Health through Stealth.
What are Men's Sheds?
From Men's Sheds Canada:
The Men's Sheds movement is based on a simple concept: Improve men' physical and mental health through activities they will actually join. A shed brings men together in one community space to share their skills, have a laugh, and work on practical tasks individually (personal projects) or as a group (for the shed or community).
It's where you can learn or teach new skills and find new opportunities and interests while making new friends. Men are known to have smaller circles of friends than women, so the shed offers opportunities to foster new friendships outside the social circles their partners establish.
A Men's Shed provides a safe and friendly environment where men can work on meaningful projects. Men work at their own pace, in their own time, in the company of other men.
A Shed offers men an alternate way to reach out to avoid 'isolation' while giving back to society.
Shoulder to Shoulder.
What are the benefits of Men's Sheds?
From Reasons to be Cheerful:
Recognizing that “men will talk shoulder to shoulder, but not necessarily face to face,” Men’s Sheds give guys a space to tinker while they open up — and heal.
“If you put 12 men in a room and ask them to talk about their feelings, six will leave and the other six will try to find the corners,” says Bethel.
On the other hand, he says, “If you put a broken lawnmower in the room and ask them to fix it, at the end of a couple of hours, you might not get a fixed lawnmower, but those 12 men will know each other intimately — they’ll know the names of their partners, children or grandchildren, and what ails them. Men will talk shoulder to shoulder, but not necessarily face to face.”
Men typically aren't encouraged to open up about their mental health and talk about their feelings, concerns, or woes.
By creating a space where men can gather, work on a project together, and build relationships, conversations about what's going on in their lives can begin to happen organically and they begin to feel more comfortable opening up, and checking in with each other.
Men's Mental Health
What is the “silent crisis” in men’s mental health?
From Manulife:
In 2023, 17% of Canadian men aged 15 and older said they have fair or poor mental health.
But sadly, many of these men are suffering in silence. In Canada, only 30% of people who use mental health services are men. Everyone has reasons for seeking help, but the staggering number of men who seem to avoid it can be attributed to societal factors.
Historically, men were expected to be seen as strong and able to handle anything. The notion of masculinity not being compatible with feelings and emotions causes some men to think they can’t suffer from mental health issues. Instead, they take on a “tough it out” mentality and sweep their feelings under the rug.
These mentalities have created a stigma against discussing mental health and seeking treatment when needed. But the reality is that just because you ignore something doesn’t mean it will go away. And men across the globe are suffering from mental health issues.
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Town House Men's Shed
FAQ
Who can join?
Any man, 18+
How do I join?
Just show up at one of our meetings.
Located at 150 Commercial Street, Glace Bay.
*This time may change based on decisions made at the meeting
What does it cost?
It's free!
Do I need my own tools?
Nope! Town House Men's Shed will supply everything you need, but you're welcome to bring your own tools if you like.
I'm not very handy, do I have to be skilled?
Not at all. This is a great way to learn some new skills.
I'm shy, and I don't know anyone going.
A lot of people will be in the same boat. It's a new program so not many people will know each other. This is a welcoming space and new people are always invited to join us.
How much of a time commitment is it?
As much or as little as you want. This is for YOU. :)
Town House is grateful for funding support from
