Men’s sheds: the ultimate circle of trust

Seven years ago, Peter Sergeant and his directors had a vision. They wanted to provide an infrastructure that would support men all around Australia and from all walks of life. As he describes it, they sought to ‘revitalise communities, rural and remote, create jobs and business opportunities, improve men’s health’.

Mr Sergeant became inspired by what are known as independent men’s sheds, a sort of club (if you like) that assists men in battling isolation, depression and loneliness. Going a step further, Mr Sergeant collaborated these support bases to form Men sheds Australia, of which he is Managing Director.

There are now over 150 sheds nationwide, with many more popping up in all corners of the globe.

It is important to note that men’s sheds are open to men of all ages, they are not simply a service for retirees. In many of the sheds, there are opportunities for younger boys to be involved, learning skills and bonding with their elders. ‘A men’s shed is not just for old blokes; the older men encourage the younger men, and the younger men encourage the older men,’ Mr Sergeant says.

Men’s sheds Australia offers funding support for groups Australia wide, assisting with space location, program organisation and supplies. Mr Sergeant’s intent was to bring unity to this industry, with enough space to make a difference. ‘In order to have an impact on the community they need a reasonably sized space to do this,’ Mr Sergeant says.

Men’s sheds Australia is able to assist the sheds up until a point. After this, the groups must find a way to be self-sufficient. And at a glance, many appear quite creative in the projects they embark on.

According to Mr Sergeant the range of projects is vast. Some groups have built toys, while others offer handymen services, woodwork and metal work. One group in NSW undertakes an ongoing project of restoring old bikes after they noticed an abundance of the two-wheeled vehicles being dumped in the area.

There is now a hope to establish one of the like in the Pyrmont, Ultimo area in Sydney. According to Charles Perry of community organisation Pyrmont Progress, there is a lack of services for men in the area. ‘Women have a lot of support bodies, men don’t appear to have these kinds of support facilities,’ Mr Perry said.

With support from the City of Sydney council and other local corporations, this new group looks like they will gain the security they need.

Mr Perry says that once the space is found, the group will then have the opportunity to grow and choose what sort of service they will provide. In his opinion, the autonomy of each group is paramount to its success. ‘It is important that the group decide what you want to do.’