Shed support through the Regional Coordinators Initiative

Originally published in Shed Chatter February 2023

By now, many of you have met Frank Pearce, our Regional Coordinator. The Men’s Sheds Regional Coordinators Initiative is an Australian government program that aims to support and promote the establishment and development of men’s sheds throughout the country.

The program provides funding to hire regional coordinators who work with men’s sheds in their area to help them access resources, improve their facilities and activities, and build relationships with their communities. Frank is available to help all sheds in Queensland (irrespective of their membership status) with the following:

• Providing health and wellbeing information and resources

• Seeking funding from National Shed Development Programme

• Forming partnerships with health providers

• Helping sheds to organise and promote regional health events to benefit men and their communities

• Making sure grant information and applications are available to men’s sheds.

Through this initiative, the government aims to promote social connectedness and community participation among men, reduce social isolation and loneliness, and improve men’s mental health and wellbeing.