Karrinyup Community Men’s Shed

About Karrinyup Community Men’s Shed: Combating Social Isolation in Balcatta, Western Australia

The Karrinyup Community Men’s Shed promotes men’s health by preventing or alleviating social isolation. Located in Balcatta, Western Australia, this registered charity creates an inclusive environment for men of all ages and backgrounds to meet, develop skills, and support each other. Started by the Rotary Club of Karrinyup in mid-2018, it enhances self-esteem with positive impacts on individuals, families, and the community.

Woodworking and Custom Projects for Skill Development

Karrinyup Community Men’s Shed offers woodworking activities and custom projects, including festive workshops for timber Christmas decorations like reindeer and 3D trees, as featured at the Perth Showgrounds. Members engage in hands-on creation, private projects, and community-benefiting work, fostering skill sharing and satisfaction through practical engagement in a safe, supportive space.

Mission and Vision

The mission focuses on advancing men’s health via an inclusive setting for meeting, creating projects, learning, teaching, and mutual support. It aims to enjoy company, promote self-worth and work ethics, while developing and sharing skills for individual and community benefit. Men from diverse social and ethnic backgrounds mix, share fellowship, and discover creation’s satisfaction.

Main Objectives

• Prevent or alleviate social isolation to advance men’s health.
• Enable skill development, redevelopment, or learning to boost self-esteem and positively impact lives, families, and community.
• Promote inclusive mixing for men of all ages, enhancing fellowship and hands-on creation.

Benefiting Groups

The Shed supports men of all ages with no minimum or maximum limit, now including women through a successful pilot program started in April 2024, with up to 10 attending weekly half-day sessions. It welcomes more women members, empowering diverse participants from various social and ethnic backgrounds.

Types of Services and Activities

• Woodworking facility with expanded equipment and gardening space.
• Custom projects for customers and private work with materials fees.
• Festive workshops and community projects.
• Annual mandatory safety refresher program for machine use.
• Women’s program for half-day sessions.
• Expansion plans with City of Stirling for enhanced safety and capacity.