To date, research suggests that they are attracting a lot of positive attention and responses from their targeted community members. (www. Enmeshed. Org) For the purposes of this research project, the author will examine the Thy Men’s Shed, a hugely popular local community development project. The reason Thy Men’s Shed was chosen as the focus of this project is because in the short time since it has been established, it has become one of the most successful local community development projects in Thy, going from strength to strength and evolving into a hugely popular resource.
Aims & Objectives The aim of this research project is to take a brief look at the origins of Men’s Sheds. It will then go on to investigate the Thy Men’s Shed and ascertain why and how it came about, who it is aimed at and what it involves. This project will begin by outlining some of the recognized definitions of Community Development before going on to answer the following questions: What are the Origins of Men’s Sheds? Why do men Join Sheds? How did Thy Men’s Shed come about? What happens in Thy Men’s Shed?
In order to thoroughly research this project, the researcher will undertake two types of research – Primary and Secondary. Primary research will consist of a meeting with Mock Osborne, the local Community Development worker and main founder of the Men’s Shed in Thy. A meeting with the founding members of the Shed has also been arranged, in which the researcher will endeavor to interview each person in relation to the project and their hopes and aspirations for the Men’s Shed, plus their vision for the future.
Secondary research will consist of information sourced from numerous documents, reports and Journals on Community Development and Men’s Shed’s online, as well as some research previously conducted by Michael Kenny of NINJA Matzoth on Community Development Projects. Findings: Mock Osborne of the Thy Community Development Project and a handful of local men who already attended a dwindling men’s social group in the CDC in September 011 tentatively founded Thy Men’s Shed. They had their first public meeting in October of that year and had a good turnout from members of the local community.
After a few months of planning and campaigning, begging and borrowing, and relying on the generosity and good nature of members of the local community and businesses, the Thy Men’s Shed opened its doors on Wednesday 1 lath January, 2012 and welcomed approximately 20 men to the shed. (Appendix 2) The Community Workers Co-operative, in a document entitled “A Statement of values and principles for Standards of Quality Community Work” define Community or change based on that analysis… In this same document, The Community Development Support Programmer of the Dept. Of Community, Rural and Caltech Affairs defines Community Development as being “about promoting positive social change in society in favor of those who benefit least from national and global social and economic developments… (it) seeks to challenge the causes of poverty/ disadvantage and to offer new opportunities for those lacking choice, power and resources. ” (www. Cubed. Org ) Michael Kenny, a respected tutor at NINJA Matzoth, during a Certificate course in
Community Development and Leadership in 2011, outlined the key characteristics of good Community Development as (CM – Handout 3): A learning [educative process coming from the agenda of participants; A process of active participation in groups leading to community; Transformation of structures at local and global levels; Conviviality and sustainability; Social Justice and social inclusion at macro and micro levels. The Origins of Men’s Sheds: The Origins of Men’s Sheds can be found, not on our sodden island, but on the golden sun-kissed shores of Southern Australia in the mid sass’s.
They were established as community based sheds open to all adult males. Their aim is to be hands-on and male-positive in terms of their activities and focus and they are generally inclusive and tolerant of all men in the community. They are designed around the diverse needs of men and accountable to the communities and organizations that typically sponsor and benefit from them, They give men free license to be themselves and share their masculinity in positive ways which are complementary to, but separate from their relationships with family, in particular women, and their home or wider community identity.
In the process of all of this they are able to build on their hands-on skills, learn some new skills, make friends and have a wealth of information open up to them in a safe and cocooned environment where their privacy is paramount. By late 2010 there were approximately 480 Men’s Shed organizations all across Australia, with around 30 in New Zealand, 7 in Ireland and 3 pilot “Men in Sheds” projects being funded through Age UK in England. (www. Enmeshed. Org ) Why Do Men Join Sheds?
Research by Anthony James Brown of the University of Western Sydney identified the following as the two main reasons men typically Join Sheds: Loss of work or unemployment As work is an important part of men’s lives, when the work is no longer there through either redundancy, lack of employment or retirement, this can pose a crisis for many men as they feel a lack of identity, isolation, dissatisfaction, a sense of being undervalued, loss of social standing, lack of direction or control and at a loose end.
Men’s Sheds are the perfect outlet for those in this situation. (www. Enmeshed. Org ) They provide a sense of purpose and belonging, a mental and physical outlet for stress and frustrations, they are something as simple as a place to go to every day to meeting as potentially essential as social inclusion for someone who may feel the darkness of depression because they have no other options, a daily routine and a place to exercise the mind by learning something new, or an opportunity to pass on invaluable knowledge and skills to other members.
Becoming a member of a Community Men’s Shed gives a man that safe and busy environment where he can find a sense of productivity and being valuable to his community, connect to friends and maintain an active body and an active mind, all in an atmosphere of friendship with no pressure to partake in activities. If all a man wants is a cup and a chat, there are plenty of kettles and listening ears within the walls of all sheds too. Essentially Men’s Sheds provide the opportunity to become part of a group, to be valued and to contribute to your area. Appendix 2) Thy Men’s Shed: The aim of Thy Men’s Shed is to enable all men within the Thy Community to come together in an informal setting to make new friends and learn new skills through shared non formal and informal learning, They currently (as of Swept 2013) have over 40 regular members who attend their premises in the Thy Business Campus in which they hold their meetings and practical projects. They also have a host of horticultural projects on the go on a piece of land that was kindly donated by a local benefactor.
Their current plans include both short and long term projects to engage as wide and interest as possible and accommodate as many potential members as possible, They are currently run by a committee of members, and their basic long term objective is to extend the opening hours of their drop-in center type base to six days a week from am to pm where members or anyone interested in Joining can pop in at any time to see what it is all about and participate in whatever way they eel comfortable in doing, They are currently sourcing their own funding via petitions to local support groups such as the Thy Lions Clue, the County Council and the Farmers Council. , They are self promoting via the likes of Backbone and Twitter, with added backing from advertising through local Newspapers and Radio Broadcasts.
Thy Men’s Shed is currently going from strength with several projects on the go from revamping and repairing old bikes, scooters, go-karts and computers, building bird- souses and nesting boxes to planting their own vegetables which they sell on a market stall at Insincerity Farmers market. (Appendix 2) inclusion. While it is essentially it is essentially a men’s group, women are welcome to attend. It also aims to facilitate the personal and social education of its members with a particular nod towards Men’s Health Issues. It has been noted on many occasions that men tend to not want to talk about their personal health issues or worries with their families, partners and in many cases rarely have the confidence to approach their Gaps, and as a result many physical and emotional issues can come to head unchecked.
Men’s Sheds endeavors to invite guest speakers from the Health Profession, as well as many other fields, to come in on a regular basis so that the members can listen to information about or raise concerns about personal, physical or emotional issues relevant to men in a safe and laid back informal environment. From time to time the mountain does have to come to Mohammed… After all, Mohammed was a man! In Thy Men’s Shed, through hands-on activities, there is a learning and educative process in effect, there is active participation of the group on a community level as all he bikes, tribes, go-karts, etc that they repair and build are sold back into the community at an extremely affordable price, benefiting not only the group itself with raised funds, but also the wider community, many of whom would not otherwise be able to afford such luxuries.
The fact that Men’s Sheds are an international, as well as a domestic happening, is transforming structures at local and global levels, and the fact that it is open to all adult male members of the community regardless of race, color, creed or status and is run by its members implies social inclusion at all bevels. During the researchers interview with Mock Osborne and the founding members of the Thy Men’s Shed she learned the history behind the Men’s Shed, their objectives, aims and ideas. How they are approaching the issue of funding and self-promotion, and their genuine desire to run a project that will benefit not only the members if the group, but the community as a whole.
They will be utilizing both non-formal and informal learning techniques to encourage members of the group to get involved in something new and perhaps learn a new skill or at least get involved in something to vive them a sense of purpose, encourage personal development and give members of the community, who otherwise may have nothing, something to get out of bed for and look forward to. We learned that when one member of the community has an idea, it can ignite a larger scale interest in a project that will involve and inspire a whole section of the community that may otherwise have languished. Thy Men’s Shed is a perfect example of empowering positive social change through members of the community, one of the main principles of Community Development.
It has taken 20 plus men, most of whom are unemployed through no fault of their win and given them a sense of purpose and value. It has provided them with a social outlet for their frustrations and anxieties, yet it is a constant source of learning for most of its members. They are engaging in productive and positive activities that enhance their sense of self and their sense of community. All the members that the researcher spoke to insist that the positive effect Men’s Shed has had on them has been noted and welcomed by their families, friends and the wider community. It has had a knock-on effect in their personal lives inspiring change for the better in others around them.
The only recommendation the researcher, as a woman, felt that she could offer, was advice on how to promote their project as they seemed to have covered all their bases through thorough research and with the help of outside sources who provided suggestions and perspectives that were valuable help to the members of the Shed. APPENDIX 1 : Names of Gentlemen Interviewed: 2. Gerry Walsh – Founding Member of Thy Men’s Shed 3. Derek Sambaing – Founding Member of Thy Men’s Shed APPENDIX 2: List of Questions Asked During Interview: Who are you and what is your role in Thy Men’s Shed? What is a Men’s Shed? Where did the concept originate? Had you any previous experience of a Men’s Shed?
What made you feel there was a need for a Shed in Thy? How did you go about sourcing a premises and funds? What are the aims and objectives of Thy Men’s Shed? Who can come to the Shed – is it aimed at a particular genre or section of society? What do you do in the Shed? What are your current projects? What do you have planned or the future? What are the opening hours? Who runs it? Is it a self-sustaining enterprise? What is the main hope for the long term in regards Thy Men’s Shed? How many members are there? Where are your premises? Do members have to attend regular meetings in order to maintain membership? Do you have to become a “member” or can men Just drop in?
APPENDIX 3: Written Critical Report of Research Interview Description of Visit: At 1 lam on September 27th, the researcher met with Mock Osborne of CALL and Derek Sambaing and Gerry Walsh of Thy Men’s Shed. The reason for meeting in the CALL is that some members of the Men’s Shed expressed that they were not comfortable with the researcher being present on the premises and observing their activities for personal reasons. The researcher found that the representatives that he met with were friendly and happy to provide her with any information she required. They members seemed genuinely excited about their project and very enthusiastic about the whole idea behind their project, their achievements to date, and what the future holds for Thy Men’s Shed.
Reflections on the project, Likes/Dislikes and how interviewees responded to the researcher: The researcher was pleased that these men were willing to give up their personal time to come and meet with her, Their excitement and enthusiasm for the project was infectious. The researcher was a little disappointed with the fact that she was unable to observe he working Men’s Shed Unit in Thy Business Campus and see the working dynamics of the group in operation. The founding members that the researcher met with were very friendly and informative and seemed genuinely proud of their project, what they had achieved so far and what they have planned for the future, they were glad of the attention they were receiving and the chance to generate more interest in their project.
