Discovering Men’s Sheds

[Background] [Aims] [Audience] [Programme] [Event Information] [Application Conditions]

Background

The government is committed to tackling health inequalities and improving health outcomes, including premature mortality. With 42% of men dying before the age of 75 compared to 26% of women, the health of men in later life is therefore critically important. A lot of these men are known to be lonely and isolated. A recent report written for the Age UK’s Agenda for Later Life conference 2011 identified that 300,000 older men in the UK say they leave their home once a week or less, and half a million older men in the UK are lonely.

NIACE’s research has shown that returning to informal learning as an adult has a positive impact on health and wellbeing, and promotes positive mental health. Non formal learning often brings with it social capital benefits, and improved health from contact and support of other participants. Health and wellbeing benefits are some of the identifiable consequences of participating in community organisations. Men’s Sheds provide an opportunity to enhance the role of men’s cultural norms, values and agency and have been found to be a successful method to increase health and wellbeing.

This important event will bring together delegates from all over the country to learn about the ways in which informal learning, health and wellbeing and the Men’s Shed initiative interrelate. Participants will explore how the activities in Sheds impact positively upon men’s health and well-being, the Age UK’s pilot Men in Sheds projects (funded by the Sir Jules Thorn Charitable Trust), and the value of non formal learning through the Sheds and other initiatives.

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Aims

This conference provides a unique opportunity to:

• Explore achievements of the Men’s Sheds initiative and proposed future developments;
• Consider the importance of linking non formal learning with men’s health and well-being;
• Hear from Age UK’s pilot Men in Sheds projects about their challenges and successes in setting up and running their Sheds;
• Hear about the intended and unintended outcomes for participants of the Sheds;
• Meet and network with delegates with a similar interest from a wide range of backgrounds and interests nationally and internationally;
• Explore further the policy, social, economic and demographic contexts underpinning current the work.

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Audience

The conference will benefit all of those with an interest in finding out more about the value of Men’s Sheds, non formal learning and health and wellbeing including: 

• Policy makers from local authorities and government departments, such as Communities and Local Government; Business Innovation and Skills; Department of Health; Department of Work and Pensions;
• Providers of services to people in later life, particularly those from voluntary, statutory and private sectors;
• Health and/or care professionals and community development & welfare workers; Voluntary organisations with a focus on learning, health and well-being;
• Providers of services which encourage non formal learning, such as colleges of further education, adult learning services and the Workers’ Educational Association;
• Organisations promoting inter-generational learning;
• Social researchers.

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Programme

(A late start so those traveling from London and the South can take advantage of the 9.15am off-peak rail fare; arriving in Leicester at 10.30am)

10:00  Arrival, registration and exhibitions (tea/coffee available)

10:30  Plenary room
           Film created by a shed in Australia

10:40  Welcome and introduction from the Chair of the morning session
           Helena Herklots, Services Director, Age UK

10:45  Introduction to “A Shedder’s Story”
          David Richardson, National Programme Delivery Manager, Age UK
          Shedders Story

10:50  A Shedder’s Story: What a Shed means to a man
          Shedders Story

10:55  Men’s Sheds in Context: informal learning, men’s health and well-being
          Professor John Field, Professor of Lifelong Learning and Co-Director of the
          Centre for Research in Lifelong Learning, University of Stirling
          J Field

11:15  Q&A

11:20  Tea and movement to workshops

11:30  Workshops - morning session
          Please indicate your choice of workshop when applying online

          1) Set up and Run a Shed: Explore practicalities and challenges

              The pilot Sheds share their experiences of setting up and running their projects.
              Hear how they secured a venue, set up the day to day running of the Shed,
              found and engaged men in later life, and the intended and unintended outcomes.

              Nicky Wheddon, Group Support Worker, Age UK Nottingham and Nottinghamshire
              Harvinder Channa, National Programmes Development Officer, Age UK
              
              The Shed Co-ordinators from Age UK Nottingham and Nottinghamshire,
              Age UK South Lakeland and Age Concern Greenwich
              will be on hand to answer questions about their Sheds.
              Set up and run a shed

          2) Sustain your Shed: Having got it how do you keep it?

              Discover examples of how Sheds have been sustained in Australia and Ireland,
              and the model being explored by Age UK.
              How does it make a difference if the projects are men led?
 
              Sally Bloomer, Business Development Manager, Age UK South Lakeland
              David Richardson, National Programme Delivery Manager, Age UK
              Sustain your shed

         3) Communicating Health to Men in Later Life Inside and Outside the Shed: 
             Exploring different methods of effectively engaging and influencing older men
 
              What are the most effective ways of raising older men's awareness of older men
              about health and well-being issues and changing their behaviours?
            
              The workshop will discuss new Men's Health Forum research in this area and
              will be relevant to those working with Men’s Sheds/Men in Sheds and elsewhere.

              Peter Baker, Chief Executive Officer, Men’s Health Forum
              Áine Duggan, Strategic Partnership Project Officer, Men’s Health Forum
              Supported by Malcolm Bird, Senior Men in Sheds Co-ordinator, Age UK Cheshire
              Communicating Health Messages to Men

          4) Beyond Men’s Sheds: other forms of engagement
 
              Looking at the UK what other examples do we have of men's engagement in the
              'Big Society' or in their local communities?
              This session will explore other forms of engagement to better ascertain how,
              why, where and when men participate.

              Jim Soulsby, Honorary Research Fellow, Institute of Lifelong Learning, University of Leicester
              and Association of Education and Ageing
              Beyond Mens Sheds

          5) Engaging men: the role of informal adult learning

              How does adult education engage with men?
              What outreach and curriculum development is most effective?
              What is the evidence for the positive impact of informal learning on men’s health and wellbeing?
              Drawing on examples and learning from the Transformation Fund (£20m government grant
              fund to encourage non-formal adult learning), this session will identify what has been
              achieved to date and explore with delegates how more can be done in today's economic climate.

              Helen Plant, Senior Project Officer, NIACE
              Rachael Evans, Acting Learning and Engagement Manager, Nottingham City Museums and Galleries
              Engaging Men in Informal Adult Learning
                

12:40  Lunch, exhibition and networking

13:15  Plenary room
          Film created by a shed in Australia
 
13:40  Welcome back from the Chair of the afternoon session 
          Jim Soulsby, Honorary Research Fellow, Institute of Lifelong Learning, University of Leicester
          and Association of Education and Ageing

13:45  Keynote Address:
          Professor Barry Golding, Deputy Head of School of Education, University of Ballarat, Australia
          Barry Golding

14:15  Q&A

14:25  Workshops - afternoon session (repeated)
          Please indicate your choice of workshop when applying online

15:25  Panel discussion 
          David Hughes, Chief Executive, NIACE
          Helena Herklots, Services Director, Age UK
          Barry Golding, Deputy Head of School of Education, University of Ballarat
          Peter Baker, Chief Executive, Men’s Health Forum

15:50  Concluding comments from the Chair

16:00  Close of conference (tea/coffee available)

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Related Links

IFLL Thematic paper - Well-being and Happiness
http://www.niace.org.uk/lifelonglearninginquiry/docs/IFLL-wellbeing.pdf

BIS - IACL consultation paper
http://www.bis.gov.uk/assets/biscore/further-education-skills/docs/n/11-1215-new-challenges-review-informal-adult-and-community-learning.pdf

Excluded men
http://shop.niace.org.uk/excluded-men.html

Men earn, Women learn
http://shop.niace.org.uk/men-earn-women-learn.html

Speaker: John Field - blog
http://nw.wea.org.uk/blogs/encouraging_more_men_into_informal_learning.php

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Event Information

Arrival and registration is at 10:00am for a 10:40am start. The event will end at 4:00pm

Event fee per person: £75 (includes sandwich lunch, tea/coffee)
NB: NIACE does not charge VAT on conference or course fees.

Free places:
We have a limited number of free places available to people without access to funding from a group or organisation.
To avail of these free places, please apply for a place online (scroll up and click on Apply Now).

For fee payers, only online application forms with the payments section completed will be processed.
NB: If you wish us to invoice your employer we require a copy of the Purchase Order before the form is processed.

Places will be allocated in order of receipt of completed online application forms (one online application form per person)

Video cameras may be in use at this event. If you do not wish to be photographed or appear on the video outputs please indicate this on the application form and make yourself known at registration.

Participants should be prepared to take their own notes as there will not be handouts for all sessions If you have not received an e-mail confirming your attendance and joining instructions 4 working days before the event please contact: events@niace.org.uk

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Application Conditions

Event: Thursday 29 September 2011

Closing date: Tuesday 30 August 2011 (for free places)
Closing date: Thursday 15 September 2011 (for fee payers)

Cancellations are non-refundable.

The full fee is payable prior to the event.

Substitutions are to be advised 5 working days prior to the event.

A 15 working days notice period is required for provision of electronic note-takers, sign language interpreters and transcription to Braille.

Places are to be reserved online – scroll up and click on Apply Now.

Reservations by telephone cannot be accepted.

Application forms are individually acknowledged by e-mail.

Joining instructions, including map and directions, will be e-mailed out one week before the event.

NIACE reserves the right to reject applicants who are not from the target audience list.

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