Kinglake Ranges Men's Shed Inc.

• Incorporation No.  A0052784Y
• ABN:  58 918 300 196
• DGR/Charity Status:  Endorsed as a Charitable Institution
• Public Officer:  Cris Ruhr

Location

• 5 Oldfield Road, Pheasant Creek
• Ph:  03 5786 5999

Operating Hours

• 5pm - 9pm Thursday
• 10am - 4pm Friday
• 10am - 1pm Saturday

Why

The need for establishing a Men’s Shed in Kinglake is paramount and urgent. Communities across the Kinglake Ranges were decimated by the Black Saturday bushfires of 7 February 2009 resulting in the loss of lives, homes, community infrastructure, businesses, pets and livestock, local history and the natural environment. Kinglake Ranges has had a long history of being dissected and fragmented by local and state government boundaries that intersect at critical points such as town centres or along major arterial roads. Some state government authorities have borders that split natural local communities. This historical perspective, combined with "linear" layout of the small communities along the ridge of the Great Dividing Range, has made service delivery problematic, resource and infrastructure development complex, and has made it difficult to justify resource allocation by responsible funding and service providers.

The Men’s Shed in Kinglake has begun to address some of these issues.  The Kinglake Ranges Men’s Shed actively works with and for local men by providing a

• Place for nurturing mateship and creating feelings of belonging
• Have a structured program for advancing men’s health and well being
• Develop a positive and participatory culture amongst it’s members and the community
• Meet the needs of it’s members and their families
• Be a valuable asset in the community, respected and supported
• Be a place of learning
• Be inclusive of all men of all ages

Who

Once the idea had been implanted, Cris Ruhr & Janeden River set out to make it a reality.  A steering committee was formed to oversee the development of the Men’s Shed in Kinglake. Initial seed funding was provided by Family Care, and later the DPCD Men's Shed Program.  After several stop starts involving red tape, the Kinglake Ranges Men's Shed found its home at what was previously a Chocolate Waffle factory at 5 Oldfield Road Pheasant Creek, comprising of 2 Sheds.

Over the 2011-12 year the Members of the Kinglake Ranges Men's Shed have transformed what was an empty shell into functional multipurpose workshops, including Metalwork and Woodwork, Shed 2.  The next stage is to complete the transformation of Shed 1 into a community building, comprising Training Rooms, Computer Room, Electronics Room, Crafts Room, Lounge, Kitchen & Dining Room.

What

A Men’s Shed in Kinglake will offer local men a place where they can meet, network, share skills and experiences and begin the process of the recovery and rebuilding of their communities in the aftermath of the 2009 bushfires.

Anticipated outcomes have included:

• A functional meeting place for local men offering a range of programs both formal and informal ranging from health and wellbeing sessions facilitated by Familycare to an ideal venue to meet with builders and workers associated with the rebuilding of the Kinglake Ranges
• Intergenerational activities encouraging mentoring and linking of men across various ages from older males to young boys, achieved through school based sessions in partnership with local primary schools
• Providing a safe and welcoming venue where men, (many of whom are no longer linked into their community as they are living off the mountain) can plan and begin to implement the rebuilding of their own homes, with the support and assistance of their peers
• Access a variety of tools from a vibrant and well stocked tool library
• Engage in a variety of education and training activities.
• Development of a shared community space connecting people to a diverse range of organisations and groups in an inclusive, participatory and safe environment, for example the Men’s Shed will have the potential to offer links to counselling and other services to many men who might not otherwise access such services
• Opportunities to participate in a range of volunteering activities, upskilling those involved and enhancing community connectedness
• Opportunities to continually identify new opportunities for program development to meet community need
• Environmental outcomes will also be a focus as links will be established with organisations and businesses that offer environmentally viable components that can be showcased at the shed and incorporated into the rebuilding of Kinglake e.g. energy efficient, recycled materials, water saving systems etc. Where appropriate the Men’s shed can hold information sessions focusing on rebuilding and can incorporate relevant building reforms and requirements
• Providing opportunities for celebrating and showcasing programs and products developed
• Providing information to men of all ages on services, programs and in so doing facilitate social interaction between individuals and groups, enabling participants to become aware of community services and be better skilled to access these services
• Development of a strategic plan focusing on sustainability of the men’s shed and relevant policies (e.g. occupational health and safety)