Room at the Table is a small organisation with a big vision! A vision so big that we can’t do it without help from people like you.

Room at the Table Inc is a Not For Profit organisation / social enterprise that offers a range of non sport geek subculture activities aimed at reducing social isolation by building connections and community.

Our vision is all about creating a space where everyone is welcome, where people connect and build relationships through playing, creating and learning. This will eventually include an online and physical store and a café where boardgames and other geeky/nerdy paraphernalia are sold, and access to even more activities that fall under the banner of “non-sport geek subculture”. Room at the Table is a space where it doesn’t matter what your limitations are; it’s a space where you can learn new skills and employment opportunities are tailored in a way that caters for people working within their capacity, even if it is only for a few hours a week by hosting activities/sessions, working in the café or the store, creating videos, editing videos, planning events etc.

How we do it

Turns out we’re a bunch of people who love a great many things that fall under the geek / nerd umbrella! We love many types of non-sport, geek subculture activities, and we know we’re not the only ones.

  • Modern boardgames – we focus mainly on European-style boardgames, generally created within the last 20 years, where strategy and skill take the drivers seat and chance is less of a feature. Many games include aspects of co-operation. (Hint – we’re not talking about Monopoly here!)
  • Role playing games – Dungeons and Dragons is the most well recognised RPG, other game systems also appear in our schedule from time to time.
  • Trading card games – We run casual sessions of TCGs such as Yu-Gi-Oh! and Magic: the Gathering Commander and are looking to expand into Pokémon and various others.
  • Costuming / Cosplay – Casual sewing and costume creation sessions with our experienced seamstress providing expert advice and assistance.

These are our core activities, we plan to expand this list as we grow and have more volunteers able to assist.

All trade names are property of their respective owners. Room at the Table Inc is not affiliated with any of the trade name owners.

Our vision for the future

We have only scratched the surface of the demographics of people that we can connect with. We have so many plans for increasing the number of people who we can help in the future, including:

  • Sessions for carers and their clients
  • Activities for senior citizens
  • Educational Games for pre-schoolers
  • After school RPG and boardgaming sessions
  • RATT Hosts running boardgames / roleplaying sessions in schools, businesses and homes
  • Hosting boardgame or RPG parties
  • Training opportunities to develop employability skills and improve social confidence, particularly for those who experience social stigma
  • Collaborating with like-minded community organisations to further improve the lives of those utilising the services of the associations

How we plan to achieve that

As well as the existing activities listed above, Room at the Table plans to introduce additional areas, increasing the options for people to become involved and benefit from what we offer. The following list includes activities we are actively working on, as well as others that are planned for development further into the future.

  • Media creation (podcasts, vodcasts)
  • Video editing
  • Sound production
  • 3D design and printing
  • Merchandise design
  • Online store
  • Physical store
  • Café

You can help us to get there!

If you would like to get on board to help us as we work towards our vision, there are several ways you can help.

Volunteering

Volunteering provides time and energy at the core of RATT needs … without our volunteers there would be no Room at the Table! Volunteering not only helps RATT fulfil its purposes, studies have shown that volunteering boosts dopamine, oxytocin, and serotonin (the “feel good” chemicals in our brains) and promotes health and longevity! Find out more about volunteering at RATT.

Incorporation Member

Room at the Table Inc. is an Incorporated Association registered under the Associations Incorporation Reform Act 2012 in Victoria, Australia. Under the rules of the Act an incorporated association is run by a committee of management chosen from the members of the association. Find out more about how becoming an incorporation member supports Room at the Table.

Donations

  • Financial donations can be earmarked for a specific project, or can contribute towards the general running of Room at the Table. One-off donations provide a fantastic boost, and regular donations help us to plan our cashflow. Click here for details.
    Note: Room at the Table Inc is not a registered Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR), therefore donations are not tax deductible.
  • Offers of quality goods for use at the RATT Rooms are always welcome, contact us to see if we have a current use for what you are offering.
  • Good quality professional services are expensive! If you would like to donate some hours of your professional expertise to Room at the Table, we would love to talk with you!

Collaborations

Room at the Table is grateful for the invaluable work that other like-minded organisations provide for the community. We believe in the power of synergy where together we can achieve more than we can individually. If your organisation has compatible purposes with Room at the Table, and you would like to explore the possibility of us working together, drop us a line and let’s talk!