On behalf of the Board, I am pleased to present this Chairman’s Report for the Australian Men’s Shed Association (AMSA).
Before reflecting on the year just past, it is important to acknowledge that this report introduces a significant development that many members and stakeholders will be hearing about for the first time.
Over recent years, AMSA has grown in scale, responsibility and national profile. With more than 1,300 Men’s Sheds across Australia, increasing government investment, and heightened expectations around governance, compliance and accountability, the Board has been carefully considering how best to ensure AMSA remains strong, credible and sustainable for the long term.
In response, the Board has taken the deliberate and considered step to establish a new entity: Sheds and Community Health Services Limited (SaCHS). This new entity has been created to strengthen governance and oversight at a national level, while preserving AMSA’s identity, purpose and member-led character. It is a proactive evolution and reflects the Board’s responsibility to steward the Men’s Shed movement for future generations.
The establishment of SaCHS is the most significant governance reform in AMSA’s history. It marks a clear evolution of our structure that matches the scale and impact of the organisation today, while protecting the grassroots foundations on which the movement was built. I want to talk more about SaCHS a little later.
The Strength of the Men’s Shed Movement
AMSA’s core purpose remains: to support Men’s Sheds and to improve the health and wellbeing of men through connection, purpose and community.
Today, Men’s Sheds operate in more than 1,300 communities across Australia, providing safe, welcoming spaces where men can come together to share skills, build friendships and support one another. The evidence continues to be clear: participation in Men’s Sheds improves health outcomes, reduces isolation and strengthens community cohesion. This is grassroots, preventative health at its best.
Throughout the year, AMSA has continued to deliver valued national services to members, including insurance, grants support, advice and resources. Programs such as Shed Mates and Spanner in the Works? have expanded their reach, giving sheds practical, evidence-based ways to support wellbeing in an authentic, shed-led way. National Gatherings and events, now delivered in-house, have strengthened connection across the movement while reducing costs for members to attend.
AMSA has also continued to work constructively with State Associations and partners to reduce duplication, improve coordination and strengthen the overall Men’s Shed ecosystem.
Advocacy and Government Engagement
Advocacy remains central to AMSA’s role and has intensified over the past year. AMSA continues to be recognised as a trusted national voice within the men’s health sector, contributing to policy development, public discourse and bipartisan engagement.
The Australian Government’s $32 million investment in men’s health earlier this year represents the most significant national commitment in more than a decade, with $8.3 million directly supporting Men’s Sheds. This outcome reflects sustained advocacy by AMSA, alongside partners including Movember and Healthy Male, and the collective voice of sheds across the country.
The appointment of the Hon. Dan Repacholi MP as Special Envoy for Men’s Health further signals growing recognition of Men’s Sheds as a practical, evidence-based contributor to men’s wellbeing. Through regular engagement with the Envoy, Ministers, parliamentarians and senior officials, AMSA continues to reinforce the role of sheds as preventative, community-based infrastructure delivering measurable social and health outcomes.
Men’s Sheds are now referenced within national strategies addressing suicide prevention, social isolation and community resilience. This recognition brings both opportunity and responsibility, underscoring the importance of strong governance, accountability and sustainability.
Strengthening Governance for the Future – Establishment of SaCHS
Now with the context of our strength as a movement, and as a national peak body, I want to delve into more detail about SaCHS.
One of the most important achievements of the year has been the Board’s decision to establish Sheds and Community Health Services Limited (SaCHS) as a new governance and oversight entity for AMSA.
Independent reviews, including the 2021 Governance Review and the 2025 Constitutional Review, identified that while AMSA’s representative, member-based governance model has served the movement well, it is no longer sufficient on its own for an organisation of AMSA’s size, funding profile and regulatory responsibilities. These reviews highlighted the need for stronger professional oversight, clearer separation of governance and operations, and enhanced compliance capability.
But rather than dismantling AMSA’s representative structure, the Board resolved to create SaCHS as a company limited by guarantee with a skills-based Board as an additional governance tier. This approach preserves AMSA’s identity and grassroots connection to sheds, while providing the level of governance and accountability expected of a modern, federally funded national charity.
SaCHS has been established to:
- Provide professional governance, financial oversight, risk management and compliance
- Strengthen alignment with ACNC, ASIC and Commonwealth funding requirements
- Improve long-term sustainability and funding confidence
- Allow AMSA to focus on advocacy, member support and leadership of the Men’s Shed movement
Importantly, AMSA itself is not being replaced and remains the national peak body representing Men’s Sheds, with its Board continuing as a mix of member-elected and appointed Directors. Membership rights, voting arrangements, services, insurance and the National Shed Development Programme remain unchanged.
The AMSA Chair sits on the SaCHS Board to ensure the voice of sheds remains central to governance and decision-making. The Federal Department of Health, Disability & Ageing – responsible our primary source of funding – has confirmed that this structure aligns with governance recommendations and poses no risk to AMSA’s funding eligibility.
The establishment of SaCHS represents a responsible and necessary evolution of AMSA’s governance—strengthening oversight and compliance while protecting the member-driven nature of the Men’s Shed movement.
Looking Ahead
AMSA enters 2026 with confidence and clarity of purpose. The Strategic Plan for 2025–2027 reflects a mature organisation focused on impact, sustainability and service to members, rather than growth for growth’s sake.
The continued expansion of national programs, including wellbeing initiatives, health musters, Shed Mates and Spanner in the Works?, demonstrates AMSA’s ability to translate policy recognition into practical, on-the-ground outcomes. National and regional events such as ShedFEST, Men’s Shed Week and the National Men’s Shed Gathering continue to strengthen connection, capability and shared identity across the movement.
With SaCHS providing strengthened governance oversight, AMSA is better positioned to manage risk, meet regulatory and funding expectations, and pursue opportunities that support long-term stability. This structure enables AMSA to remain deeply connected to its grassroots membership while operating with the professionalism expected of a contemporary national charity.
Acknowledgements
I would like to sincerely thank my fellow Directors for their professionalism, judgement and commitment during a year of significant change. I also acknowledge the AMSA executive team and staff for their dedication and expertise in supporting sheds across the country.
I also acknowledge our three outgoing Directors – Barry Laubsch, David Seen and Stuart Eustice. Thank you for your contributions to AMSA. And I welcome our member-elected directors – Ian Tooke returning for his third term and Don Higgs from South Australia.
Most importantly, I thank our members and volunteers. Every shed that opens its doors, welcomes a new member, or quietly supports a man doing it tough is the reason AMSA exists. Your work continues to make a profound difference in communities across Australia.
Conclusion
The Men’s Shed movement is strong, trusted and deeply valued in communities across Australia. That strength has been built over decades through the quiet, consistent work of volunteers and shedders who open doors, welcome others and offer connection, purpose and care.
The establishment of Sheds and Community Health Services Limited (SaCHS) stands as the Board’s most important contribution to securing that legacy. It is a decisive and future-focused reform that ensures AMSA remains credible, compliant and sustainable—capable of stewarding public trust, government investment and community confidence well into the future.
With SaCHS providing strengthened governance oversight, AMSA is positioned not just to endure, but to lead: to advocate with authority, to support sheds with confidence, and to continue improving the health and wellbeing of men across Australia.
On behalf of the Board, I thank our members, partners, staff and supporters for your trust and commitment. This year marks not an end, but a turning point—one that sets the Men’s Shed movement on a strong and secure footing for decades to come.
Luke Clifton
Chairman