Page 1221 - Week 04 - Wednesday, 7 May 2014
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(2) calls on the ACT Government to:
(a) continue the current feasibility study into the needs and roles of ACT local Men’s Sheds, recognising their vital contribution to wellbeing and the contribution Men’s Sheds make to the broader community;
(b) investigate the best way to make ACT Government information and services available to Men’s Sheds and their participants; and
(c) investigate the provision of training opportunities for ACT Men’s Sheds members, including machinery operation, occupational health and safety and basic first aid.
I move this motion today to recognise and celebrate the contribution of men’s sheds across our city, especially to recognise the contribution of the many local men who have, over time, established and sustained men’s sheds across Canberra.
The social, community and health benefits of men’s sheds in the ACT are many and varied. There are 13 men’s sheds across the ACT, with another located in neighbouring Queanbeyan. They offer a diverse range of activities from wood and metal working, regular cycling outings, hosting guest speakers and excursions, to online networks and information sharing.
As many of us know, men’s sheds in this region and around the country generate significant benefits for their members and for their communities. The website, The Shed Online, hosted by beyondblue in conjunction with the Australian Men’s Sheds Association, or AMSA, aims to recreate the atmosphere of an actual men’s shed and, in their own words, The Shed Online is now Australia’s largest men’s shed with over 8,000 registered users.
This considerable spread of men’s sheds across our country demonstrates that Australian men from all walks of life have experienced the camaraderie and wellbeing benefits of men’s sheds. In addition, men’s sheds also contribute to their own communities, helping with maintenance, fundraising and other forms of local support to schools and community groups across the country.
An Australia-wide survey conducted in 2013 found that 94 per cent of shed members felt that their shed made an important contribution to their community. Men’s sheds have long been recognised as meeting places where men can find social support and camaraderie. The benefits of this increased connectivity enhance social cohesion and flow through to local community networks.
In the ACT, men’s sheds host members that are, on average, between their mid-60s and early mid-70s. Most men are retired, but there are some younger men, and all sheds have members in their 80s and 90s. Most members live in the suburbs in the vicinity of their men’s shed. Men often choose to join a men’s shed after a significant life event, such as retirement, changed family circumstances or after relocating to the ACT and region.
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