The men's shed movementWhat does it mean for adult educators?

Presentation to the Slovenian Institute of Education

28 October, Ljubljana, Slovenia

Professor Barry GoldingFederation University Australia,

President, Adult Learning Australia & Patron Australian Men’s Sheds Association

b.golding@federation.edu.au

Thank you to:

For the warm welcome.

Slovenian Adult Education Association

and Slovenian Institute for Adult

education for the invitation

All participants today

Assoc. Prof. Sabina Jelenc Krašovec,

Department of Educational Sciences,

University of Ljubljana for encouraging

me to come to Slovenia.2

Presentation summary

This presentation raises questions about new

approaches to reconnecting men from diverse

backgrounds to learning in Slovenia, particularly those

men not in paid work with limited or negative

experiences of formal learning. A decade ago a

grassroots movement of men's sheds in community

settings sprang up in Australia and has been very

successful in engaging the most disengaged, rural and

older men in activities that have transformed the men,

their families and communities. This lecture explores

what wider lessons the community men's shed model,

with appropriate cultural translation, might have for

adult education practice, including in Slovenia.

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Some facts about the Australian continent

“Australia is by far the driest, smallest,

flattest, most infertile, climatically most

unpredictable, and biologically most

impoverished continent and the last to be

occupied by Europeans”,

but “… had supported the most distinctive

human societies and the least numerous

human population, of any continent.”

Jared Diamond (2005) Guns, germs and steel.

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Australia’s First Nations people

Spoke 250 different languages, plus 600

dialects.

Only 145 of these Indigenous languages

have any remaining speakers, and only

18 Indigenous languages are still

‘strong’.

3 per cent of Australians today are

Indigenous (Aboriginal or Torres Strait

Islanders).5

Australia a refugee & migrant nation

Early ‘waves’ of migration from diverse,

mainly European countries, since UK

created a penal colony in 1788.

Most recent migration from diverse world

conflicts in Europe, Asia and Africa.

Most Australians are from refugee or

immigrant backgrounds (and yet Australia

today has very strict ‘border controls’).

One in five Australians speak a language

other than English at home.

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Some Australian education trends

Most education systems are based

around European traditions.

Many of these systems are moving

towards markets and user pays.

Government investment in lifelong and

lifewide adult education is weakening.

½ of adults in work in Australia

completed no post-school qualification

1/4 are functionally illiterate

These trends are common in Europe. 7

Educational equity issues

Australia has vast spaces difficult to

cover with comprehensive education.

Rural participation is weak; most jobs

are in the capital cities or remote mines

One fifth of Australians are functionally

illiterate, mainly older adults.

Population aging is creating issues for

older (and rural) people, including men

with low formal skills, not in paid work.8

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Community men’s sheds originated in the

community less than 20 years ago, from:

culturally iconic backyard, house & garden sheds

fire brigade and sports sheds

woodwork and wood turner’s workshops

Vietnam & war veterans organisations

places & organisations where workers want to keep trade skills, traditions, tools & engines alive.

ideas in the media & books

men’s health, education & wellbeing workers, organisations, researchers, activists & gerontologists.

Shed ‘pioneers’ & innovators in four nations.

Community men’s sheds: context & history

Services and professionals (in aged care, welfare,

health and adult education) by the 1990s were

mostly for and by women.

Older men with limited formal learning and social

connections were not being serviced.

men’s health & wellbeing issues were alarming.

War veterans were particularly impacted.

Some women with ageing fathers (and some men)

recognized the problem and acted at a grassroots

level by first setting up ‘community’ sheds.

The first men’s shed opened in late 1999.

Sheds spread to Ireland New Zealand, the UK and

Ireland 5 years ago. Now 1,100 sheds in 4 nations.10

There is no ‘right’ men’s shed

All men, nations, contexts and

communities are different

But … it should be ‘grassroots’

led by the local men and community

What happens is negotiated amongst

the men

all men are welcome

giving back to the community

often with women’s support. 11

National Men’s Sheds Associations

Australian Men’s Shed Association

www.mensshed.org

Irish Men’s Sheds Association

www.menssheds.ie

New Zealand Menz Sheds Association

www.menzhed.org.nz

UK Men’s Sheds Association

www.menssheds.org.uk

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What are community men’s sheds A new ‘movement’ of shed-based community organisations,

mainly for and by men.

The largest community association in Australia, Ireland, UK

and New Zealand focused on the needs, health, wellbeing &

interests of men.

Provide a safe, regular, social space, for informal, voluntary

activity & programs with many other possibilities & outcomes.

Unlike ‘backyard’ sheds, available to groups of men,

organised independently or through other community

organisations.

Usually (but not always) with a group workshop space, tools

and equipment a public, shed-type setting

As diverse as the men and communities they spring from.

Salutogenic (‘health giving’, but health is not fore grounded).

Men learn by bringing and building on what they can do,

not what they can’t do. There are no programs or teachers.

The important basics:

Sheds work because men enjoy gathering socially,

regularly, voluntarily, happily, safely and do hand-on

‘stuff’ together.

They work best when it’s for the community.

Shedders are active and equal participants: not

students, patients, clients or customers.

They are not patronizing or ageist: men are not

assumed to have ‘a deficit’ or be seen as the

problem.

Not naming the shed activity provides freedom to do

& talk about important other stuff (including health).

The outcomes are typically diverse and powerful.14

What do ‘professionals’ see in a shed? A place for:

men’s health (health worker)

masculinities (gender academic)

learning (adult educator)

counseling about behaviour (psychologist)

retiring and ageing (a gerontologist)

doing stuff (occupational therapist)

men to get out of the house (a sociologist)

social engagement & connection (community services)

tackling substance abuse (drug worker)

research (academic)

wooing votes (politicians)

Men’s lives (and needs) beyond paid work are

diverse & do not fit into one, neat, academic box. 15

Sheds work for (and are supported by some

governments & professionals) because they:

attract men who are otherwise missing (who

won’t access services that patronize them)

provide places to embed programs and meet

men, ‘at home’, on their terms

operate and are responsive to diverse men’s

diverse needs at a local level

tick all of the Social Determinants of Health

provide some services free, cheaper or more

effectively than govt (This one needs watching …)

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Men’s sheds have tended to thrive in:

Post-industrial areas (where factory jobs vanish)

Rural and regional areas (where farmers have

moved to town or where ex-tradesmen are concentrated)

Areas hit by crisis & change (earthquake, GFC,

recession, fire, drought, flood, lower socio-economic status)

Areas where the proportion of men

‘beyond paid work’ (older, rural, unemployed, out of the

workforce, retired) is higher than average.

These are the areas and men service

providers and governments (including

adult educators) have difficulty reaching.

Men’s sheds must be for all men

Racism, homophobia, discrimination on

the basis of religion or disability is not

acceptable in sport (and is unlawful).

A brief reflection on the role and status

of women …

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Women have actively assisted the spread

Men with female partners typically participate with their strong support (& encouragement).

Women have played major roles in developing & championing many sheds, the movement, plus national & state associations.

Almost all major media stories about sheds have been researched and reported by women.

Women have been behind many shed start ups & the procurement of funds.

Some sheds have a female coordinator.

Sheds make a local decision to include women as participants (or not).

Men sometimes shift the things they don’t want to deal with to women (e.g. paperwork, budgeting, accountability).

In other countries, men gather:

around sport & emergency service

organisations

Scandinavia, around fishing & hunting

Portugal, around pigeon racing

Mediterranean counties, around coffee

Where do older men on Slovenia gather?

‘Sheds’ won’t be needed everywhere, in

all nations or for all men, but some of the

same men’s shed principles are

transferable in Slovenia.20

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Men’s sheds have been supported:

By independent men’s shed organisations

diverse community-based organisations & service providers that ‘auspice’ sheds

National & state men’s shed associations

As part of the Australian Men’s Health Strategy

Non-Government Organisations (e.g., Rotary, War

Veterans, Aged-Care, UnitingCare, Catholic Church, Salvation Army)

Government Programs (nationally: Department of

Veterans Affairs; Indigenous; Literacy, for Refugees, Rural Affairs, Adult & Community Education.

90% of Australian sheds have no paid staff.

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What do men learn in sheds?

Hands-on skills through practical, productive activity.

The positive value of leisure activity & friendships with other men.

Importance of health, fitness, relationships, identities as men & emotional well being.

Coping with changes associated with unemployment, separation, ageing, disability & retirement.

To develop, share & enjoy lives & identities beyond work & home.

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Men learn new ways to:

break social isolation & ‘underfoot syndrome’

regularly share workshop-based, hands-on, trade skills with men & sometimes boys

give back to their communities

model positive and diverse ways of being a man (particularly beyond work)

regularly participate & socialise in community settings with other men

learn, that does not involve shame

contribute to the community at any age.

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Why do sheds work?

They positively accommodate men with a dislike of formal education.

They encourage mentoring & sharing of leisure, trade, craft, health & safety skills.

They match the specific learning needs of the men that use them & make men ‘feel at home’, valued and valuable.

The focus is on the needs of men as equal and joint participants in the activity.

They help men learn to productively age and remain social and connected at any age.

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Sheds provide opportunities for:

active participation & situated, informal learning in

communities of (men’s) practice

intergenerational learning

safe, positive, therapeutic & male-positive activity.

a voluntary social & community outlet for diverse,

mainly older men beyond paid work.

opportunities for sharing & mentoring

grassroots involvement for diverse men of all ages

at a local level

building better communities.

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Shed practice informs educators by identifying

factors that ‘put men off’ formal learning & keep

them unwell & out of work:

previous negative experiences of schooling

a dislike of formal learning & literacies

limited access to education, training &

services that match men’s preferred ways of

learning

limited access to computers & internet

age discrimination in employment & training

sickness, disability, caring & family roles.

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‘Shoulder to shoulder’ activity is

preferred since it:

is enjoyable, hands-on & practical.

involves doing tasks, of real & transferable benefit (to individuals, group, family, business or community).

is often outside.

is about informal mentoring in groups rather than teaching.

is in places where men feel ‘at home’ with other men.

For all adults …

When will governments learn the social (&

economic) value of grassroots wellbeing

through community organisations rather than

just measuring the cost?

How can other services be transformed in

similar way ways that value participants over

clients?

What role might the Slovenian Government

and Slovenian Institute of Adult Education

play here? 28