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TRANSCRIPT
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
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.
3
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.
4
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.
6
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
9
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
12
13
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 …)
16
17
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 …
18
19
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
21
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.
22
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.
23
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.
24
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.
25
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.
26
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.
27
‘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