Social, Local, and Situated: Recent Findings About the Effectiveness of Older Men’s Informal Learning in Community Contexts

Abstract

The informal learning that older (age 50+) men experience in Australia has been the subject of a suite of recent, intensive, mixed methods research projects in communitybased voluntary organizations. The purpose of the research was to examine where men are learning in these contexts beyond work and formal education rather than to assume and problematize older men as nonlearners. This article draws together strands of completed field research to suggest that learning is effective for older men in community settings when it is social, local, practical, situated, and in groups, particularly for older, sometimes isolated men who have experienced a range of setbacks in life. While older Australian men tend to be missing from adult and community education (ACE) providers, they are able to informally share hands-on skills from their work lives with other men of all ages, with a range of important benefits to their own well-being, the well-being of other men, and the well-being of their communities. Some future areas for comparative international research are identified.

Un Men’s Shed como comunidad favorecedora del bienestar en adultos mayores

“…Golding y su equipo han sido los que han dirigido más investigaciones acerca del aprendizaje de adultos en el contexto de los Men's Shed (Golding, 2011a;2011b;Golding, Kimberly, Foley y Brown, 2008;Golding, Foley y Brown, 2007). En estos estudios se afirmaba que los Men's Shed ofrecen un contexto de aprendizaje informal que se adapta mejor a los hombres que los tradicionales centros de aprendizaje.…”

“…Investigaciones realizadas en Australia (Golding, 2011a;Golding et al, 2008), Canadá (Robertson, Galdas, McCreary, Oliffe y Tremblay, 2009) y Europa (McGivney, 2004) sobre la implicación de varones adultos en actividades educativas y sociales comunitarias, demuestran que los varones adultos demandan una oferta diferente para la inclusión activa en la comunidad.…”

“…Ya que, según Golding (2011aGolding ( , 2011b; y Golding et al (2007Golding et al ( , 2008) los Men's Shed ofrecen un contexto de aprendizaje informal que se adapta mejor a los hombres que los tradicionales centros de aprendizaje.…”

Private World(s)

“…The Ennis Men's Shed, for example, recently celebrated the opening of the Ennis Women's Shed, announcing that 'the Women's Shed would be using the same facilities as the Ennis men's shed [but] at different days and times' (Clare Focus, 2014). The discourse around the need for gendered spaces for some men has been couched in terms of getting the most out of learning together informally and improvements in wellbeing (Golding, 2011b). The discourse around the need for gendered spaces for some men has been couched in terms of getting the most out of learning together informally and improvements in wellbeing (Golding, 2011b).…”

Formal intergenerational mentoring at Australian Men's Sheds: a targeted survey about mentees, mentors, programmes and quality

“…For example, Cordier and Wilson () discussed the social and community benefit of men's sheds, Ballinger et al . () reported on the enhanced subjective sense of well‐being from shed participation, Golding () highlighted the value of sheds in facilitating adult learning and Moylan et al . () reflected on the potential for Men's Sheds to offer spiritual support.…”