Why do men’s sheds work in diverse communities? Professor Barry Golding University of Ballarat, Australian Men’s Sheds Association Patron [email protected]Discovering Men’s Sheds Conference Leicester, England 29 Sept 2011 NIACE, Age UK, Men’s Health Forum & University of Leicester
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Why do men’s sheds work in diverse communities? Professor Barry Golding University of Ballarat, Australian Men’s Sheds Association Patron [email protected].
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Leicester, England 29 Sept 2011NIACE, Age UK, Men’s Health Forum & University of Leicester
How come sheds were invented in Australia? Given that: “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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Community men’s sheds are culturally iconic in some nations, springing & spreading in the past 15 years in Australia 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 media & popular texts. Men’s health, learning & wellbeing workers, researchers,
activists & gerontologists (Leon Earle). Shed ‘pioneers’ & innovators in all states Men’s sheds, State and national Associations (AMSA)
There are now over 600 community men’s sheds across Australia, doubling every two years for the past decade!
In the past four years men’s sheds have spread rapidly in Several other Anglophone nations: New Zealand (35?) Ireland (35?) England (50?) Canada (2?) Will they adapt, diversity and spread in
other non-Anglophone nations?
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What are community men’s sheds, as developed in Australia since 1995?
Now the largest community association in Australia focused on the needs, health, wellbeing & interests of men.
A new ‘movement’ of shed-based community organisations, mainly for and by men.
Providing a safe, regular, social space, for informal, voluntary activity & programs with many other possibilities & outcomes.
Unlike ‘backyard’ sheds, available to groups of men, independently organised or in auspice arrangements 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.
First, a restating of the important basics: Sheds work because they are attractive places for
men to gather socially, regularly, voluntarily, happily, safely and do hands-on stuff together.
They work best when it’s grassroots, local, by, for and about the local men and the community.
Shedders are active and equal participants: not students, patients, clients or customers.
They should be inclusive and welcoming of all men. They are not patronizing and do not see men as
having ‘a deficit’ or being the problem. 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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What do ‘professionals’ see in a shed? A place for: men’s health (health worker) masculinities (gender academic) learning (educator) counseling about behaviour (psychologist) retiring and ageing (a gerontologist) doing stuff (occupational therapist) men to get out of the house (a sociologist) social engagement & connection (community services) tackling substance abuse (drug worker) research (academic) wooing votes (politicians) Men’s lives (and needs) beyond paid work are
diverse & do not fit into one, neat, academic box. 7
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 Social Determinants of Health provide some services free, cheaper or more
effectively than govt (This one needs watching …)
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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 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 and men service
providers and governments have difficulty reaching.
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 role and status 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. Some sheds make a local decision to include some
women as participants. Men sometimes shift the stuff they don’t want to
deal with to women (eg paperwork, budgeting, accountability).
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. 12
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Learning through the national Australian (and State) conferences
1st National Men’s Shed Conference 2005, Lakes
Entrance, Victoria, organized by Gary Green & Orbost Men’s Shed.
2nd National Conference Manly NSW, Sept 2007, organized by Lane Cove Men’s Shed & Uniting Church (also Tasmania)
3rd National Conference Hobart, Tasmania: Aug 2009 Organized by AMSA with Pete’s Shed, Bridgewater (also in Western Australia)
4th National Conference Brisbane, Queensland, Aug 2011, organized by AMSA & QMSA, at which the International Confederation of Men’s Sheds Associations was first convened (also in New South Wales, Victoria & South Australia)
Leicester ‘Discovering Men’s Sheds’ 29 Sept 2011
5th Conference Melbourne AMSA & VMSA, 2013.
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In Australia, learning about sheds is through:
diverse community-based organisations that auspice sheds & service providers
AMSA & state men’s shed associations State Govt Support mainly in Victoria: other states in
Australia are likely to follow suit - once more evidence is there of hard outcomes & ‘throughput’ (a double-edged sword …)
Federal Govt support of AMSA Non-Government Organisations (eg Rotary,
Veterans, Aged-Care, Uniting Care, Catholic Church, Salvation Army)
Govt Programs (eg Department of Veterans Affairs, Adult & Community Education; Indigenous; Health & Wellbeing, Local Govt).
Shed Forums & Shed Crawls (eg Ballarat 2011)
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What do men learn in sheds? Hands-on skills through practical, productive
activity. The positive value of leisure activity &
friendships with other men. Importance of health, fitness, relationships,
identities as men & emotional wellbeing. Coping with changes associated with