SMSA representation at the Adult Mental Health in Scotland Digital Conference

**PLEASE NOTE: This event has now passed**

SMSA’s Executive Officer, Jason Schroeder, has been confirmed as a guest speaker at Holyrood Insight’s Adult Mental Health in Scotland Digital Conference. 

Jason will join an impressive line-up of government officials, health services, employers and third sector organisations for the event’s live broadcast on Friday 18th June 2021.

The SMSA represents the Scottish Men’s Sheds Movement at key local and national events to ensure the sector’s voice is heard and was approached to join the panel of guest speakers to discuss the very important topic of ‘Supporting Men’s Mental Health in Scotland’.

Jason joins a wealth of partner organisations—including the Scottish Government, NHS, Brothers in Arms Scotland, Support in Mind Scotland, Penumbra, Scottish Recovery Network and the Scottish Association for Mental Health—for this digital event and panel discussion to promote the benefits of Men’s Sheds and the Movement as a whole and discuss how collectively these agencies can improve mental health provision in Scotland.

The event will explore national and local actions to improve the quality and delivery of mental health provision; mitigate the impacts of COVID-19 on mental health to reduce isolation, distress, and trauma; and adopt a joined-up approach to delivering mental health services both city and county-wide.  You can view the full agenda for the event at https://bit.ly/3cgFcAE

In the lead up to the event, Jason was also interviewed for Westminster Insight. Check this out at www.linkedin.com/pulse/mental-health-provision-scotland-jason-schroeder-mens-morgan

Born to be mild – short film review

SMSA’s Executive Officer, Jason Schroeder, was contacted by BBC Radio Scotland to review a short film and bring his perspective on it to the ‘Sunday Morning with Connie McLaughlin’ show following his appearance on their programme last year.

The 15-minute film entitled ‘Born To Be Mild’ – which was shown as part of The Feel Good Film Festival – features a group of men who have what could be felt by some as ‘dull’ interests or pastimes but to them they are life-affirming, charming and heartfelt.

“The modern world is constantly speeding up. But not for the Dull Men’s Club – a group of men quite content with life’s more sedate pleasures. From photographing post boxes to collecting milk bottles, Born to be Mild is an uplifting celebration of finding joy in the very ordinary, and the perfect antidote to the stresses of modern life.”

You can also listen to Jason on the radio show (1 hour and 46 minutes in). Jason’s thoughts on it were, whether it is the Roundabout Appreciation Society, Letter Box Study Group, milk bottle or brick collecting – just do what makes you happy.  These men are seeking a purpose and a hobby, so why do it alone when you can enjoy both in a Scottish Men’s Shed ‘shoulder to shoulder’ whilst also supporting your health and wellbeing?  Find your local Shed today!

Prostate Scotland ToolBox Workshops for Sheds

Following the recent release of Men’s Sheds in Scotland research from Glasgow Caledonian University on the health benefits of Sheds, Shedders may be thinking more about health awareness and education for their members. With this in mind, Prostate Scotland would like to let Shedders know about a new opportunity available for Sheds to raise awareness of prostate disease/cancer. Prostate Scotland can offer its new Zoom ToolBox Workshop to individual Sheds or Sheds coming together online.  

Why?

A survey for Prostate Scotland found that just over 50% of the general public surveyed and only 1/3 of men over the age of 55 could name a symptom of prostate disease/cancer. Yet an enlarging prostate or Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) affects almost 1 in 2 men over the age of 50.  Prostate cancer is the most common cancer for men in Scotland with a 1 in 10 lifetime risk of a man developing prostate cancer. Prostatitis can affect men from the age of 18 with it being most common between 30 and 50 years.

Interested in a Zoom Toolbox Workshop?

So why not get in touch with Mae Bell to find out more and organise a Zoom ToolBox Workshop? It will be well worth 30 minutes of your Shedders’ time!  Contact Mae on 0131 603 8663 or mae.bell@prostatescotland.org.uk

Men’s Sheds as an alternative healthcare route? A qualitative study

Men’s Sheds Research Update

Men’s Sheds as an alternative healthcare route? A qualitative study of the impact of Men’s Sheds on user’s health improvement behaviours

Glasgow Caledonian University’s latest paper from the three-year Sheds for Sustainable Development Project has been published by the Bio-Medical Central (BMC) Public Health on the 20th March 2021 and is available on their website at:

https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12889-021-10585-3​

As men’s health is an underrepresented area of policy and practice, there have been calls for more ‘male-friendly’ approaches to get men to think about and look after their health. While Men’s Sheds are recognised for the health and wellbeing impacts they can bring to their users, less is known about the effects that Sheds can have on men’s behaviours and attitudes towards their health. 

While Sheds aren’t formal healthcare providers, this paper outlines the ways that Sheds encourage men to look after their health and wellbeing in both obvious and non-obvious ways in an alternative informal and supportive ‘male-friendly’ environment. For example, the ways that Shed activities can provide a distraction from illness or adversity, how men can become educated on aspects of male health and how the support that Shedders receive can make them feel better about their health situations. 

For more information about the GCU Sheds for Sustainable Development Project (funded by The National Lottery Community Fund), please contact Dani at Danielle.kelly@gcu.ac.uk 

Research paper released—Men’s Sheds in Scotland: the potential for improving the health of men

The latest research paper ‘Men’s Shed in Scotland; the potential for improving the health of men’ from Glasgow Caledonian University’s three-year Sheds for Sustainable Development Project has now been published in the Journal of Public Health Policy.

Recently policy has focused on the role of community-based organisations and the ways that they are tackling local health issues, such as social isolation and loneliness. 

Men’s Sheds have been recognised for the health and wellbeing impacts they have on those who use them, therefore, questions have been raised over their ability to become deliverers of formal healthcare to ‘hard to reach’ men in communities. 

With this in mind, a study was conducted with Sheds in Scotland to identify challenges to Shed sustainability and development that may affect their ability to deliver formal healthcare. 

Findings showed that a reliance on ageing and retired volunteers to undertake operational tasks and generate income to fund activities affected the ability of Sheds to sustain and develop. 

Shed members also did not wish their Sheds to become formal healthcare deliverers, preferring to keep their activities informal and flexible to fit with the needs of their members. 

In conclusion, although Sheds are recognised for their health and wellbeing benefits to men, policymakers must recognise that formalising their activities might detract from the Shed’s primary aims. Therefore, there must be a consideration of tensions that exist in placing expectations of Sheds to expand their remit and formalise into service delivery. 

Read the full research paper here.

Dr Danielle Hutcheon (nee Kelly)
Yunus Centre for Social Business and Health
Glasgow Caledonian University

Have you been affected by cancer?

The Scottish Men’s Sheds Association (SMSA) – in partnership with Macmillan Cancer Support – wants to hear from Shedders that have cancer, have had cancer or who are supporting or caring for someone with cancer.

Cancer doesn’t just affect the person; it also affects family members, friends, carers and communities. A life-changing diagnosis can influence relationships, finances, careers and emotions.  Men’s Sheds offer an empowering place for men to come together voluntarily to make friends, re-engage with purpose, enjoy healthy lives and even learn new skills. Even though Sheds are temporarily closed, due to Covid-19 restrictions, these strong connections with fellow Shedders are still being maintained.

SMSA is looking to bring together a group of men willing to meet online to share their cancer experiences and stories.  What helped most? What were the challenges/barriers? What type of cancer? What was missing on your journey? What improvements could have been made? All these real-life experiences, from a male perspective, will assist SMSA to develop effective resources and ultimately, save lives.

This invaluable information will be used to produce health-focused information leaflets and a series of animations for Men’s Sheds across Scotland to support men going through this journey.  The aim of this project is to raise awareness of the impact cancer has in men’s lives (of all ages) and to encourage more men to be aware of it earlier on. The Shed is the perfect place for these conversations and for the knowledge to be shared.
 

Interested?

Please contact Jason Schroeder, SMSA Executive Officer, by email or call 07397382533.

Briefing – Sheds for Sustainable Development Project: Men’s Sheds as an alternative route for male health engagement

The latest briefing (April 2020) from the Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU) Sheds for Sustainable Development Project (funded by the National Lottery Community Fund) is now available.

What the study suggests is that Men’s Sheds not only have positive impacts on the physical, mental and social health of their users, but also on member’s behaviours and attitudes around their health and the health of others.

This includes INCREASES IN MEN’S HEALTH SEEKING BEHAVIOURS, such as learning about health issues in a ‘male friendly’ way, or improving diet and exercise. IMPROVEMENTS IN MEN’S RESILIENCE AND ABILITY TO COPE WITH ILLNESS, such as managing pain or stress. And finally, men’s INCREASED ABILITY TO RECOVER FROM ILLNESS through physical activity, social contact and sharing experiences with others.

However, what is clear is that Men’s Sheds do not have the capacity to become a ‘formalised’ or alternative health service as this is simply outside of their remit and does not fit with the Shed ‘ethos’. Therefore, health practitioners and policymakers may need to find new novel ways of working in partnership in Men’s Sheds to benefit.

Although we may be going through some tough times with current lockdowns, we look forward to continuing to share this work and keep the conversations going!

Click here to download the latest briefing

Sir Harry Burns announced as patron of the Scottish Men’s Sheds Association

The Scottish Men’s Sheds Association (SMSA) is delighted to announce the appointment of Sir Harry Burns – Professor of Global Public Health, University of Strathclyde – as patron of the charity for the next three years.

Sir Harry Burns was the Chief Medical Officer for Scotland for nine years (September 2005 to April 2014) and became renowned for his accomplishments in addressing health inequalities. Sir Harry was knighted in 2011 in recognition of his outstanding achievement and service to society.  He is a member of the Council of Economic Advisers in Scotland and, in December 2014, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon presented him with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the inaugural Scottish Public Service Awards, recognising his lasting contribution to public service.

Sir Harry joins the SMSA – the national charitable body of Men’s Sheds for Scotland – that supports and inspires men to set up and run their own Sheds in their local communities to improve health and wellbeing.  A Men’s Shed is a shared space where men – from all walks of life – attend voluntarily to work on practical projects or simply find camaraderie, conversation and friendship. 

Jason Schroeder, Executive Officer of the SMSA, said: “We are honoured to welcome Sir Harry Burns as our patron.  The Men’s Sheds movement began in 2009 in Scotland and there are now 188 known open and developing Sheds (engaging over 7,000 men) across Scotland and they are continuing to grow at a rapid rate.  Sir Harry’s support will be key to create awareness and gravitas of the vital work that we do to improve men’s health and wellbeing.  We are very much looking forward to working closely with him.”

On his appointment, Sir Harry Burns said: “I have always admired the concept of Men’s Sheds and the growing grassroot movement in Scotland and am delighted to become the patron of the SMSA.  I look forward to supporting the great work that they do in my new role.”

Sheds for Sustainable Development Project: The Health and Wellbeing Impacts of Men’s Sheds on their Users

The Glasgow Caledonian University ‘Sheds for Sustainable Development Project’ – now in its second year of a three-year project – has released its next policy briefing outlining emerging findings from their in-depth study on the health and wellbeing impacts of Shed activity.

The University will continue to produce these short policy briefings throughout the remainder of the project.  For further information on the project and for previous publications/reports please click here.