E.M. Forster: A Humanist's Influence and Struggles

Community Learning Through Adversity and Disaster: An Australian case study of rural adaptation and resilience beyond paid work

The Study Is taken from a larger project involving 24 men and 18 substantive others where we were looking to examine the benefits or otherwise of partners/carers of men who attended Men s Sheds 4 regional/rural sheds were involved in the larger study

Characteristics The The Town The Health The Bush Mountain Men s Shed Men s Shed Men s Shed Men s Shed Role of women Not Not involved Not involved Included Shed Characteristics involved Broad SES Middle Middle to Lower Lower lower Auspice Rotary Independent Health Local support Club service government Location Outer Mid suburban Mid Rural urban suburban Membership Medium Large Medium Small Shed space Medium Huge Large Small Broad Pitch Retirees Retirees Not in work Inclusive

Small rural community Distinct and atypical gender inclusive Men's Shed Males, Females, Spouses, partners, carers, friends Bellbird Shed in Context Identified a community of practice that was involved in learning to be resilient as it faced previous and current issues and disasters The multifaceted role of the shed Bottom up

Like the other sheds we set out to interview men in sheds and their partners, carers or wives to examine the benefits or otherwise to substantive others when men attend Men s sheds. In the Bellbird shed we found partners, carers, friends and wives and husbands all together in the shed. All benefitting from the community focus, the friendships, the support and the giving back to community. The Bellbird We identified very quickly that this shed was very different. We discovered through discussions about the beginnings of the shed that within a decade, the already disadvantaged, small, Australian rural community of Bellbird faced three catastrophic, human induced disasters: Shed Millennial Drought (1996 to 2010), Bushfire March 2013 COVID-19 pandemic of 2020.

* Common themes, which refer to important points in the study relating to participants perceptions, beliefs and attitudes were identified in the data (Anzul, Downing, et al., 1997). These themes are broken into four sections. The first section concentrates on the participant stories regarding the journey of the re-creation of the Shed after the 2013 Bushfires. Some findings Other themes identified in the data: 1. Socialisation and Friendship Health and wellbeing Community involvement. 2. 3.

The shed participants were very keen to tell us about the redevelopment of the shed In 2013 the Shed was burnt down in a devastating bushfire, one of many that swept through many other parts of Victoria that same summer. After the fire, the then Bellbird Men s Shed president resigned his position, sold his property and moved away from the area. Post the 2013 bushfires the government funded the building of a new Shed building located next to the fire brigade and alongside the renovated community hall. When asked about the aftermath of the 2013 fires, Sam spoke about the rebuilding of the Shed through funding from the government and the work that members did to help the community.

Community resilience The community contributions and the feelings expressed by the participants of pride and belonging are in line with definitions of community wellbeing and community resilience its good o just come and talk to people and have a laugh - Ingrid Cheryl -reported that her job was to introduce new people to the community and invite them to the shed. Its helped my mental health I m not as lonely anymore I have made friends here.

For at least six months following the interviews, the Bellbird Men s Shed was shut as a consequence of the COVID-19 lockdowns. We opportunistically reflected on the data from our interviews and emerging literature on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic to critically interrogate the role local community learning plays in responding to and developing resilience in the face of locally experienced global disasters. The Covid-19 shut down

Bellbird in effect exercised agency to create its unique, place and needs- based approaches of lifelong and life wide learning bottom up at its atypical community Men s Shed. Bottom up collective approach The practices and commitments the Shed adopted have provided the community with opportunities for developing personal and collective wellbeing and the necessary resilience for adapting to likely future shocks.

More research is planned: Back to the Bell Bird post Covid-19 Lockdown isolation A larger Australian Project Now What Ageing Health Retirement The full paper can be found (shortly) in the 60th Anniversary Special edition of Australian Journal of Adult Learning.

I've seen fire and I've seen rain, I've seen sunny days that I thought would never end, I've seen lonely times when I could not find a friend. But I always thought that I'd see you again. James Taylor (1970) Fire and Rain .