The contribution of men’s sheds to the community

Professor Barry Golding

b.golding@ballarat.edu.auAssociate Dean, School of Education and Arts, University of

Ballarat, Patron Australian Men’s Sheds Association

Thursday 4 Oct 2012 PlenaryWestern Australian Men’s Sheds Association Conference

Mosman Park Men’s Shed, Mosman Park, Perth,

Western Australia

Thanks again to

Participants for the welcome All sheds WAMSA for the invitation AMSA for the ‘hard yards’ nationally ‘The Shed Movement’ in Australia and

also in Ireland, and New Zealand.

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Who was at?

Mukinbudin 2009 Later WAMSA conferences AMSA Brisbane 2011 Other national shed conferences

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Men’s sheds were invented in Australia? How come it took so long for the ‘national secret’ to emerge?

“Australia is by far the driest, smallest, flattest, most infertile, climatically most unpredictable, and biologically most impoverished continent and the last to be occupied by Europeans”,

and “… had supported the most distinctive human societies and the least numerous human population, of any continent.” Diamond (2005) Guns, germs and steel.

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‘Shed Culture’

‘Reveals resourcefulness around problem solving, adaptation and invention. … these practical qualities are worth dwelling on and encouraging lest they deteriorate in a throw-away culture of spectatorship and consumerism.’

Peter Willis, Review of Mark Thompson’s Makers, breakers and fixers (2007), in Australian Journal of Adult Learning, 52, 2, pp

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Community men’s sheds have developed in Australia in the past 15 years (only 5 yrs OS):

From backyard, house & garden sheds fire brigade, football and rugby sheds woodworker’s/turner’s workshops Vietnam & war veterans organisations places & organisations where workers want to keep

trade skills, traditions, tools & engines alive. ideas in the media & Mark Thompson’s books men’s health, learning & wellbeing workers,

organisations, researchers, activists & gerontologists. Shed ‘pioneers’ & innovators in four nations Now including at least 830 Australian men’s sheds

(approx 100 elsewhere mainly in Ireland and NZ), 6 state associations, 4 national Associations …

National Men’s Sheds Associations

Australian Men’s Shed Association www.mensshed.org

Irish Men’s Sheds Association www.menssheds.ie

New Zealand Menz Sheds Association www.menssheds.org.nz

UK Men’s Sheds Association www.menssheds.org.uk

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What are community men’s sheds A new ‘movement’ of shed-based community organisations,

mainly for and by men. The largest community association in Australia, Ireland and

New Zealand focused on the needs, health, wellbeing & interests of men.

Provide a safe, regular, social space, for informal, voluntary activity & programs with many other possibilities & outcomes.

Unlike ‘backyard’ sheds, available to groups of men, organised independently or through other community organisations.

Usually (but not always) with a group workshop space, tools and equipment a public, shed-type setting

As diverse as the men and communities they spring from. Salutogenic (‘health giving’, but health is best if not ‘up front’). Men bring and build on what they can do, not what they can’t.

The important basics: Sheds work because men enjoy gathering socially,

regularly, voluntarily, happily, safely and do hand-on ‘stuf’f together.

They work best when it’s grassroots, local, by, for and about the local men and for the community.

Shedders are active and equal participants: not students, patients, clients or customers.

They are not patronizing: men are not assumed to have ‘a deficit’ or be seen as the problem.

They should be inclusive and welcoming of all men. Not naming the shed activity provides freedom to do

& talk about important other stuff (including health). The outcomes are typically diverse and powerful.

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Sheds are about agency: ‘the capacity of individuals to act independently & to make their own, free choices’.

They particularly attract men who sense their agency has been reduced beyond work and/or through age, and who want to be useful and give back.

‘Sheds that men inhabit are of more of their own scale and stand up for and enable personal and local practical engagement, usefulness and resourcefulness. Practical problem solving and resourcefulness translate happily into lots of areas of life. Such small-scale relief can generate a kind of local wellbeing from being useful, belonging and fitting into a place in the physical and social world.’ *

* Peter Willis, AJAL p.414, 2012. 10

Sheds work for (and are supported by some governments & professionals) because they:

attract men who are otherwise missing (who won’t access services that patronize them)

provide places to embed programs and meet men, ‘at home’, on their terms

operate and are responsive to diverse men’s diverse needs at a local level

tick all of the WHO Social Determinants of Health

provide some services free, cheaper or more effectively than govts. (This one needs watching …)

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This provides dilemmas where: men’s free agency meets professional

‘programs’ and ‘services’ sheds target men’s needs, but funding bodies

have other, predetermined outcomes. the risk factors shut down the necessary fun

(money, safety and sustainability) the need to be inclusive conflicts with the

unmet needs of some groups of men.

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Men’s sheds have tended to thrive in: Post-industrial suburban areas Rural and regional areas (where farmers have

moved to town or where ex-tradesmen are concentrated)

Areas hit by crisis & change (with fire, drought, flood, earthquake (NZ) and lower socio-economic status)

Areas where the proportion of men ‘beyond paid work’ (unemployed, out of the workforce,

retired) is higher than average. These are the areas with men that

service providers and governments have difficulty reaching.

Men’s Sheds around Christchurch, New Zealand, July 2012 Menz sheds Canterbury leaflet, Canterbury Men’s Centre

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Men’s sheds must be for all men

An important reflection on four men who have suggested otherwise …

Racism, homophobia, discrimination on the basis of religion or disability is not acceptable in sport (and is unlawful).

A brief reflection on the specialist sheds and the role and status of women …

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It’s OK in terms of equity and access that some sheds specialize in

older men, younger men (less than 55 years), boys

outreach to men in aged care homes and day programs

men with a disability including dementia Indigenous Australians migrant, refugee and church groups programs inclusive of women.

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Women have actively assisted the spread Men with female partners typically participate with

their strong support (& encouragement). Women have played major roles in developing &

championing many sheds, the movement, plus national & state associations.

Almost all major media stories about sheds have been researched and reported by women.

Women have been behind many shed start ups & the procurement of funds.

Some sheds have a female coordinator. Sheds can make a local decision to include women

as participants (or not). Men sometimes shift the stuff they don’t want to

deal with to women (eg paperwork, budgeting, accountability).

Where are men’s sheds

In New Zealand since 2007 (now 30+) In Ireland since 2008 (Now 60+) In England since 2007 (Now 10+) In Canada since 2009 (2+) What about other nations and cultures

where ‘sheds’ are not culturally iconic? Are there other places, by other names

which serve similar functions for men?18

Other groups of men gather in: most nations, around sport &

emergency service organisations Samoa, around the kava bowl Scandinavia, around fishing & hunting Portugal, around pigeon racing Mediterranean counties, around coffee Maldives, where fishing nets are fixed. ‘Sheds’ won’t be needed everywhere, in

all nations or for all men, but some of the same principles are transferable. 19

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Men’s Sheds conferences have helped the spread, nationally and internationally

1st Australian Men’s Shed Conference 2005, Lakes Entrance, Victoria.

2nd Australian Conference Manly NSW, Sept 2007

3rd Australian Conference Hobart, Tasmania, 2009

4th Australian Conference Brisbane, Queensland, Aug 2011.

5th Australian Conference Ballarat, Victoria , Oct 2013. Several state Conferences also held in Western Australia, Victoria, Tasmania,

South Australia & New South Wales. National Conferences also held in Ireland (X2), New Zealand (x2) and England.

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Men’s sheds have been supported through:

diverse community-based organisations & service providers that auspice sheds

National & state men’s shed associations State Governments particularly in Victoria: other Australian

states are likely to follow suit – once evidence is there of hard outcomes & ‘throughput’ (a double-edged sword …)

Federal Govt support of AMSA as part of the Australian Men’s Health Strategy

Non-Government Organisations (eg Rotary, Veterans, Age-Care, UnitingCare, Catholic Church, Salvation Army)

Govt Programs (nationally: Department of Veterans Affairs; Indigenous; Men’s Health; State: Department of Planning & Community Development, Adult & Community Education.

Indigenous men’s sheds Gathering 15-16 Aug, 2012 Parliament House Canberra

1. AMSA with Indigenous Australian men acknowledge the value and potential of men's sheds in Australia to help all men walk shoulder to shoulder together with a wide range of benefits to individuals, families and communities.

2. All men's sheds organisations should attempt to involve Indigenous and non-Indigenous men in collaborative partnerships committed to acknowledging the past, but walking forward and tall together.

3. In some instances, consistent with the need to heal, renew and strengthen Indigenous cultural obligations, some Indigenous men and communities may decide at a local level to create sheds mainly with Indigenous men, or run complementary Indigenous programs on separate days. However the long term aim of all sheds should be about all Australian men working through the shed and community for the greater common good.

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The contribution of sheds has been huge at every scale human and local scale for diverse men,

partners, families & communities lifewide and lifelong (mainly later years

or beyond paid work) in all states and nationally via AMSA across cultures and nations reshaping government and professional

services and thinking and yet is so ‘early days’ for sheds.

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