One of the greatest success stories of the past 30-years has been the birth and global explosion of the Australian Men’s Shed movement. Certainly, within the men’s health space, no single entity (in my opinion) has been more responsible for shaping our understanding of ‘what works for men’ than the Men’s Sheds.
When working as a community nurse some years ago, I agreed to develop a 12-month education program for the local Men’s Shed (the picture above is from 2017 following my first men’s health presentation at Katoomba Men’s Shed).
This program that was co-designed with the Shedders themselves, involved a monthly 40-minute presentation with Q & A session between myself, a number of doctors, nurses and allied health professionals. This informal delivery of health information within a Shed setting, allowed a new way to deliver health promotion and promote dialogue with a target audience.
A Short History of the Men’s Sheds
The origins of the movement began in the 1990’s using an opportunistic space that men for decades have retreated to- the humble backyard shed. The shed provided a quiet, safe space for men to congregate and participate in activities, sometimes shared or otherwise individually- but always under the same roof. As urban development has made many backyards smaller or even redundant; the Australian Men’s Sheds offer an alternate place for men to congregate.
Since these organic beginnings, the proliferation of Sheds has been expansive with locations now across the UK, Ireland, Denmark, Kenya, South Africa and New Zealand. To date, there are over 1000 registered Men’s Sheds.
What are the Benefits of a Men’s Shed?
Socialisation – humans are social creatures and the links between socialisation and overall health have been known for a long time. The Shed environment provides men with the opportunity to congregate together, develop friendships and socialisation skills. Men’s Sheds have a motto, ‘Men don’t talk face to face, they talk shoulder to shoulder’. With research showing that Australian men are increasingly lonely, the Sheds provide a ready-made pathway for men to make new friends.
Mentoring – Sheds encourage men of from all age groups to join which is leading to mentoring opportunities between older and younger men. Mentoring has bi-directional benefits- to both the older man who feels valued when imparting knowledge and the younger recipient who has the opportunity to learn skills and observe healthy male relationships.
Skills – Sheds which have a more tools-based program allows other men to learn new craft skills in woodwork, metalwork and general crafts. Skills development often extends further to learning new digital skills with online learning, coping skills, empathy and self-awareness skills. Therefore, the Sheds offer physical, psychological and social strengths- all under the one (shed) roof.
Are All Men’s Sheds the Same?
What makes Men’s Shed so unique is that not all Sheds are the same. Yes, a lot of Sheds do participate in activities such as woodwork, furniture restoration and small-scale craft construction, whilst others might more resemble a book club or coffee house where informal discussions and banter take place. What makes each Shed unique is that the members themselves shape the activity within them.
How to Find a Local Men’s Shed
Sheds are located far and wide across Australia, so there’s a good chance one will be close enough for you. The link here will direct you a Shed in your area.
How to Attend a Men’s Shed
Once you have located a Shed near you, give them a call and find out a time when you can visit and meet some of the members. There is no obligation to join, and many men do a site-visit prior to membership.
Do I Need to be a Retiree to Attend a Shed?
No. A lot of men are in the retirement aged demographic, however there are plenty of younger men who attend.
Real Men’s Health Takeaway
The longest mile for a man to take is from his front door to another door. It is reasonable that you may feel apprehensive about approaching a Shed for the first time.
However, hundreds and thousands of men globally cannot be wrong- a Men’s Shed provides multiple positive benefits on so many levels. That is not to say that the first Shed you attend will be ‘the one’. Like anything, shop around until you find a fit.
