Facilities
MHIRC Operates In The Heart Of Western Sydney
MHIRC has been based at UWS Hawkesbury since our foundation in 1999. This is one of Sydney’s truly beautiful locations, set at the foot of the Blue Mountains in a region famed for its traditional agricultural and early settler heritage.
With direct access to the resources provided by the University, MHIRC is able to foster collaborative relationships in health while maintaining some independence. MHIRC supports numerous students to undertake undergraduate and postgraduate studies through the Hawkesbury, Parramatta and Campbelltown campuses. Professor John Macdonald teaches in Public Health within the School of Science and Health as part of studies in Health Science, Health Promotion and Nursing at the University of Western Sydney
Jumna Wal
MHIRC operates out of two buildings at Hawkesbury, with the second building being the home of the new Jumna Wal Aboriginal Men’s service. Jumna Wal is a new initiative based on the Revolving Door concept which has been inaction at MHIRC for a number of years. Jumna Wal is Darug for ‘We Care’ and it is designed to provide a resource centre that enables Aboriginal men just out of prison an avenue to reconnect with society.
Jumna Wal is based out of the Hawkesbury campus of UWS
The Shed At Mount Druitt
MHIRC also runs The Shed based at Emerton (Mount Druitt) in western Sydney. The Shed was founded in 2004 as a partnership between MHIRC, the University and the Holy Family Church with primary funding by the Department of Ageing. It is designed as a safe, trusted place that local men can visit to rebuild their lives after troubled periods, whether through separation, homelessness, unemployment or other troubles. MHIRC has two staff based full-time at The Shed, Mr Rick Welsh and Mr Stanley (Teddy) Hart, as well as Darren who is based one day a week there. The Shed is well-described in an article in the Sydney Morning Herald (opens in a new window).
Males in this region face a similar set of issues common to many males in the greater western Sydney region. Its distance from the Sydney CBD means that many men have to commute for several hours a day to reach work, especially if they reside further up into the mountains. Both men and women can face difficulties brought on by unemployment, separation or loss, but our services’ focus on the needs of men fills an important gap and provides the vital connections that men need to stay in life during times of trouble.
The Shed was opened in 2004 by Governor Marie Bashir
