Courting Charities & Community Groups SEEKING A PARTNER WITHOUT NOT GETTING CAUGHT!

BRYCE ROUTLEY – SALVOS MEN’S SHED – POORAKA – SOUTH AUSTRALIA

Overview

Introduction

Context

Pooraka Farm Men’s Shed

Projects

Management by Community Centre

Salvos Men’s Shed

Management

Harcourt Project

Lessons learned & Conclusion

Questions

Introduction

Bryce Routley Shed leader – Salvos Men’s shed – Pooraka SA

Established / shed leader - Pooraka Farm Men’s shed

Secretary of SA Men’s Shed Association (SAMSA)

AMSA Board member

Courting Charities & Community

Groups - Context

Every shed different – structure, aims,

development, relations

Common issue – approached to help a person / charity / group

Every approach different – their needs & your

capability

Hard to assess – diversity & complexity

How do you evaluate a proposal to develop a

relationship with a charity or community group?

We will explore this – my experiences in 2 sheds.

Pooraka Farm Men’s Shed -Projects

Set up & managed by a community centre (council

program)

TAFE accredited “home maintenance” course

Work for the dole scheme

Both caused issues – sharing tools, space, materials

Bike restoration program

Failed – poor commitment by refugee group

Indigenous youth program – crosses for

unmarked graves

Worked well – simple & good communication

Pooraka Farm Men’s Shed - projects

Pooraka Farm Men’s Shed - management First 3 years worked well

I was chairman of Community Centre & shed leader – good communication

Initial strong support to get it started.

Shed 2 kms from CC – “them & us” – friction started

All finances controlled by CC

Expense reimbursement difficult

Not encouraged to make profit or improve

New chairman – risk averse – shed “risky”

Shedders asked to leave

Shed – not a legal entity – all tools / materials –CC

95% of shedders left to form another shed - empty handed & bitter

Salvos Men’s Shed

Local Salvation Army Church ($9M budget & >100 staff)

Started new Op shop – empty shed behind & wanted to start a MS.

They had shed & we had the men!

Discussed what we both wanted – aims, resources, policies & plans

MoU – Shed to be part of Salvos & shedders -Salvos volunteers

No joining fees, no rent, power or insurance fees

$3 / session amenity fee – tea, coffee & biscuits

$5,000 start up fund and credit card $500 limit

Portion of shed time – repair donated goods -> Op shop

Very successful – open, trusting, balanced risk, lots of support

Salvos Men’s Shed

• 17m x 11m workshop

• separate kitchen &

loos

• Separate 10x6

storage area

• 3 phase power

• Sealed car park

• Security system

Harcourts partnership – the plan Harcourts –

supply materials

Men’s Shed build cubby

houses

Cubbies painted by Harcourts

Cubbies auctioned

Funds to Salvos homeless youth

program

Cubby house project – what happened?

Harcourts coordinator - keen & communicated well ,

then moved

Harcourts main focus – PR & auction event

Substitute coordinator – less organised /keen

Couldn’t get all materials donated – Salvos paid $3K

Start date delayed – frustrations for shed

No replies to phone / emails for months

Now back on track!

Cubby houses now completed (2 from MS and 2

Construction class)

4 cubbies -auction at Harcourts Award night 19 Oct

3 auctioned to Harcourt offices to paint & auction to

public in Dec

Cert 1 Construction - cubbies

Courting Charities & Community groups & Not being caught out!!

It starts with you!

Every shed is different (& every partner different)

Know your aims / vision – discuss, display & review

All leaders –common understanding of aims & boundaries

No “one size fits all” evaluation process

The potential partner

Find out what they really want from the relationship

Need regular & open communication

Key people to be passionate about the relationship

Flexibility – give & take

Review regularly

Conclusion – Courting or being caught out !

Choosing a shed partner (charity or

community group) – like choosing a

wife!

Understand what you are looking for

Find out what she is really looking for

Don’t rush into a relationship

Don’t be deceived by her glitz and

nice words

Talk openly and develop trust

Don’t assume anything!

Formalise the relationship in writing

Questions