Yarram (Vic) Men’s Shed mentoring success

Students ‘at risk’ work with retired men from the Yarram community

Men’s Shed volunteers are acting as mentors to a group of boys at the Yarram Secondary College boys. The workshop medium is providing a relaxed environment to improve literacy,work skills,social literacy and interaction and community confidence. It has given the boys a positive male influence and is teaching them new practical skills and all parties have enjoyed themselves.

Mark Binding, Yarram Community Learning Centre’s Workshop Supervisor has encouraged more men to attend Wednesday’s Men’s Shed days, and has supported the men in developing their shed, as well as doing community work to help purchase new tools on the ‘wish’ list.

The shed has been refurbished and set up as a workshop that uses the time of retired people and a grant of $2,000 from a ‘student at risk program’ in the Gippsland Region has meant a project manager could open the workshop on Friday, buy materials for students, provide lunch for students and assist with payment of electricity etc.

The mentors
There are eight volunteers from the Yarram community who rotate their services. These men are retired teachers/tradespersons (carpenters, boilermakers, furniture makers). Most men work the entire Friday other commitments permitting.

The 20 week program

• has included mostly Year 10 boys;
• the problems the students face include family dysfunction, substance abuse and learning disorders;
• they choose the project: wood, clay, plaster, leadlight;
• they plan the project:design, draw, measure & calculate materials required;
• they develop a strategy for construction and completion;
• they construct the project from the plans, recording all steps taken whether perceived problems eventuated, if planned solutions worked.

A diary of how the program worked

Eva Hirt of Yarram Secondary College says throughout the first 9 weeks of the program a diary was kept of observations made of the students and volunteers.

• Initially the boys were very distant and non-communicative. All the boys were very negative towards themselves and had no belief in their own ability. They were unwilling to attempt anything and appeared content to remain in their comfort zone.
• After encouragement and some instruction each boy began to attempt new things. These were very small at first. Things such as using a band saw for the first time and successfully cutting out a shape from wood seemed to be a daunting task for some boys.
• As boys tried new things the men would praise their achievements, with the result of increased confidence. This was verified in output in projects as well as an improved quality of workmanship.
• Initially all boys were non-receptive to advice and assistance, now as relationships have grown, the boys readily seek advice from the men and ask for assistance.
• All the men are now organising their time so they can attend each session with the boys. They are planning what they will do for the boys in regards to their projects and look forward to Fridays.

The diary records a wonderful outcome
The decreased antisocial behaviour can be measured directly by decreased suspensions. There were no suspensions from May to September in 2005. School attendance is up and truancy is down. Students have enrolled in VCAL subjects for Year 11 in 2006. The year 9 students going into Year 10 have expressed an interest in continuing with projects at the Men’s Shed.

Are states other than Victoria heading off down this road with Men’s Sheds? They seem to be achieving great things here, we’d love to hear about other states’ experiences!