Men's shed

Men's sheds or community sheds are non-profit organisations that originated in Australia, to advise and improve the overall health of all males. However they have expanded their remit to anyone regardless of age or gender. They normally operate on a local level in the community, promoting social interaction and aim to increase the quality of life. There are over 900 located across Australia, with thousands of active members.[1] Men's sheds can also be found in Scotland, England, Wales, Ireland, Finland and Greece.

History

In Australia in the 1990s a number of issues were raised about men's health. In Australian culture, there was little encouragement for men of all ages to socialize and discuss their feelings and wellbeing. This problem was identified at a men's health conference in the mid-90s and plans were put in place to improve a number of aspects relating to men's health.[2]

The conference in question took place in 1995, and was the first national health conference dedicated to men in Australia. It was suggested that men's sheds could help promote social interaction and reduce depression related illness in elderly men.[3] After the conference, a number of men's sheds began to form across Australia.

Men's sheds originated from the shed in a backyard scenario, where a man would go and carry out tasks, such as restoring furniture or fixing lawn mowers. The first men's shed (by that name) was opened in Tongala, Victoria, Australia on July 26, 1998.[4] Named after its founder, Dick McGowan, the shed predates the Lane Cove Community Shed in New South Wales by just a few months, though both likely originated from ideas discussed at the National Rural Health Conference in 1995. Lane Cove Community Shed was opened in December 1998, and was founded for 'shedless' men, encouraging social activities friendships, while providing vital health information to its members. Since then a number of articles supporting men's sheds have been published, stating they help increase the length and quality of life of elderly males.[5]

Since the emergence of men's sheds in 1996, the number of sheds has grown year on year. The main aims of a men's sheds have also become much more varied since their foundation. Men's sheds are also active in a number of other countries, mainly based throughout Europe and South Asia. This includes around thirty men's sheds in New Zealand[6] and almost a hundred in Ireland.[7]

Old railway goods shed, now the Grenfell Men's Shed

In many ways men's sheds can be seen as extension of the original 19th century idea of working men's club's in the UK and Australia: "to provide recreation and education for working class men and their families". In time working men's clubs increasingly focused on charitable work and recreational activities typically associated with pubs. Whilst acting as hubs for information exchange, the community educational aspects foundered, as men's sheds remained in people's homes typically at the bottom the garden.

The Australian Men's Shed Association was established in 2007 by the Australian independent community based men's sheds to represent, support and promote the Men's Shed Movement and to act as a central hub for information exchange. The Australian Men's Shed Association is funded by the federal government to provide initial and ongoing practical support for the development of all men's sheds.[8]

The first country in the Northern Hemisphere to have an association is Ireland, where the Irish Men's Sheds Association was established in 2011 to support the development and sustainability of men's sheds.[9] The member Sheds of the Irish Association are from both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. One notable difference between the men's sheds in Australia and Ireland is the age demographic of the participating men; in Ireland men of all ages participate while in Australia it is mostly retired men. In February 2013 Westhill & Districts Men's Shed opened its doors as a constituted charity, to be the first men's shed following the Australian model in Scotland.

Categories of men's sheds

Every men's shed will have its own unique aims and focus on a certain subject. Men's sheds can be defined into five main categories. These categories are work, clinical, educational, recreational and communal.

Work sheds are for those who want to remain active and have an overall goal. These sheds focus heavily on restoration and construction, while helping the local community. Clinical and Communal have similar features, with the core of their aims focused on helping the local male community interact and discuss their health and wellbeing. Recreational men's sheds are created to help promote more social activity in the local area.

Educational sheds are aimed at improving skills and qualities. Popular educational sheds are based around a certain skill, such as cooking.

Virtual sheds provide an online capability where members from all men's sheds and other remote communities across the country or around world can actively communicate and be involved in numerous research, writing and photographic activities. The International Historians Association has created a community shed for veteran responders which include police officers, firefighters, paramedics, rescue workers and the military who have injuries, in-capacities or disfigurements that make them immobile or unwilling to join local work sheds.

Health and wellbeing

One of the main reasons for the creation of men's sheds was to improve the overall health of the older male population of Australia. A number of experts have said that the relaxing environment sheds create can extend a life due to the lower stress levels. Other health benefits also include lower blood pressure.[5] The need to focus specifically on Men's health as opposed to older people's health, is that women typically have access to various existing cross-generational communities such as the CWA (Country Women's Association) in Australia or the W.I. (Women's Institute) in the UK

Support and funding

The Australian Government has acknowledged the social importance of men's sheds for a number of years. They have now been actively promoting and funding men's sheds projects.[10] Men's sheds are now part of the local community in many parts of Australia, and are becoming part of its culture. This has led in recent times for them to also be supported regionally and funded by local and regional organisations and councils.[11][12]

Other countries where men's sheds are becoming popular have also recognized their social & health benefits. Ireland recently acknowledged and promoted them in their National Men's Health Policy 2008-13.[13]

National and government support isn't the only way men's sheds are funded. They are also supported by a number of specialist charities and private investment.

Men's shed associations and affiliated associations

References

  1. ↑ "What is a Men's Shed". MensShed.org. Retrieved October 23, 2012.
  2. ↑ "Australian Male Health". WebCitation. Retrieved October 23, 2012.
  3. ↑ "Mens Sheds - A Strategy to improve Male Health" (PDF). National Rural Health Conference. Retrieved October 23, 2012.
  4. ↑ Golding, Barry (2015). The Men's Shed Movement: The Company of Men. Champaign, Illinois: Common Ground Publishing LLC. p. 114. ISBN 978-1-61229-787-3.
  5. 1 2 McQueeney, Kerry (November 30, 2011). "Why Sheds Help Men Live Longer". London: Daily Mail, UK. Retrieved October 23, 2012.
  6. ↑ "Mens Sheds - New Zealand". Unknown. Retrieved October 23, 2012.
  7. ↑ "Mens Sheds - Ireland". Unknown. Retrieved October 23, 2012.
  8. ↑ http://www.mensshed.org/home/.aspx
  9. ↑ http://www.menssheds.ie/about-us/
  10. ↑ "Australian Health Policy". Unknown. Retrieved October 23, 2012.
  11. ↑ "NSW Health". Unknown. Retrieved October 23, 2012.
  12. ↑ "VIC Health Strategy". Unknown. Retrieved October 23, 2012.
  13. ↑ "Irish Health Strategy". Unknown. Retrieved October 23, 2012.
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