Mens Shed
Sometimes you just need somewhere to go
There are times in life when the days suddenly get a bit quieter.
Retirement. Losing a partner. Moving away from work. A relationship ending. Health problems. Losing someone you love.
Sometimes it’s not one big thing. You just realise you’re spending more time on your own than you’d like.
A Men’s Shed can be a good place to start doing something about that.
It isn’t a counselling service. It isn’t a support group in the traditional sense.
It’s a shed.
And that’s rather the point.
What happens at a Men’s Shed?
Every shed is different.
You might find people working with timber or metal, repairing things, restoring old equipment, building something for a local community group, cooking, learning a new skill or simply sitting down with a cuppa.
The Australian Men’s Shed Association describes the shed as a safe and friendly place where men can work on meaningful projects at their own pace and in their own time, alongside other men.
You don’t have to be an expert.
You don’t even have to be particularly handy.
And you don’t have to arrive with a problem that needs fixing.
Sometimes you can just have a yarn.
It’s about the people
The thing that makes a Men’s Shed useful isn’t necessarily what’s being made.
It’s the people you’re making it with.
Men’s Sheds provide somewhere to meet other people, make friends and feel part of something. For men who have become isolated or lost some of their usual connections, that can matter a lot.
AMSA says many men, particularly after retirement, can find themselves alone and unsure how to reconnect with their community or find a new sense of purpose.
A shed gives you a reason to get out of the house.
And someone will probably put the kettle on.
You don’t have to talk about what’s wrong
One of the good things about a shed is that nobody has to sit you down and ask how you’re feeling.
You can talk while you’re doing something.
You can talk about the project. The weather. The footy. The tractor. The garden. Whatever comes up.
And sometimes, somewhere along the way, the conversation gets around to the things that actually matter.
There’s no pressure.
You can just turn up, have a look and see if it’s your sort of place.
Men’s health and wellbeing
Men’s Sheds aren’t a replacement for professional health care, but connection matters.
AMSA says Men’s Sheds can help address social isolation and support men’s health and wellbeing by giving men opportunities to connect with friends, contribute to their communities and learn or use practical skills.
For some men, that might be exactly what they need.
For others, it might be the first small step towards getting some other help.
Finding a shed
There are more than 1,300 Men’s and Community Sheds across Australia.
The Australian Men’s Shed Association has a national shed locator where you can search for a shed by postcode.
Not every shed operates in the same way, and activities, opening days, membership arrangements and who can attend will vary from one shed to another.
It’s worth contacting the shed before you turn up.
If you’re looking for a shed and can’t find what you’re after, the Australian Men’s Shed Association can also be contacted on 1300 550 009.
You don’t have to be in trouble
You don’t need to wait until you’re lonely, depressed or struggling before finding a place to belong.
You might simply have some time on your hands.
You might want to learn something.
You might miss having a group of mates around.
You might want to make something useful.
Or you might just want to get out of the house once or twice a week.
That’s enough.
A place to start
If you’re a man who’s finding life a bit quieter than it used to be, have a look for your local Men’s Shed.
You don’t have to commit to anything.
Find one nearby. Give them a call. Go and have a look.
You might discover that the thing you’ve been missing isn’t a particular activity at all.
It might just be having somewhere to go, something to do and a few people to do it with.
This page is provided by Rest as a starting point, not as a substitute for professional or crisis support. Services and operating hours can change, so check the Australian Men’s Shed Association’s current information before relying on a particular service.