beyondblue: the national depression initiative and Movember have joined forces to launch The Shed Online.
“Every man needs a shed, but not everyone has one, so we’re building Australia’s biggest shed and it’s online – the more men, the bigger the shed!” beyondblue Chairman, The Hon. Jeff Kennett AC
The Shed Online is a new website that aims to replicate in the online space, all the positive things men get from being in their own sheds or in a community Men’s Shed.
Chairman of beyondblue: the national depression initiative, The Hon. Jeff Kennett AC, says the inspiration for The Shed Online comes from the 400 Men’s Sheds which are thriving Australia-wide.
“In those sheds, in towns across the country, men can get together, work on projects shoulder to shoulder, learn new skills and if they feel comfortable, they can talk to one another about light-hearted or more serious issues,” Mr Kennett says. “My shed is very important to me because I’m a keen gardener and I’m a very, very amateur carpenter. It’s where I house my tools and- beyondblue Chairman, The Hon. Jeff Kennett AC
The Shed Online is a new website that aims to replicate in the online space, all the positive things men get from being in their own sheds or in a community Men’s Shed.
Chairman of beyondblue: the national depression initiative, The Hon. Jeff Kennett AC, says the inspiration for The Shed Online comes from the 400 Men’s Sheds which are thriving Australia-wide.
“In those sheds, in towns across the country, men can get together, work on projects shoulder to shoulder, learn new skills and if they feel comfortable, they can talk to one another about light-hearted or more serious issues,” Mr Kennett says. “My shed is very important to me because I’m a keen gardener and I’m a very, very amateur carpenter. It’s where I house my tools and my paints, bits and pieces which I need to work in the garden.”
Mr Kennett says The Shed Online aims to give men who don’t have a local Men’s Shed the opportunity to be part of a community, to socialise, make new friends and maybe, work on a project together. “The Shed Online will tick all those boxes, but instead of it happening in a real shed, it will happen in a virtual shed, over the internet,” he says.
Patron of the Australian Men’s Shed Association and Australia’s “First Bloke”, Tim Mathieson, encourages all men to get involved in The Shed Online.
“When I want to escape my house, I go to my shed. My shed’s a temple and it’s great for my mental health,” Mr Mathieson says. “The Shed Online will reach many more men, especially those in rural and remote areas.
“Even if you’re a bit shy at first, you’ll be able to chat to mates, get information about a whole range of topics including health, learn about DIY projects and hopefully, eventually, you’ll feel like you belong to this community or club… and it doesn’t matter where you live.”
The Shed Online is a joint project of beyondblue and the Australian Men’s Shed
Association (AMSA), and is funded by The Movember Foundation. Mr Kennett says beyondblue has been working with AMSA for several years to deliver information about depression to men.
“We know that being isolated and feeling lonely may contribute to depression and that untreated depression is a risk factor for suicide, especially in men,” he says.
“We also know that men are reluctant to seek help for both physical and mental health problems. In The Shed Online, there’ll be easy-to-access health information that men otherwise may not come across.”
Joining up and joining Patron of the Australian Men’s Shed Association and Australia’s “First Bloke”, Tim Mathieson, encourages all men to get involved in The Shed Online.
“When I want to escape my house, I go to my shed. My shed’s a temple and it’s great for my mental health,” Mr Mathieson says. “The Shed Online will reach many more men, especially those in rural and remote areas.
“Even if you’re a bit shy at first, you’ll be able to chat to mates, get information about a whole range of topics including health, learn about DIY projects and hopefully, eventually, you’ll feel like you belong to this community or club… and it doesn’t matter where you live.” The Shed Online is a joint project of beyondblue and the Australian Men’s Shed
Association (AMSA), and is funded by The Movember Foundation.
Mr Kennett says beyondblue has been working with AMSA for several years to deliver information about depression to men.
“We know that being isolate