This was an interesting read. These seem like examples that are metropolitan and middle class specific (although good news). I wonder what sort of examples might be pursued to address the loneliness among the rural poor - which is presumably where the problem is at its most dire. Do you have anything like the Men's Shed program running in the US?New norms are possible; they’re being created all the time. Independent bookstores are booming—the American Booksellers Association has reported more than 50 percent growth since 2009—and in cities such as New York City and Washington, D.C., many of them have become miniature theaters, with regular standing-room-only crowds gathered for author readings. [...] In the past few years, board-game cafés have flowered across the country, and their business is expected to nearly double by 2030.
You probably won’t like it, but I think honestly religion might be the best bet. They’re the only groups at present that have the funding and are already available in the region. Starting a men’s crafts meetup at a baptist church is much easier than trying to do so on your own.
On a related note, I was thinking recently about the growing divide between the middle class and the truly poor in Australia, and the diminishment of shared spaces common to both. It occurred to me that neighbourhood churches are one of those few community spaces where the rich and the poor are still physically brought together.