Men Shed Wagga Wagga

My mission today was to meet the blokes at the Wagga wagga MENS SHED . Their location is under the grandstand of the old wagga Leagues club. This is their temporary spot until a bigger warehouse becomes available in the near future

I was made welcome and introduced to the men attending today . Today's program included a singing lesson . I sat in, the electronic organ, clarinet and drums accompanied us through war time songs, aussie ballet along with songs like Cabaret and Mack the Knife . I did enjoy my couple of hours with the boys.

Wagga Waggga Menshed has in excess of 165 Members from all walks of life . Each brings to the collective their own skills and interests. They have a program which allows members to choose which days they plan to attend . Tomorrow was woodworking. Lathes , Planners , saws presses , workbenches fill the room . They are pushed for room at present and look forward to the new warehouse becoming available soon.

There’s nothing new about men gathering together in their own space to talk, share skills, swap ideas, solve problems or just discuss life in general – it’s been happening since the beginning of time. There’s nothing new either about men spending time in their backyard shed – an acknowledged Aussie pastime. What is new is that men, particularly retired men, are combining these two activities in a communal space simply called a "Men’s Shed".

What is also new is how strongly men have embraced this new identity – being a member of a Men’s Shed. Men’s Sheds, as such, are a peculiarly Australian phenomenon. In the past decade a wide range of community-based Men’s Sheds has sprung up - each with its own unique identity and purpose.

Activities within sheds are many and various: woodwork, metal work, restoration of old cars, community projects, portable’ sheds taken to Alzheimer facilities or mobile sheds for remote country areas. The membership is diverse too. Men of all ages from all backgrounds, ethnic and social mixes can enjoy a Men’s Shed, bringing their unique cultural characteristics to enliven the activities.

The common theme in all Sheds is about men feeling useful and contributing again to their communities, learning or sharing their skills, making friends, networking and availing themselves of health information programmes and opportunities. Men’s Sheds are under the auspices of a variety of organisations whose ethos they tend to exemplify.

Communities are keen to provide activity, identity and meaning for vast numbers of older, unemployed, job-redundant, ‘downsized’, isolated, depressed and happily retired, active, creative, enthusiastic men. Men’s Sheds are fast being recognized as vital, viable places to fulfill these needs and provide relaxed, happy creative spaces for men to enjoy.

Mensheds Australia’s Vision:

Every community in Australia will have a men’s shed.

• To address the issues of men’s health (physical, emotional, social and spiritual well-being) in the community.
• To engage men of all ages, differently-abled, youth, veterans and other groups of men of the communities in regional, rural, remote and urban areas;
• To support the social interaction of men in transitional periods (e.g. Redundancy, Bereavement, Retirement, Ill Health, Relocation, Divorce, Respite Care) in a non-exclusive, non-judgemental way;
• To share, disseminate and preserve the skills, abilities and interests that are relevant to the community.

Our Mission is:

• To provide the skill, expertise and resources to any community group to enable it to establish, effectively operate and build a sustainable men’s shed.
• To facilitate links between men and health-related agencies, family organisations and specialist health professionals within the community.
• To generate opportunities, creating jobs and economic activity for the community.
• To advocate and build partnerships between men’s sheds and the community.
• To demonstrate to men’s sheds how their operation can be cost neutral, that is, that its ongoing costs can be met or exceeded by its revenue.
• To initiate and disseminate research on topics of particular relevance to men and their men’s shed.
• To provide a strong national voice on men’s issues and men’s sheds.

In Pursuing our Vision, We Commit to the Following Values:

• Compassion and empathy in serving men in all communities,
• Sincerity and devotion to improving of men’s health,
• Honesty and integrity in all our activities,
• Reliability and trustworthiness in delivering on our promises,
• Responsiveness to the needs of men, their families and their communities,
• Wisdom in applying technology and innovation,
• Respect for the value added by teamwork and participation to life-long learning,
• Appreciation of the value of contributions by partners and sponsors,
• Responsibility and generosity in giving back to the community.

What is the best thing about Mensheds?

It’s beyond what you can buy!

I wonder what will happen next !!!