's groups than any one guide can cover. New ones join the directory all the time. Browse the full men's groups list, or add a group you know about so the next guy can find it.
Part of the Vancouver Community Directory, a free, community-built list of 250+ groups, clubs, and meetups across the city.