Central Coast Men's Sheds

Projects

Men’s Shed Access Program
The program is supported by NSW Department of Community Services, Human Services. The Access Program is a joint venture with Men's Sheds Central Coast and will run for 3 years. Program commenced on October 2010 and the Coordinator was employed from December. The Project will work with Central Coast Disabilities Service providers and Sheds, to provide direction for the group and individual Sheds to develop programs that provide social space in a workshop environment for men with disabilities and men who are socially isolated.The program aims to foster partnerships with disability providers and Sheds, coordinate training in disability access initiatives and negotiate the acceptance of men with identified needs into Sheds.

Community Development
UnitingCare Aging sponsor the Community Development Worker position to provide direction for the Men's Sheds Central Coast and individual Sheds and to assist in new shed developments and have committed to do so for a period of three years. The Department of Human Services, Community Services, have allocated $200,000 for the Men’s Shed Access Program, to develop access programs to provide opportunities for men with disabilities and socially isolated men to join in Men’s Shed activities, over three years. This includes a part time Coordinator and other program funding.

Family and Community Violence
The Office of Women’s Policy in Department of Premier & Cabinet have provided grant funding of $50,000 for 2 years to conduct a program focusing on family and community violence. This program will focus on developing a Family and Community Violence Bystander Program.

Mobile Men’s Shed
Mobile Men's Shed is used as a community engagement station at many local community events. When skilled operators are available the lathe or scroll saw is used as a demonstration of skills.
Event organisers are keen to have exhibitors with activities that engage participant's, preferably focused on children attending.
The Entrance Men's Shed manufacture community engagement(tissue boxes). The "Tissue Box Projects" include a cut out top, two sides and two ends packaged up with tape and including some sandpaper to finish up the job. Just add a hammer, clamp and few nails and there is the potential to engage children and adults in healthy collaborative activity.
This is an enormously popular activity and large event can consume up to 100 items. Organisers now seek grant funding to cover costs for these projects at events.

Speaker Program
Individual sheds have toolbox or lunchtime gatherings that are ideal for a speaker to present a short topic for information or discussion.
A range of speakers have indicated their willingness to speak to individuals, gatherings or to special interest groups within the Men’s Sheds of the Central Coast.
This may include
Hearing’s Interagency Health PolicyCouncil mentoringCentre Australia (disability training)Chronic HealthBlueadvocatesCancerHealthAid

Quarterly Gatherings
Following from the successful gathering at Alison Homestead, the Men's Sheds Central Coast has begun to facilitate another need for men to gather socially. The group will be arranging more social events in 2011. The committee has proposed to hold Quarterly Gatherings at a range of venues. Each event will be unique with proposals to hold a Pit Stop or a range of Coastal Conversations or relevant community issues. Now that we have 13 Sheds in the group it looks like we will need to find larger venues to hold our social events.

Men’s Interagency
The Men’s Interagency focuses on developing access, capacity and well being in the communities in which it operates. Community strengthening is about building the capacity of and opportunities for people of all ages to actively engage in a wide variety of social, economic, cultural, recreational, learning and civic activities.
The Men’s Interagency provides resources, networking, advocacy and development to:
Build stronger more resilient communities. diversity and generate trust those who work directly with men in the community. service providers be more proactive for men.

The Vice- President, Treasurer and Community Development Worker from the Men's Sheds Central Coast are elected members of the committee for the Men’s Interagency. This provides strong linkages for the Group with service providers, government agencies and potential sponsors.

Australasian Men’s Health Forum (AMHF)
AMHF is the peak body implementing a social approach to male health.
AMHF is an alliance of individual men and women, organisations and service providers actively engaged in or interested in addressing the physical, psychological, emotional, intellectual, educational, social, spiritual, developmental and relational needs of men and boys in Australia and any other issues that impact on them.
This group has an active advocacy role at state and national levels of government. They hold a national gathering on Male Health on alternate years. The Gathering for 2011 will be held in Perth.
Kim Hopkins, the Community Development Worker is an elected committee member of the executive.

Policies & Procedures
A manual of policies and procedures is being developed to ensure that thorough governance is available to support the activities of the Men's Sheds Central Coast and ensure compliance with grant obligations. Some of the policies currently under development include.

• Privacy
• Copyright
• Child Protection
• OH&S
• Policy Formulation
• Dispute Resolution