BUSSELTON
MEN’S SHED
Brought to you by a collaboration
of
Bess home & community care Inc.
Rotary Club of Busselton Geographe Bay
Busselton Branch of Returned Services League
In the beginning……..
• Bess home & community care wanted to
create a Men’s Shed Busselton
• Rotary Club was working on a Community
Men’s Shed project
• RSL was trying to create a Men’s Shed
My role in the start up
• I spoke with my employer about the need
amongst male clients for meaningful social
activities, and the lack thereof
• Talked with Rotary and RSL to find out
where they were at with their projects
• Bringing in key stakeholders was
important
• Research on AMSA, Insurance, City of
Busselton requirements
A partnership began…
• November 2010 a community meeting was
held, bringing all interested parties
together to progress the creation of a
Men’s Shed.
• Floated the idea that Bess could be the
governing body, and a Shed Management
Committee be formed
• A Memorandum of Understanding was
developed between the stakeholders.
How to start??
• Several sites had previously been investigated
and deemed not suitable.
• I have extensive local networks across
community groups, private business and
government departments, I helped in the search
for a place to start Men’s Shed.
• Intework South West kindly offered free use of
their shed so Men’s Shed could begin.
• 7 August 2012 the Men’s Shed opened
Membership
• 82 members in the first year.
• Focus is on mateship, cuppa and a yarn.
Making things is optional.
• Men catching up with long lost friends,
making new friends, sharing a laugh
• Sharing skills – amazing life skills, vintage
occupations, modern trends, a mix of men
“Don’t womanise the Shed”
• I only visit the Shed weekly for a short time
• My arrival at the Shed is usually
announced as “Ducks on the Pond!”
• Visiting the Shed, gives me a chance to
monitor how things are going, provide
support where needed, without interfering
with the daily activities. Its man space
• Assist with enquiries re: health services
Collecting data
• To get funding, establish documented
need by the community for a Men’s Shed
• Developed a simple form to collect data on
age groups, isolation, disabilities, skill
sets, experience, cultural background, war
service
• Veteran’s Affairs want to find the 50% of
veteran’s that do not access support
Mind mapping
• A useful tool to see where and how your
Shed contributes to your community
• There are free online mind mapping
websites or you can create a handwritten
mind map
AMSA
PROJECT
PARTNERS
Bess HACC
WAMSA
Rotary Club
. PEAK BODIES
Busselton RSL
Men’s Sheds in
Capel Donnybrook
Dunsborough Coaramup
Augusta Bunbury Albany
Manjimup Koorda
Mental Health
Richmond Fellowship
LAMP Inc
One Life Suicide
Prevention
Health & Wellbeing
Regional Men’s
Health
Connect Hearing
Prostate Cancer
Support Group
Anglicare Financial
Counselling
Busselton Men’s
Shed
Education
Geographe
Education Support
Edith Cowan
University
Jobs SW – First
Click Program
Seniors Busnet
Computer Club
Possum Centre
Support for
People with
Disabilities
Intework SW
Disabled Surfing
SW
Sail Into Life
Program
Activ
Funding
Lotterywest
City of Busselton
Royalties for Regions
Sponsorship from Business
Community
Intework SW * Bunnings * Mitre
10 * Holcim Concrete *Safe-Tac
Welding*Brumbies Bakery*Peter’s
Browns*Spirit Radio* Urban Café*
Countrywide Sheds *Duet Design
On-Q Project Management *
B Masters Environmental
Consultant *Amelia Park
*Geographe Butchering Co* APH
Cartage * Mazure Electrical* St
Mary’s Op Shop *Bendigo Bank
*McKenzie Plumbing
And many many more
Aged Care
Bess HACC
Cape Care
Southern Cross Care
Uniting Community Care
Senior Citizens Centre
Funding
• 2013 Application to Royalties for
Regions…..received positively but unsuccessful
in funding
• Lotterywest invited to 1st Anniversary to see the
good work Men’s Shed was achieving
• 2014 Application to Lotterywest to build a
purpose built facility in Roe Terrace, total cost of
to exceed $1 million, more than half of which has
been donated in kind by our local community.
To be or not to be….
• HACC or not???
• After I investigated, it was seen as being
too restrictive as men would have to be
HACC eligible and undergo assessment
• The Shed is auspiced by Bess under its
private arm
• Working long term towards independence
Project Officer
• Bess being the Auspicing body, my role as
Project Officer, carries responsibilities of
how the Shed fits under Bess
Management, for mutual benefit of both.
• Responsible for Membership and
Equipment Register, Agendas & Minutes,
newsletters, correspondence, grant
writing, ensuring acquittals are completed.
Developed a 3 year business plan.
• Facilitate the OSH Induction procedure in
collaboration with key Shed Members &
Committee
• Assist with guidance on Policies
• Public Speaking to community groups
• Officially work 1 day per week for Men’s
Shed
• Often, as many others do, contribute
voluntarily
• Am the only female financial member
Contact for Men’s Shed
• Share the task of handling enquiries about
men’s shed.
• Sometimes individuals wanting cheap
labour.
• Enquiries from other organizations wanting
to use men’s shed for their client’s
• Not always appropriate, and explain to
them why.
Donations of Equipment
• Start a Men’s Shed, people start offering
to donate tools, equipment, timber and
hardware
• But we’ve got no room…or have we?
• I offered the use of my 4 bay farm shed
…please leave room for my car 
• might have to build a lean-to……
.
for the car!!
Financials
• My main employer is Bess
• The Men’s Shed currently pays $750 per
month to Bess
• Part of reimbursement of my wages for 1
day per week, plus the time spent by our
Finance Officer.
• It also pays for a percentage of office
costs, phone, internet, photocopying,
supplies, auditing fees.
Community Networks
• I continue to promote the men’s shed
amongst community groups as well as
Bess client base.
• Look for opportunities for Men’s Shed to
make things for community groups, or
assist on volunteer projects.
• Also to link other community groups to
each other and beneficial opportunities.
Shed Income
• Various community projects some bringing
in $2,000 -$3,000, others $50 to $300.
• Selling buckets for fishing, horse feeders
• Making soap racks out of recycled pine –
an ongoing contract
• Market Days selling items made at Shed
• Making toy templates for Bunnings special
events
Assembled Cages for Local Wildlife
Care Group
Succession Planning
• Our Committee comprises reps from the 3
groups, plus members of the shed
• Health issues have impacted greatly on several
of the Committee, Cancer and other serious
illness. Sadly one of our key members passed
away from Asbestos disease.
• To see the dream become reality and continue
on, it is important to seek out those who support
the venture and to also encourage members to
contribute by being on the Committee/s.
Support from Women
• There is a great deal of support for Men’s Sheds by
women
• They encourage their husbands to go to Sheds, not to
get rid of them, but because they love them.
• Certain skill sets are needed to write grants and do
admin work.
• Some men have those skill sets, but when they come to
the Shed they want to relax and enjoy themselves, not
pick up the reins from a job or a Committee they just left.
• If someone offers support for your shed,
look at what you need to build your shed
and grow it into the future.
• It may just be a woman who has those
skills and is happy to help….
• But don’t let her “Womanise your Shed!”
• Continue to promote Men’s Shed as a
positive cog in the community wheel.