Men's Shed
The modern Men’s Shed is an
updated version of the shed in the backyard that has long been a
part of Australian culture. Men’s Sheds are springing up all around
Australia. If you looked inside one you might see a number of men
restoring furniture, perhaps restoring bicycles for a local school
or making a kids cubby house for Camp Quality to raffle. You might
also see a few young men working with the older men learning new
skills and maybe also learning something about life from the men
they work with. You will see tea-bags, coffee cups and a comfortable
area where men can sit and talk. You will probably also see an area
where men can learn to cook for themselves or they can learn how to
contact their families by computer.
Unlike women, most men are reluctant to talk about their emotions
and that means that they usually don’t ask for help. Probably
because of this many men are less healthy than women, they drink
more, take more risks and they suffer more from isolation,
loneliness and depression. Good health, particularly mental and
emotional health, is based on many factors including feeling good
about yourself, being productive and valuable to your community,
connecting to friends and maintaining an active body and an active
mind. Becoming a member of a Men’s Shed provides that safe and busy
environment where men can find many of these things.
The Mosman Park Community Men’s Shed is no different to this, it
consists of a group of enthusiastic men from all walks of life who
come together to enjoy the company of other men, share their jokes,
joys and upsets. BenTech has established its office and laboratory
in the MPCMS because of this congenial atmosphere, the availability
of machinery and the voluntary assistance that the members of the
Shed are always offering.
