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 men. However some have expanded their remit to anyone regardless of age or gender, and have similar aims and functions to hackerspaces. They normally operate on a local level in the community, promoting social interaction and aim to increase 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, United States, Canada, Finland, New Zealand and Greece.

The slogan for men's sheds is "Shoulder To Shoulder", shortened from "Men don't talk face to face, they talk shoulder to shoulder", adopted after the 2008 Australian Men's Shed Association (AMSA) conference.[2][3] The users of men's sheds are known as "shedders".[4] In 2014, Prof Barry Golding coined the term "shedagogy" to describe "a distinctive, new way of acknowledging, describing and addressing the way some men prefer to learn informally in shed-like spaces mainly with other men."[5] Sheds as a venue for mentoring other men and Inter-generational mentoring is a growing outcome.[6][7][8] Academics are using men's sheds as a research venue and research partner in exploring men's health and social needs.[9][10][11][12]

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-1990s and plans were put in place to improve a number of aspects relating to men's health.[13]

The roots of The Men's Sheds movement have been traced back to the 1980s with work in Broken Hill, New South Wales, and the lives of former miners. Some attribute the origins of men's sheds to the Albury Manual Activities Centre, also known as "Albury Men's Shed" which opened in 1978.[14] Work in Adelaide, South Australia focused upon the gender biased and inappropriate care of older men living with dementia in care settings and work with Vietnam Veterans in South Australia also played it's part.[15]

Prof Barry Golding has noted that, "For many communities, service providers, community workers and governments in Australia, calling a shed in a community setting a Men's Shed anywhere before 1998 was too hard and contentious.".[16] Men's Sheds challenged the acceptance of the gender agnostic approach to service provision which only saw a need for services for women. This institutional blindness resulted in "... many older men ... not even recognised as being gendered.".[16] Negative cultural, social and ideological attitudes towards men are being countered by the expansion of men's sheds.[17]

The first national health conference dedicated to men in Australia took place in 1995.[18] It was suggested that men's sheds could help promote social interaction and reduce depression related illness in elderly men.[19] After the conference, a number of men's sheds began to form across Australia. Media interest was focused upon negative stereotypical views of sheds and men whilst touching upon the health issues caused by a growing ageing population and the emerging medical discipline of gerontology.[20][21]

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.[22] 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 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 over fifty men's sheds in New Zealand and over two hundred in Ireland.[23] The United States has set up a national association, the US Men's Sheds Association, and has 3 Sheds in Hawaii, Minnesota and Michigan, as of May, 2017.[24][25]

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

In many ways men's sheds can be seen as extension of the original nineteenth century idea of working men's clubs 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 of 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.[26]

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.[27] 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.[28][29]

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.[30] "Men's sheds have been described as a male-friendly service providing a 'health by stealth' approach".[31] Research acknowledges the positive role that sheds can have in "addressing the gendered health disparity that males face".[32] Men have worse health outcomes across all age groups than females in most Western countries.[33][34] Concern has been expressed that a lack of support for older men and associated lack of visibility hampers progress due to limited research.[35][36] Longitudinal studies of men's sheds and their impact are missing.

One area where men's sheds are seen to be making a difference is in the diagnosis and treatment of diabetes. Men are at higher risk of un-diagnosed and un-treated diabetes as well as having higher rates of diabetes.[37][38][39] In Ireland the national men's sheds association is working with Diabetes Ireland, health care providers and professionals to address male diabetes.[40] The growing links between men's health and sheds is identified in literature for practitioners.[41]

Men's sheds are also directly involved in supporting men with Dementia and Alzheimer's disease, especially in the early stages. Alzheimer's Australia NSW helped develop initiates through their "Every Bloke Needs a Shed" pilot project.[42][43]

Research supports the value of men's sheds to the shedders themselves. 2007 research found the following;

  • 99.5% of men, 'I feel better about myself',
  • 97%, 'I have a place where I belong'
  • 97%, 'I can give back to the community'
  • 97%, 'I am doing what I really enjoy'
  • 90%, 'I feel more accepted in the community'
  • 79%, 'I get access to men's health information'
  • 77%, 'I feel happier at home'.

Approximately 30% of shedders are disabled.[44]

The positive aspects of the shed environment are often linked to peer support, learning and how "Each shed participant is both a teacher and a learner ...".[14]

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.[45] 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.[46][47][48]

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.[49]

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.

References

  1. ↑ "What is a Men's Shed". MensShed.org. Retrieved October 23, 2012.
  2. ↑ Barry Golding (2015). The Men's Shed Movement: The Company of Men. Common Ground Publishing. p. 12. ISBN 978-1-61229-787-3.
  3. ↑ Marion Bowl; Robert Tobias; Jennifer Leahy; Graeme Ferguson; Jeffrey Gage (5 March 2013). Gender, Masculinities and Lifelong Learning. Routledge. p. 130. ISBN 978-1-136-29473-0.
  4. ↑ Barry Golding (2015). The Men's Shed Movement: The Company of Men. Common Ground Publishing. p. 38. ISBN 978-1-61229-787-3. Ruth van Herk from Lane Cove Men's Shed in Sydney claims credit for the word 'shedders' as she used it 'very early in the history' in presentations and in the written word.
  5. ↑ Learning across generations in Europe : contemporary issues in older adult education. Schmidt-Hertha, Bernhard, 1973-, Krašovec, Sabina Jelenc,, Formosa, Marvin,. Rotterdam, The Netherlands. pp. 31 + pp. 102. ISBN 9789462099029. OCLC 897575062.
  6. ↑ Cordier, Reinie; Wilson, Nathan J. (2014-05-01). "Mentoring at Men's Sheds: an international survey about a community approach to health and well-being". Health & Social Care in the Community. 22 (3): 249–258. doi:10.1111/hsc.12076. ISSN 1365-2524.
  7. ↑ Wilson, Nathan J.; Cordier, Reinie; Wilson Whatley, Lisa (2013-12-01). "Older male mentors' perceptions of a Men's Shed intergenerational mentoring program". Australian Occupational Therapy Journal. 60 (6): 416–426. doi:10.1111/1440-1630.12090. ISSN 1440-1630.
  8. ↑ Cordier, Reinie; Wilson, Nathan J.; Stancliffe, Roger J.; MacCallum, Judith; Vaz, Sharmila; Buchanan, Angus; Ciccarelli, Marina; Falkmer, Torbjorn S. (2016-11-01). "Formal intergenerational mentoring at Australian Men's Sheds: a targeted survey about mentees, mentors, programmes and quality". Health & Social Care in the Community. 24 (6): e131–e143. doi:10.1111/hsc.12267. ISSN 1365-2524.
  9. ↑ Shand, Fiona L.; Proudfoot, Judy; Player, Michael J.; Fogarty, Andrea; Whittle, Erin; Wilhelm, Kay; Hadzi-Pavlovic, Dusan; McTigue, Isabel; Spurrier, Michael (2015-10-01). "What might interrupt men's suicide? Results from an online survey of men". BMJ Open. 5 (10): e008172. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2015-008172. ISSN 2044-6055. PMC 4611172. PMID 26474936.
  10. ↑ Hansji, Neeraj L.; Wilson, Nathan J.; Cordier, Reinie (2015-05-01). "Men's Sheds: enabling environments for Australian men living with and without long-term disabilities". Health & Social Care in the Community. 23 (3): 272–281. doi:10.1111/hsc.12140. ISSN 1365-2524.
  11. ↑ Fildes, Dave; Cass, Yona; Wallner, Frank; Owen, Alan (2010-09-25). "Shedding light on men: the Building Healthy Men Project". Journal of Men's Health. 7 (3): 233–240. doi:10.1016/j.jomh.2010.08.008. ISSN 1875-6867.
  12. ↑ Culph, Jennifer S.; Wilson, Nathan J.; Cordier, Reinie; Stancliffe, Roger J. (2015-10-01). "Men's Sheds and the experience of depression in older Australian men". Australian Occupational Therapy Journal. 62 (5): 306–315. doi:10.1111/1440-1630.12190. ISSN 1440-1630.
  13. ↑ "Australian Male Health". WebCitation. Archived from the original on December 18, 2008. Retrieved October 23, 2012.
  14. 1 2 Misan, Gary (2008). "Men's Sheds. - a strategy to improve men's health" (PDF).
  15. ↑ Barry Golding (2015). The Men's Shed Movement: The Company of Men. Common Ground Publishing. p. 48. ISBN 978-1-61229-787-3.
  16. 1 2 Barry Golding (2015). The Men's Shed Movement: The Company of Men. Common Ground Publishing. p. 12. ISBN 978-1-61229-787-3.
  17. ↑ Glover, K.C.; Misan, Gary (2012). "Men Together. Questions of Men's Experience in Sheds". New Male Studies. 1 (2): 63–73 – via ISSN 1839-7816.
  18. ↑ Department of Human Services and Health, Australia. (1996). Proceedings from the National Men's Health Conference, 10-11 August 1995 / sponsored by Commonwealth Department of Human Services and Health. National Men's Health Conference (1st :, 1995 : Melbourne, Vic.). ISBN 0644458011.
  19. ↑ "Mens Sheds - A Strategy to improve Male Health" (PDF). National Rural Health Conference. Retrieved October 23, 2012.
  20. ↑ Attwood, Alan (Oct 24, 1995). "Shedding Light on Our Blokes - reprinted at Drillbits.com". The Age. Archived from the original on 2014-01-26.
  21. ↑ Mark Thomson (1995). Blokes and Sheds. Angus & Robertson. ISBN 0207189161.
  22. ↑ 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.
  23. ↑ Barry Golding (2015). The Men's Shed Movement: The Company of Men. Common Ground Publishing. p. 28. ISBN 978-1-61229-787-3.
  24. ↑ "Find a Men's Shed". US Men's Sheds Association. 2017-11-20. Archived from the original on 2017-11-20.
  25. ↑ "Hawaii Men's Shed Association". THE HAWAII MEN'S SHED. Archived from the original on 2017-11-22.
  26. ↑ "Australian Government Shed Development Program". Australian Government, Department Of Health. Archived from the original on 2017-11-19.
  27. ↑ "Irish Men's Shed Association - Who We Are". Irish Men's Shed Association. 2017-02-28. Archived from the original on 2017-02-28.
  28. ↑ "Westhill Men's Shed sets gold standard". Deeside Piper And Herald. Mar 18, 2014. Archived from the original on 2017-11-20.
  29. ↑ Baynes, Richard (9 Apr 2016). "How the men's shed movement is helping older men fight isolation". The Herald. Archived from the original on 25 Nov 2017. Retrieved 25 Nov 2017.
  30. ↑ Ballinger, Megan L; Talbot, Lyn A; Verrinder, Glenda K (March 2009). "More than a place to do woodwork: a case study of a community-based Men's Shed". Journal of Men's Health. 6.1: 20–27. doi:10.1016/j.jomh.2008.09.006.
  31. ↑ Misan, Gary; Hopkins, Paul (2017). "Social Marketing: A Conceptual Framework To Explain The Success Of men's Sheds For Older Rural Men?". New Male Studies. 6: 90–117 – via ISSN 1839-7816.
  32. ↑ Cordier, Reinie; Wilson, Nathan J. (2014-09-01). "Community-based Men's Sheds: promoting male health, wellbeing and social inclusion in an international context". Health Promotion International. 29 (3): 483–493. doi:10.1093/heapro/dat033. ISSN 0957-4824.
  33. ↑ Alan., White, (2011). The state of men's health in Europe : extended report. European Commission. Directorate General for Health & Consumers., Leeds Metropolitan University. [Brussels?]: European Commission. ISBN 9789279201691. OCLC 819720044.
  34. ↑ Noncommunicable diseases country profiles 2011. World Health Organization. Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Organization. 2011. ISBN 9789241502283. OCLC 753563258.
  35. ↑ Milligan, Christine; Neary, David; Payne, Sheila; Hanratty, Barbara; Irwin, Pamela; Dowrick, Christopher (2016). "Older men and social activity: a scoping review of Men's Sheds and other gendered interventions". Ageing & Society. 36 (5): 895–923. doi:10.1017/s0144686x14001524. ISSN 0144-686X.
  36. ↑ Milligan, Christine; Dorwick, Chris; Payne, Sheila; Hanratty, Barbara; Irwen, Pamela; Neary, David; Richardson, David (April 2013). "Men's Sheds and other gendered interventions for older men: improving health and wellbeing through social activity. A systematic review and scoping of the evidence base" (PDF). Lancaster University Centre for Ageing Research.
  37. ↑ "3.8 million people in England now have diabetes - Press Release". Public Health England - GOV.UK. Sep 13, 2016. Archived from the original on 2017-11-22. Diabetes is more common in men (9.6% compared with 7.6% women)
  38. ↑ Sinnott, Margaret; Kinsley, Brendan T.; Jackson, Abaigeal D.; Walsh, Cathal; O'Grady, Tony; Nolan, John J.; Gaffney, Peter; Boran, Gerard; Kelleher, Cecily (2015-04-15). "Fasting Plasma Glucose as Initial Screening for Diabetes and Prediabetes in Irish Adults: The Diabetes Mellitus and Vascular Health Initiative (DMVhi)". PLOS ONE. 10 (4): e0122704. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0122704. ISSN 1932-6203.
  39. ↑ "MALE DIABETES CRISIS: CAN YOU HELP?". The Men's Health Forum. Archived from the original on 2017-11-22.
  40. ↑ "MEN'S SHEDS – A FOCUS ON DIABETES AWARENESS & PREVENTION". Diabetes Ireland. Archived from the original on 2017-11-22.
  41. ↑ Trisha Dunning (3 September 2013). Care of People with Diabetes: A Manual of Nursing Practice. John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 978-1-118-69918-8.
  42. ↑ Abbato, Samantha (2014). "Your Shed And Dementia - A Manual" (PDF). Alzheimer's Australia NSW.
  43. ↑ "Men's Sheds - Dementia Friendly Communities | Alzheimer's Disease International". www.alz.co.uk. Retrieved 2017-11-22.
  44. ↑ Barry Golding (2007). Men's Sheds in Australia: Learning Through Community Contexts. National Centre for Vocational Education Research. ISBN 978-1-921170-26-3.
  45. ↑ "National Male Health Policy, BUILDING ON THE STRENGTHS OF AUSTRALIAN MALES" (PDF). Australian Government Department Of Health. Commonwealth of Australia. 2010. ISBN 978-1-74241-204-7. Retrieved October 23, 2012.
  46. ↑ "Men's Health Plan 2009-2012 - Policy Directive" (PDF). NSW Government - Ministry Of Health. State of New South Wales NSW Ministry of Health. Nov 29, 2009. Retrieved October 23, 2012.
  47. ↑ "Men's health and wellbeing strategy background paper" (PDF). Victorian Government Department of Health. State of Victoria, Australia. March 2010.
  48. ↑ "Improving men's health and wellbeing: strategic directions". Victorian Government Department of Health. 2013.
  49. ↑ "National Men's Health Policy 2008 - 2013, WORKING WITH MEN IN IRELAND TO ACHIEVE OPTIMUM HEALTH & WELLBEING" (PDF). Department of Health, Eire. Department of Health and Children. Jan 14, 2010. ISBN 0-7557-7621-6. Retrieved October 23, 2012.

Further reading

  • The Men's Shed Movement: The Company of Men, Barry Golding (2015) ISBN 9781612297873
  • Men Learning Through Life, Barry Golding, Rob Mark, Annette Foley (2014) ISBN 9781862018327
  • Private World(s): Gender and Informal Learning of Adults - Research on the Education and Learning of Adults, Joanna Ostrouch-Kamińska, Cristina C. Vieira (2015) ISBN 9789462099715
  • Learning across Generations in Europe: Contemporary Issues in Older Adult Education, Bernhard Schmidt Hertha, Sabina Jelenc Krašovec, Marvin Formosa (2015) ISBN 9789462099029
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