STORY - "Sheds Provide A Reason To Get Up "

There was a time when David Helmers described himself as a man who was passionate about sheds. He had seen the impact of the simplest of gathering places on men’s health and wellbeing over a number of years. Now, David is a self confessed “unhealthy obsessive” where sheds are concerned, and this has led to his role as Executive Officer of the Australian Men’s Shed’s Association (AMSA).

In recent months David has attended a series of gatherings contributing to the formation of a National Men’s Health Policy, in which sheds have a real part to play. It is well known that men can be reluctant to see a doctor or even to admit that something might be wrong, physically or psychologically. Often, the simplest solutions are the most effective, and while David would not claim that sheds are the answer to all men’s health issues, he is convinced that they have a significant contribution to make.

Locally, David is closely associated with The Shed @ Windale, which has operated under the auspices of CatholicCare since 2004. The success of The Shed is well documented, with its works including youth mentoring, construction of World Youth Day crosses as well as the diocesan Cross, and various other projects.

How do sheds work?
The crux of the effectiveness of men’s sheds (which incidentally also welcome women) is the unofficial motto, “Men don’t talk face to face, they talk shoulder to shoulder”. In a submission to the Senate Select Committee on Men’s Health, David describes various ‘shedders’.

There is ‘the young shedder’, who is mentored by an older man, often in conjunction with youth welfare organisations, schools or technical education providers.

The ‘retired shedder’ may have retired without too much idea of what comes next. As well as meaningful activity linked to the wider community, sheds provide a social network. Often when a man is no longer employed, he quickly becomes socially isolated.

The ‘aged care shedder’ is not only happier and more occupied within an aged care facility, but likely to receive more visits from male family members. As one man said, “Dad and I always talked in his shed. The shed here is replicating that environment where we can comfortably talk while we tinker around.”

The ‘out of work shedder’ finds an alternative to likely depression and declining health. A recent newspaper column detailed the experiences of one man who, finding himself unemployed at 61, was expected by Centrelink to undergo intensive employment assistance which required ‘dumbing down’ his abilities to find work that wasn’t there. [Greg Ray “Inexperience needed” The Herald 4 April 2009] Many men in this position have stated, “The shed is my reason for getting out of bed each day.” Services provided by some sheds are recognised by Centrelink as an approved volunteering activity and provide income to offset costs.

The benefits of men’s sheds that David Helmers and his CatholicCare colleagues have experienced are strongly supported by research. One theme quoted in the Senate submission recurs: “Community based men’s sheds are providing critically important informal learning opportunities, programs and spaces for men, particularly older men facing issues associated with change, including ageing, health, retirement, isolation, unemployment, disability and separation.”

Not only do sheds contribute to men’s health and wellbeing, they also provide a convivial space for men to participate in workshops and gain knowledge of relevant health issues. While David says that his role with AMSA leads him to “rip my hair out on a daily basis!”, he will continue to advocate for funding and resourcing because he sees the outcomes – on a daily basis.

Tracey Edstein

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