Carina Men’s Shed celebrates success of veterans’ program

Building community

Bob Ikin has been involved with Carina Men’s Shed since it formed in 2009. He has witnessed its membership grow from just six to more than 170 – an achievement he attributes to the tight-knit community that has formed through the shed.

“When a lot of men retire, they lose their social network and are stuck at home. If they downsize, they also lose the shed in their backyard. A men’s shed fills a void in that area,” Bob explains.

“Carina Men’s Shed is very much a community shed. You can have the best facilities in the world, but if the membership isn’t working together and looking out for one another, it won’t work. I’m very proud to say that this shed has all those ingredients together.”

Having served 20 years in the Army during his career, Bob realised that in addition to supporting schools, community organisations and hospitals, Carina Men’s Shed could also make a difference to his fellow veterans.

“I went to Mates4Mates to talk about the men’s shed movement for one of their barbecue nights. Then I thought, ‘Why don’t we start doing a few veterans’ programs at our shed?’”

From there, Bob and the team applied for a Department of Veterans’ Affairs grant and secured a partnership with the Clem Jones Centre, enabling Carina Men’s Shed to hold its first dedicated veterans’ program in November 2020. 

“We now run the program over two Fridays and at last count, we’ve put 45 veterans through – 42% of which have been female.

“It’s very satisfying for us and we’re getting great feedback from Mates4Mates. We want to take this well into the future, as long as there is a need with veterans.”

Bob believes the key to the program’s success has been its mentors – men like Bevan, Graham and Malcolm.

Building confidence

Bevan Guttormsen has been involved with Carina Men’s Shed since it first started. His mentoring style comes from a combination of experience in the Army and trade expertise in woodworking and painting. 

“I was in the ninth intake of the National Service and served from 1967 to 1969. Aside from the Army, my background is boat building. I’ve helped build pleasure boats, government boats, trawlers – any size up to 100-foot, and all in timber. From there, I changed tactics and went into industrial painting,” Bevan says.

Bevan usually spends one day per week in the shed, where you’ll find him training members on safe machinery use while assisting with their woodworking projects.

“They do a simple job first – usually a carryall box to hold their own tools in. After that, they may want to bring in a project to do over two or three sessions.

“We’ve built some big projects, such as a replica of the ‘Brisbane’ sign in ply, a flexible folding table over 35 feet long, and a model train. We’ve made a roulette wheel for the dementia ward of a nursing home, a chicken coop for a school, trophies for different clubs, and billy karts. We do a kite festival and attend big markets about three times per year.”

While Bevan enjoys helping members build their confidence in the shed, he also revels in building social connections with them.

“I find the shed very enjoyable because you’re meeting new people. They might tell you what they’ve done in the Army, and I can relate back to tell them that I was a Nasho and what I did in the Army. By the end of the session, you’re mates.”

Building skills

Graham Findlay joined Carina Men’s Shed 10 years ago. His motivation to help veterans was largely inspired by his father, who benefited from a similar outlet following his military service.

“My father went to New Guinea before the Japanese declared war and he was up there when they started bombing. He was finally evacuated, but they had to put him into various hospitals because he had malaria. The only thing he had was carpet making tools – the Red Cross ran carpet making as a rehabilitation project,” Graham says.

“So, when Bob said we’re going to have this veterans’ program at our Sub Branch, I wanted to be a part of it.”

While Graham was initially worried about not having a trade to contribute to the program, his willingness to learn a new skill has proven invaluable to the shed’s members. 

“When I first joined, I quickly realised that most of the members had some sort of trade behind them. I thought, ‘I don’t have a trade, what can I possibly do here?’. Then, a gentleman stood up and said, ‘I want to do leadlight glass – anyone interested?’ I put my hand up and that’s how our glass group started.

“Our president at the time found somebody who could teach us leadlighting. From there, we progressed to decorative and warm melted glass.”

After years of honing his skills from scratch, Graham now mentors shed members with their own glasswork projects – a role he has found greatly fulfilling.

“I don’t know how the time has passed, because we’ve done so many great things. I get a lot out of helping people. This place becomes your community – a part of your family.”

Building wellness

After leaving the Navy in 2005, Malcolm Baldock found himself looking for an outlet that could improve his mental health. He joined Carina Men’s Shed in 2017 and is now a mentor and staunch advocate for their work.

“I did 22 years in the Navy and struggled with a lot of things. Through a bit of help I realised that I needed something to do. I have a trade, arts and craft background, so I ended up at the Men’s Shed,” Malcolm says.

“To a certain extent, the shed is much like the military in terms of support for members. It’s all about our ongoing welfare.”

Malcolm calls himself the shed’s ‘roustabout’, helping members with various tasks across woodwork, safety and leatherwork. A highlight for him has been working on the shed’s veterans’ program.

“A lot of us are veterans or have family members who are serving or ex-serving. I thought the program was a great idea because you can get some time to lose those thoughts in your head and after a couple of hours think, ‘God, I feel better’.

“People in the shed are also learning about the plight of servicemen. Just through conversations, they start to understand the people in their own families who have served.”

For those considering trying out a men’s shed, Malcolm’s advice is simple.

“Whether you’re a current or ex-service person, police officer, firefighter, ambo, or somebody who’s retired or experiencing grief – whether it’s loss of job, loved ones or direction – I’ll beat the drum all day for men’s sheds.

“Go online and find a shed in your area. Not all sheds are the same, so find one that works for you.”

For more information about Carina Men’s Shed, visit carinamensshed.org.au.