Page 1234 - Week 04 - Wednesday, 7 May 2014
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We are currently seeing a steady large stream of baby boomer men retiring from the workforce. This will continue for years to come. The percentage of ACT men over the age of 65 years is projected to increase from the current 10.7 per cent to 15.1 per cent by 2035. These men will be seeking a suitable social outlet in retirement.
Researchers tell us that the social isolation in later life can reduce our life expectancy by up to 10 years and that the key to healthy ageing is friendship. Men generally find their social connections through work. When they retire, they lose that social network. Men’s sheds are an important avenue for many men to reconnect and to form new friendships through valued activities.
The Tuggeranong Men’s Shed, for example, has been a shining example for others. While doing the creative activities that we would expect out of a men’s shed, like woodwork, they have also focused on maintaining the members’ mental and physical health through information talks and the “Spanner in the works” screening program. The Tuggeranong Men’s Shed is a member of the Australian Men’s Shed Association and is currently auspiced by Communities@Work. It is also supported by the Tuggeranong sea scouts, Bunnings Warehouse and the Canberra City Lions Club.
The shed was constructed by the Tuggeranong Archery Club using ACT government funding as part of the Tuggeranong multipurpose sporting facility. The building work on the facility has recently been completed, and an open day was held last month. It was a fabulously well attended open day. I had the great pleasure of taking part in some of the activities in the multipurpose sporting facility. I tried my hand at archery, bocce, badminton and a few other things. People tried to entice me onto the trampoline, but I thought that was best left to the young of body. It was a great turnout and I had the chance to look through the new men’s shed there.
People in this place may recall that it was the Minister for Sport and Recreation and I who got that development and that fabulous asset for the Tuggeranong community. The facility down at Tuggeranong includes a 180 square metre workshop, a kitchenette, a meeting area and a barbecue area with a large pergola. The shed has 95 members, with 40 members attending regularly—the majority from the Tuggeranong area, with a few attending from Weston Creek.
Tinkering in the backyard shed has been a long-known male phenomenon. I have a shed in my backyard, and I know that for my husband it is a place of refuge on many an afternoon. But the back shed does not offer the opportunity for a chat or the opportunity to share in one’s experience or share knowledge and skills. Also, many men that are now retiring do not have a quarter acre block with a shed. We have heard that from a few other speakers here today. The sheds are also an opportunity for men to work with other men to regain skills that they have not used in decades. Or perhaps they have never developed handy skills, but are very keen to learn. Having a purpose in life is vital to our wellbeing. Men generally get this purpose from work. Men’s sheds not only give men a focus to their day through learning, the exercise of skills and the sharing of experiences, they can boost men’s self-esteem and self-worth.
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