Men’s Shed Toolbox

The Toolbox is a resource for intended and existing sheds and their officers, compiled by MENZSHED NEW ZEALAND Inc.

Errors, updates, suggestions?  Please contact secretary@menzshed.nz 

This resource has been put together as an aid for emerging or established sheds to set up as a legal entity and includes some suggestions about important administrative matters.  A significant number of links to other resources are scattered throughout, there is little point in developing again what has already been created by experts.

Sheds are encouraged to contact the nearest MENZSHED NZ regional representative for support…. 

They are able to:

  • give you advice and guidance specific to your circumstances 

  • introduce you to sheds in your area that you may wish to visit

  • provide sections 8 and 9 of the toolbox (normally accessible only to member sheds) and

  • otherwise assist you to establish your new shed.

 

1 Disclaimer

MENZSHED NZ Inc does not impose any requirements on sheds as to how they create their rules and implement financial, health and safety matters.  The shed management team or governing body must attend too and take full responsibility for those matters.

2 MENZSHED NZ – Purpose

The objects for which MENZSHED NZ is established are to meet the needs of its member sheds by:

  • Providing support and resources for member sheds and emerging groups aiming to establish a shed:
  • Providing a central contact point for all member sheds:
  • Maintaining a national register of sheds in New Zealand:
  • Providing benefits to member sheds, such as discounted group insurance rates:
  • Assisting member sheds to keep their members safe through quality health and safety information:
  • Developing strategic alliances with key organizations:
  • Supporting member sheds to be accessible to all men, regardless of ability, background, or culture:
  • Organising national conferences and facilitating regional and local networking opportunities:
  • Providing guidance regarding shed responsibilities, structure and operations:
  • Providing information and guidance to enable member sheds to establish opportunities for effective and continuous learning where appropriate for skill transference and tangible outcomes.

MENZSHED NZ will not have any direct control or responsibility for any individual shed.

(Extract from the constitution of MENZSHED New Zealand.)

3 MENZSHED® Trademark.

The word MENZSHED (and variations MenzShed or Menz Shed) is a Trademark owned by MENZSHED NEW ZEALAND Inc.  Please note:

  • Member sheds may use the MENZSHED logo provided that the shed is not indulging in activities or behaviour that brings or may bring the men’s shed movement into disrepute.
  • Sheds intending to seek membership of MENZSHED NZ or wishing to use the expression MENZSHED in their name must seek pre-approval – send us draft copies of Rules or Statement of Intent so the Executive can determine whether the intent of our Rule 4.3 is likely to be met. 

4 What is a Men’s Shed?

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).

The sort of projects a shed tackles is entirely up to the shed concerned, however most sheds around New Zealand take on some community projects, examples of which include building playgrounds for pre-school centres, repairing toy library stock, repairing old bikes for distribution to poorer communities, building planter boxes for the main street of the local central business district, and the list goes on.

5 Why establish a Men’s Shed?

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.  

 

Men’s sheds are an ideal place for health professionals to gain access to men who may otherwise not take as much care of themselves as they could, and many sheds invite them to give informational talks and basic health checks at the shed in the men’s own environment where they feel the informality makes for a more relaxed atmosphere.

Couples may find that after retirement, the change of suddenly being with each other every waking (and sleeping) hour can cause friction, so the shed is a great place to escape the stresses of “underfoot syndrome”, and the result is that women are among the most ardent supporters of sheds.

6 A Mind Map of shed start up activities

Click on this Link.

7 How do sheds get started?

Who is interested?

How to get Publicity

  • Newspapers
  • Community weeklies
  • Community radio
  • Churches

Holding a meeting to gauge interest

  • Choose venue
  • Arrange publicity
  • Identify and invite key allies
  • Invite local journalist (or send an article for publication afterwards) 
  • Invite the MENZSHED NZ Regional Rep and a sheddie from a nearby shed
  • Organise chairman
  • Prepare programme, slideshows etc 
  • Gather names, phone numbers and email addresses of attendees
  • Have promotional material to take away

Click here to access full documents