The Minister for Rural and Regional Health, Warren Snowdon and the Member for Hunter, Joel Fitzgibbon officially opened the Maitland men shed in the Hunter Valley and announced $1m funding for the facility today.

The Maitland Men’s shed, part of the Maitland Community Shed & the Hunter Cluster Jobs Fund project, and has received $1m from the Rudd Government’s Jobs Fund initiative to deliver new jobs and skills to the Maitland community.

The project is funded under the Get Communities Working stream of Jobs Fund to create 16 jobs, 10 traineeships and 44 work experience positions by mid-2011 and to develop an invaluable community resource.

It follows the Rudd Government’s announcement yesterday, that it is investing $3 million to help secure the future of men’s sheds and support new sheds.

It is part of a $16.7 million commitment to help address male health challenges, and it complemented the launch of Australia’s first National Male Health Policy, announced by the Prime Minister and Mr Snowdon.

“The Maitland Men’s shed is a great illustration of the important role men’s sheds play in the community by providing meeting places where men can find social support and camaraderie, and we’re proud to be supporting them” Mr Snowdon said.

The Maitland Men’s Shed is a joint project between Men’s Shed Maitland Inc and CatholicCare.  Around since 2006, the concept of a Men’s Shed in Maitland didn’t become a reality until Jobs Fund funding was approved in 2009. 
 
“This men’s shed will enable retired and retrenched workers to share skills and mentor unemployed young people in Maitland,” Mr Fitzgibbon said.

“It’s a great example of how well-targeted, local investment can lead to the creation of real jobs, while developing a much-needed community resource.”

Construction work on the shed began in early 2010 and has since been completed. The final fit out is in progress. The activities the shed will offer will reflect the skills and interests of its active participants. 

Jobs Fund funding for this project will also provide for the appointment of coordinators to establish partnerships, foster skills, develop training and employment opportunities and oversee activities within member shed projects in the Hunter cluster.

Jobs Fund is supporting and creating jobs through projects that build community and social infrastructure in areas most affected by the global recession.

Under the program, $132 million was announced for 172 projects throughout Australia in Round 1, and $39 million for 53 projects in Round 2 under the Get Communities Working and Local Jobs streams.

For a full list of Jobs Fund projects and more information about the program, visit www.keepaustraliaworking.gov.au/jobsfund.