Our Team
JASON SCHROEDER
Chief Executive Officer
Jason is the Chief Executive Officer (and founder) of the SMSA. Jason has dedicated a large chunk of his life to Men’s Sheds. He started creating the Men’s Shed Movement in Scotland in 2009 after hearing a talk about Men’s Sheds by Dr Neil Bruce, Chairman of New Zealand Men’s Sheds.
After the successful creation of Scotland’s first Men’s Shed in Westhill in Aberdeenshire, he moved from his role as a Council Development Officer in 2013 to be the Men’s Shed Development Officer for Aberdeenshire Voluntary Action (the Third Sector Interface for Aberdeenshire) for three years.
In 2014, Jason created the SMSA charity and became the Chairman. In 2016, the Association received Scottish Government funding for the first time and Jason then became the Executive Officer of the SMSA to support its new direction as an employer and grow the Movement in Scotland to what it is today. The SMSA continues to grow to meet the needs of the movement and as such now has more employees which has resulted in Jason becoming the Chief Executive Officer.
When Jason started this journey, he made a personal commitment to dedicate 20 years of his life to growing this thriving Movement to leave a better place for his son and all our sons to have a smart, healthy place to socialise and benefit from having access to intergenerational, positive male role models.
Jason has a professional background in publishing and business management and served in the South African Marine Corps. He has lived in Scotland since immigrating from South Africa in 1997.
TIM GREEN
East Coast Development Officer (Part-time, two days a week)
Tim is the Development Officer at the SMSA – supporting Scottish Men’s Sheds with the comprehensive, specialist community development support they deserve in the following areas: Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire, Angus, Borders, City of Edinburgh, Clackmannanshire, Fife, Dundee, East Lothian, Midlothian, Moray, Orkney, Shetland and West Lothian.
Tim spent just under seven years supporting and enabling Sheds as the Men’s Shed’s Community Development Officer at Age Scotland before joining the SMSA in February 2022.
Prior to this, he worked as a Laboratory Assistant with ICI Pharmaceuticals before becoming a mature student and studying his BA (Hons) degree in Social Science at Manchester Polytechnic followed by a Post Graduate Certificate in Education for further education. This path also took him into lecturing in health and social care, housing, social policy and sociology.
In 2000, he undertook a Post Graduate Diploma in Multimedia Technology and at the same time achieved a Master of Education in Communication, Education and Technology. Tim then started working with the Workers’ Educational Association, Scotland (WEA) as a tutor in adult literacy, community education, access to further learning and trade union learning: and then became Area Tutor Organiser for Fife, Tayside and Perth and Kinross.
Tim has also worked at Telford College as a Skills for Success Co-ordinator and a Core Skills Lecturer. The next step was returning to the WEA to take up a role as an Education Development Manager for Edinburgh, Lothians and Borders.
STEWART BECK
West Coast Development Officer (Part-time, currently three days a week)
Stewart joined the SMSA team in May 2024 as a Development Officer for the following areas – Argyll and Bute, Dumfries and Galloway, East Ayrshire, East Dunbartonshire, East Renfrewshire, Falkirk, Glasgow City, Inverclyde, North Ayrshire, North Lanarkshire, Renfrewshire, South Lanarkshire, South Ayrshire, Stirling and West Dunbartonshire.
During a 33-year career with North Ayrshire Council, Stewart has worked in several areas including youth work, where he was a Development Officer for The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. Being a keen outdoorsman, he obtained the Summer Mountain Leader award in 1998, which enabled him to lead groups in the mountains and act as safety officer on numerous expeditions both at home and overseas.
Further to this, Stewart developed an interest in adult learning and obtained his BA in Community Education from Strathclyde University in 2003. Taking on the role of Community Education Worker in his local authority area, he worked closely with community groups and individuals on personal development and capacity building programmes, leading to his involvement in Men’s Sheds in North Ayrshire, which he considers to be the most fulfilling and rewarding part of his career in his local authority.
In his spare time, Stewart still loves to spend time in the mountains, usually with family and friends now. He is also a keen cyclist and Ride Leader, still involved as a veteran in amateur racing, although somewhat more slowly now! Amongst other hobbies, he enjoys scale model building, reading and learning about history, and is an avid music listener.
Taking on the role of Development Officer with the SMSA has now enabled him to focus on the parts of his old job that he enjoyed the most, broadening his horizons and supporting the development of Men’s Sheds across the west of Scotland. Having witnessed first-hand the difference that Sheds can make in men’s lives, Stewart is committed to ensuring that men everywhere have access to a Shed nearby in their own localities.
ROSS MURRAY
Highlands/Islands Development Officer (Part-time, two days a week)
Ross is SMSA’s newest member of the team who was appointed to cover the Highland area and support the Fort William, Kinlochleven, Aultbea, Ullapool, Lochcarron, Spey Shed, Inverness, Nairn, Dingwall, Maryburgh, Cromarty Firth, Dornoch Firth, Daviot Care Home, Black Isle, Broadford and Strath, Muir of Ord, Beauly, Badenoch, Strontian, Fort Augustus, Glen Urquhart and Mallaig Men’s Sheds.
Ross has over 35 years’ experience in a variety of adult education settings, both as a tutor and a development worker. Ross has a proven record in adapting to challenges in a range of environments and has broad experience of working with adults of all ages, aspirations and backgrounds.
After graduating with a B.A. in Photographic Studies he worked in community arts projects; as a photography tutor, inspiring people to tell their own story through photos and words; as a literacy/creative writing tutor in Edinburgh prison, various employability programmes and a range of community projects, empowering people with barriers to inclusion including disabilities, addictions, mental health difficulties, poverty and social isolation.
Ross worked with the Workers Educational Association (WEA), for the last 12 years in partnership with Falkirk Council on a variety of projects – Core skills for 18 to 25-year-olds, Workplace Literacies and Employability Skills in Job Clubs – gaining considerable experience and developing long-term partnerships. In the Falkirk Job Clubs, he developed a holistic drop-in provision working with people with multiple barriers. Reducing isolation, increasing confidence and self-esteem, developing a peer support culture and forming friendships were all essential ingredients for securing employment.
Ross is passionate about the power of informal learning and its impact – creating opportunities, learning and sharing skills, building connections and improving well-being.
SUE SALTER
Administrator (Part-time, Mondays and Thursdays)
Sue Salter provides office support to the SMSA team vital to the smooth-running of the Association and is a friendly point of contact for our members with their membership and accounts queries.
Sue has over 20 years’ experience in finance and administrative management and has worked in banking, education and the third sector.
MICHELLE WIBREW
Communication & PR Officer
Michelle, who joined the team in 2019, is the Communications & PR Officer at the SMSA and is responsible for the delivery of ‘The Scottish Shedder’ magazine, SMSA publications, press releases, social media content, interactive website, promotional materials, some of our films and animations and funding applications.
It is Michelle’s role to promote the Men’s Sheds Movement in Scotland and keep our members and supporters updated with the latest news, events, funding opportunities, health matters, projects and all things Sheds.
Michelle has over 25 years’ experience in the third sector and has worked for both a Third Sector Interface and one of Scotland’s leading co-operative societies to serve and meet the needs of its members through events management and communications, design, PR and marketing support.