Globally, men’s sheds are well-established in the UK, Ireland, Canada, the US, New Zealand, and parts of Africa. Ireland’s 2025 Programme for Government commits to continuing to fund and support men’s and women’s sheds [1].

State and national peak bodies support men's sheds, and a few dedicated programs offer funding for shed building, operations, and initiatives. These include the National Shed Development Program and Victoria’s Men’s Sheds Funding Program, which recently announced the 29 sheds that will receive funding in 2024-25 [2].

The role of men’s sheds in health and wellbeing

SGS Economics and Planning analysed the effectiveness of the Victorian Government’s Men’s Sheds funding program. The research shows that senior stakeholders view men’s sheds as a unique and successful public health program that complements formal healthcare while avoiding the stigma of being a ‘health service’. Today, through partnerships with The Black Dog Institute, Diabetes Victoria, and other health organisations, state and national Men’s Sheds Associations continue to support the role of sheds as spaces for sharing resources and discussing men’s physical and mental health.

However, the extent to which individual sheds integrate health-focused programs alongside hands-on activities varies, and the evidence to support perceived benefits is limited. A 2019 systematic review on the links between men’s shed participation and physical, mental, and social health and wellbeing found that existing research relies on small sample sizes and self-reported data. The study concluded that further research and evidence are needed to test sheds’ potential causal pathways to health generation [3].

A 2022 review by the Department of Health and Aged Care found that ‘needs identified by sheds were frequently identified as being at least partially unmet’, most commonly, persistent social isolation and unaddressed mental health [4]. The majority of shedders agreed that more could be done to support their mental health needs, such as additional information sessions or in-house service provision. This review ultimately recommended reforms and further investment in sheds to deliver more health programs and work in partnership with local health professionals.

The next generation of shedders

Declining engagement and participation present challenges for the men’s shed model [5]. This is partly due to the traditionally exclusive nature of sheds, which created a member base that no longer reflects the diversity of contemporary society. Men’s sheds must attract a new generation of shedders to survive while embracing inclusivity and social cohesion. Many groups could be part of this shift and stand to benefit from engaging with men’s sheds, whether as members or casual participants:

• A younger demographic – Mental illness disproportionately impacts people who are young and male. Over 75% of mental health issues occur before the age of 25; suicide continues to cause the largest loss of life of young people in Australia [6], and 75% of those who die by suicide each year are male [7]. Interventions that target young people to disrupt this pattern of onset have the greatest shot at preventing mental illness and mitigating future challenges. Men’s sheds offer one potential setting for such interventions.
• Women and gender-diverse people– Around 55% of people who live alone in Australia are female [8]. Women often feel a lack of self-sufficiency if they are unable to tackle minor household repairs themselves or a sense of disempowerment if a male partner who did manage these tasks passes away or separates from them [9]. Building new skills in a safe environment could help build confidence and connection, and many sheds worldwide have already acknowledged this opportunity to cater to women.
• The multicultural community– Around 28% of people in Australia were born overseas, and 22% speak a language other than English at home [10]. Hands-on activities such as woodworking in men’s sheds have the distinct potential to overcome language barriers and forge new connections between different multicultural groups.
• Tradies – 1 in 4 construction and utilities workers have high symptoms of depression and/or anxiety. Still, rates of help-seeking tend to be low in these communities, where the stigma remains high [11]. Men’s sheds can offer a safe space to talk openly about these challenges and connect with support resources and services in the company of like-minded peers.
• Other community groups – School children, scouts, and other community groups can visit the sheds for educational workshops and programs. Under the supervision of shedders, these groups can safely engage with tools and equipment they do not otherwise have access to, learning new skills and hobbies and forming intergenerational connections.

Men’s sheds as multipurpose spaces

Beyond enhancing the benefits sheds offer their members and broadening their member base, there is scope for men’s shed facilities to ‘work harder’ from the perspective of infrastructure providers.

According to a 2020 Australian Men’s Shed Association (AMSA) survey of member sheds, a building leased from Council (typically securing exclusive, 24/7 access) is the most common tenure arrangement for men’s sheds. Only 27% of Australian men’s sheds shared their premises, despite the majority indicating they only operate 2-3 days per week. The result is highly underutilised public buildings. At the same time, many local governments experience financial constraints and struggle to deliver and maintain community assets that meet growing and changing community needs.

Community infrastructure is increasingly shifting toward a hub model, where several spaces and services are co-located to improve efficiency, accessibility, utilisation and integration across users. While men’s sheds, with their workshop-style spaces and equipment, cannot simply fit into a typical multipurpose room, they can be integrated into hub sites alongside other community services. They can also be adapted for shared use with compatible activities such as community gardens, scouts and guides, or ‘messy’ arts like sculpture and pottery. However, successful co-location requires careful planning around access, scheduling, safety, and facility design—particularly storage—to achieve seamless integration.

Case studies

Koo Wee Rup (Victoria) Men’s Shed

Koo Wee Rup Men’s Shed is co-located with other community services to support user integration across services, improved site use, and improved overall benefits.

Figure 2: Koo Wee Rup Men's Shed and Community Garden

Sheilas Shack, Nerang (Queensland)

The Nerang Country Paradise Association manages the users on the Country Paradise Parklands in Nerang, Gold Coast, and has worked with the Council and the community to develop a master plan and identify new leases. This resulted in diverse services and user groups operating from the site, including Men’s Shed, Sheilas Shack, Community Gardens, Healing Hooves, Nerang Riverkeepers, and Gold Coast Acoustics. Collectively, these services provide a highly active site for all community members to enjoy.

Figure 3: Sheilas Shack, Nerang Gold Coast