The Australian Men’s Shed movement continues to go from strength to strength, with Men’s Shed Week 2025 kicking off this week (Monday 8 September).
The theme for this year’s Men’s Shed Week is Building Healthy Communities.
Led each year by the Australian Men’s Shed Association (AMSA) in the week following Father’s Day, Men’s Shed Week is a national celebration of the vital role men’s and community sheds play in building stronger, healthier communities across Australia.
There are more than 1,200 Men’s Sheds across Australia offering thousands of men of all ages a safe place to meet, socialise, connect, and engage in meaningful community work.
Men’s Sheds play a crucial role in supporting men’s mental and physical health, providing purpose, belonging, and a safe space in which to participate and contribute their time and skills. This year’s theme highlights the collective impact sheds have in strengthening their communities.
Since 2011, the Australian Government has contributed $30.2 million in funding to support Men’s Sheds across Australia. This funding has assisted the AMSA with its ongoing work to inform, advise and support individual Men’s Sheds. Funding has also underpinned grants to hundreds of Men’s Sheds through the National Shed Development Programme (NSDP).
The government has committed a further $8.3 million (over 3 years) to allow the AMSA to continue its support to Men’s Sheds and to extend and expand the NSDP. This new funding will also enable the AMSA to develop and deliver new health promotion and prevention programs.
More information on Men’s Sheds, including advice on sheds that may be operating in your local area, can be found on the AMSA website at www.mensshed.org.
Quotes attributable to Special Envoy Repacholi:
“Men’s Sheds are awesome. They give blokes a reason to get out of the house, catch up with some mates, and stay mentally and physically healthy.
“The Albanese Government has backed in our sheds so they can keep shining a light on men’s health and keep the doors open for every bloke who needs them.
“No two sheds are the same. That is the beauty of it. Each one is shaped by the locals, giving men a place to chat, share skills, learn new ones, and tackle isolation head on.
“Men’s sheds are one of the best things we’ve ever built for men’s health. They give men a reason to get out of the house, meet a mate, have a laugh, and keep busy doing something that matters.
“As blokes we’re not always the best at talking about what’s on our mind. But when you’re down at the shed, working shoulder to shoulder, the conversation just happens. That’s how you shed the load and look after your mental health.
“Our sheds don’t just help men, they help whole communities, fixing things, raising money, and backing in local schools, clubs and charities. That’s why they’re so important, and why we’ll keep supporting them.”