Whitehorse News - February 2023

“Shedding” emotional walls through community connection

From the outside, you may think that the healthAbility Men’s Shed is simply a group of men coming together to work on some hands-on projects. While that is definitely true, the ‘shedders’ will tell you that there’s a lot more to their meetings than just getting on the tools.

“Our mission is to provide a safe, inclusive and positive space for men to come together to work on meaningful projects, benefit from connecting with fellow ‘shedders; and learn a range of skills in a spirit of camaraderie and support,” explained Manager Stewart Blair.

Founded in 2006 (and formerly known as the Whitehorse Men’s Shed), the initiative started in Box Hill with about 20 shedders. These days, the Men’s Shed is over 50 members strong, and the shedders meet weekly.

“There are different groups, and we run our shed on Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays, from 10am to 3pm. We also have monthly lunch barbeques, which is a highlight for many,” said Stewart.

“We have social groups addressing social isolation, NDIS-specific groups, youth programs for disengaged students, and sessions designed to accommodate vulnerable groups, men with dementia, physical frailty and chronic health conditions.”

Some projects the group have worked on include building furniture for outdoor dining spaces, making veggie gardens for local retirement villages, running computer workshops for learning new skills – the list goes on!

“Our participants enjoy dabbling in most things and fixing items, so long as they can be creative and work together,” Stewart said.

The shedders have done a great deal for the Whitehorse community, helping out on projects and activities for Council, local retirement villages, primary schools, kindergartens, scout groups and other not-for-profits. But it’s perhaps what the shedders do for one another that make their meetings so valuable.

“It’s so important for men to keep socially engaged and feel part of a community,” said Stewart.

“Here, in this relaxed environment, the shedders are given the chance to open up and talk about what is important to them, instead of bottling it up. This environment also gives men a safe environment to discuss sensitive health issues. They have access to a number of resources, such as mental health integration to support grief, depression, anxiety and pathways into other health and wellbeing programs and supports.”

The testimonies from the shedders speak for themselves.

“The Men’s Shed has made a huge contribution to my life. It has provided invaluable friendships and helped me overcome my isolation.”

“My confidence and motivation have been really affected by depression and PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder). The Men’s Shed helps and distracts me, when I’m working on new projects like wood turning I don’t think about the other problems that usually occupy my mind. The guys are really supportive and I enjoy helping them with their projects.”

“I hope I have learned patience from spending time listening to someone who finds it difficult to communicate. I know I have realised there are no easy answers to many of life’s difficulties but the best thing we can do is come together in the spirit of friendship to make the journey a little easier. That is the meaning of The Men's Shed for me."