Men's Sheds - Pemberton Project

For some months now the members of the Pemberton Valley Seniors Society (PVSS) have been exploring ways to provide options that would engage men, who through retirement or other circumstances, find themselves with time on their hands and socially isolated.  The Men's Shed movement started in Australia with the mandate to assist communities establish programs designed to give men a space to work on projects together, learn new skills and, most of all, to share their life experiences in a supportive and friendly atmosphere.
This movement has had tremendous success in Australia and NZ and spread to the UK and Ireland. "Sheds" are now being established in BC, Calgary, Ontario and Manitoba. The University of Manitoba received funding for a three year research project and is currently developing a toolkit to help fledgling groups establish their "Sheds". Focus group feedback and community consultations with older men throughout year one of the project will be incorporated into the development of the toolkit for starting Men's Sheds in Canada. The toolkit will be further refined in year two by pilot-testing it with men across Canada who are in the process of starting a new Men's Shed. Pemberton has been accepted as a part of the pilot-testing group. Year three will see the final online toolkit and national Men's Shed network website fully developed, with research activities to be completed by November 2016.
In December the Village of Pemberton and the PVSS were the successful applicants for a UBCM grant of $20,000 to start up a Shed in Pemberton. Our project has been accepted as a sub-pilot of the research study. To learn more about the project and the concept of Men's Sheds you can join a UBC/UM webinar from 12.00 -1.30pm Jan 28th.  by registering at http://menshed.eventbrite.ca. There will be a brainstorming session at the Pemberton Youth Centre on Tuesday Feb. 3rd.  5.30pm - 7pm to plan the start up of the Pemberton Men's Shed and Tool Lending Library. All are welcome to attend.

As a way to provide some funding for the Shed and a service to the community, a free tool lending library will be established as a component of the Shed project. The group is seeking donations of tools and equipment and expressions of interest from men in Pemberton, Area C, Mt Currie and Whistler in participating in the project.
Please contact either Marnie Simon (PVSS board) marnie_s@shaw.ca or Frances Hopkins (Vancouver Coastal Seniors supported housing coordinator) frances.hopkins@vch.ca or ph. : 604-698-5380

Posted: Sunday, January 18, 2015