Scottish Men’s Sheds Hannah Lister Age Scotland

What is a Shed? No right answer! The shed is what the shedders make of it! “Men don’t talk face to face; they talk shoulder to shoulder” (Golding 2007) One description of a Men’s Shed could be: ‘A Men’s Shed is any community-based, non-commercial organisation which is open to all men where the primary activity is the provision of a safe, friendly and inclusive environment where the men are able to gather and/or work on meaningful projects at their own pace, in their own time and in the company of other men and where the primary objective is to advance the health and well- being of the participating men. Men’s sheds may look like a shed in your back yard yet they innovatively share some characteristics of both community education and health promotion projects.’(IMSA)

Why Sheds? ‘For the most part they(men) felt that, unless you were interested in a sport or going for a pint, there wasn’t an awful lot going on to get them out of the house. So they just ‘pottered about’, doing a bit of gardening or watching endless daytime TV while waiting to drop off or pick up their children or grandchildren from school etc. I knew just how they felt as that’s pretty much how my days were being spent, just marking time’ Ken Harvey, Lockerbie Men’s Shed

A ‘Potted’ History… Australian Men’s Shed Network created Jan 2011-Ireland Men’s Shed Association estb 2012-mens sheds move ‘closer to home’- Westhill Aberdeenshire opens, with funding from the council NOW- More than 1,000 sheds- over 150 in Ireland and many growing in Scotland

Scotland's Sheds Start to Grow.. Early Success Stories- Macmerry men’s shed Westhill Men’s shed Ecology Centre Fife… and many, many more taking off- Inverness,Lockerbie,Jedburgh,Monklands…the list goes on…

MacMerry Men’s Shed

JedShed establishment

Impact on- Improved mental health and wellbeing- but how best to measure this? Healthy active ageing-physically as well as mentally Community benefit- bringing together communities Fits with Government’s ‘preventative agenda’

Age Scotland’s Role To date ‘Ending Loneliness and Isolation’ 900 member groups- men underrepresented 9 Development Officers, helping local sheds via Age Scotland- AS also part funded Westhill Accredited information via The Silverline Scotland- Information, befriending and advice

Age Scotland’s Shed vision Facilitate a Scottish Men’s Sheds Network that will- Offer a range of advice and support to existing sheds Provide ongoing support for establishment of new sheds, Create a website and an association that links sheds across Scotland Create links with other organisations and services who support older men and offer relevant info and advice We would also create frequent networking events An annual shedder’s conference Mobile phone app! …and a Men’s shed toolkit for start up sheds… And…have a staff resource within Age Scotland to allow us to do all of this!