The Corowa Community Men’s Shed has been so successful in engaging with the community that we have quickly exceeded the practical functionality of our current premises at Corowa. The club was formed in May 2017 with a founding membership of eight people. Now we have 40, with regular participation rates of around 70%.
Our current Council owned premises of only 180 Sq. Metres is far too small for our equipment operations area to accommodate our projects and members safely.
Our plan is to build a new 500 Sq. Metres shed on a new tract of Federation Council owned land at 317 Honour Ave. Corowa, which they have agreed to lease to our community group. This tract of land will be ideal for our new premises, with room for future expansion and outdoor storage options. This is an excellent start, all we need is the funds to build a new shed on that land.
We have created the proposed site and internal fit-out plans. We have a local engineering contracting company that is helping us with the project. Our multi-skilled members are more than capable to undertake the fit-out works of the shed, once it is built. Any donations received will initially go toward the purchase of the shed and any further monies will be used for the cost of the fitout.
Other Issues:
· We are currently not encouraging new members and may soon close have to close our membership as we have no space to accommodate them in our current premises. This defeats the purpose of the Men’s Shed movement as the idea is to engage as many members as we can. This would also be a huge loss to our community. This is supported by our many letters of support from various community organisations and individuals.
· With so many members performing active operations at the shed simultaneously, maintaining a safe work environment has become particularly challenging.
· We have been fortunate enough to have received many donations of equipment and materials. However, trying to accommodate this equipment so that we can use it, is impossible with the size constraints of our current shed.
· The social distancing issues associated with COVID-19 also add extra challenges. We are now exploring 5 day a week operations to reduce over-crowding as a management strategy for the immediate term. However, with different teams and limited floor space, moving projects for another different skilled group the next day is often not practical.
Methodology of Operations:
· Provide a safe and friendly environment for men of all ages to be able to have a coffee and a chat, discuss issues affecting them. Some of which are living alone and the club provides a forum to easily connect with a wide range of people.
· Social inclusion - Our morning tea gatherings are a particularly engaging time where all members and often visitors are together and there is a lot of healthy and jovial banter. Social gatherings between various club members and their friends beyond the Men’s shed meeting dates and times are becoming the norm. Evidence that our strategy is working and generally aiding men’s health.
· A learning location - A place to learn and try new things in an encouraging, safe and respectful environment.
· Value diversity - Diversity is recognised as a value to be encouraged. New ideas from all members are actively encouraged and all inputs are respected and fed into the mix.
· Reuse and re-cycle materials and items where possible that would otherwise be disposed in land-fill or destroyed.
· Assist members of the public and other community groups that have not got the skills, expertise or tools and equipment or suitable space to be able to perform basic repair jobs or small construction jobs for themselves. We field numerous requests from widows that need assistance.
· Skills transfer between various individuals also provides many members with a strong sense of satisfaction and achievement and personal worth and peer recognition.
Inclusion - Make sure all members are engaged and included in the day to day workings of the Men’s Shed. All members are assisted (if necessary) to find a project that suits their interests and skill levels and physical capabilities.
No
Yes, as soon as your donation is processed.
The Corowa Community Men’s Shed has been so successful in engaging with the community that we have quickly exceeded the practical functionality of our current premises at Corowa. The club was formed in May 2017 with a founding membership of eight people. Now we have 40, with regular participation rates of around 70%.
Our current Council owned premises of only 180 Sq. Metres is far too small for our equipment operations area to accommodate our projects and members safely.
Our plan is to build a new 500 Sq. Metres shed on a new tract of Federation Council owned land at 317 Honour Ave. Corowa, which they have agreed to lease to our community group. This tract of land will be ideal for our new premises, with room for future expansion and outdoor storage options. This is an excellent start, all we need is the funds to build a new shed on that land.
We have created the proposed site and internal fit-out plans. We have a local engineering contracting company that is helping us with the project. Our multi-skilled members are more than capable to undertake the fit-out works of the shed, once it is built. Any donations received will initially go toward the purchase of the shed and any further monies will be used for the cost of the fitout.
Other Issues:
· We are currently not encouraging new members and may soon close have to close our membership as we have no space to accommodate them in our current premises. This defeats the purpose of the Men’s Shed movement as the idea is to engage as many members as we can. This would also be a huge loss to our community. This is supported by our many letters of support from various community organisations and individuals.
· With so many members performing active operations at the shed simultaneously, maintaining a safe work environment has become particularly challenging.
· We have been fortunate enough to have received many donations of equipment and materials. However, trying to accommodate this equipment so that we can use it, is impossible with the size constraints of our current shed.
· The social distancing issues associated with COVID-19 also add extra challenges. We are now exploring 5 day a week operations to reduce over-crowding as a management strategy for the immediate term. However, with different teams and limited floor space, moving projects for another different skilled group the next day is often not practical.
Methodology of Operations:
· Provide a safe and friendly environment for men of all ages to be able to have a coffee and a chat, discuss issues affecting them. Some of which are living alone and the club provides a forum to easily connect with a wide range of people.
· Social inclusion - Our morning tea gatherings are a particularly engaging time where all members and often visitors are together and there is a lot of healthy and jovial banter. Social gatherings between various club members and their friends beyond the Men’s shed meeting dates and times are becoming the norm. Evidence that our strategy is working and generally aiding men’s health.
· A learning location - A place to learn and try new things in an encouraging, safe and respectful environment.
· Value diversity - Diversity is recognised as a value to be encouraged. New ideas from all members are actively encouraged and all inputs are respected and fed into the mix.
· Reuse and re-cycle materials and items where possible that would otherwise be disposed in land-fill or destroyed.
· Assist members of the public and other community groups that have not got the skills, expertise or tools and equipment or suitable space to be able to perform basic repair jobs or small construction jobs for themselves. We field numerous requests from widows that need assistance.
· Skills transfer between various individuals also provides many members with a strong sense of satisfaction and achievement and personal worth and peer recognition.
Inclusion - Make sure all members are engaged and included in the day to day workings of the Men’s Shed. All members are assisted (if necessary) to find a project that suits their interests and skill levels and physical capabilities.
No
Yes, as soon as your donation is processed.
