Tool time at Canberra women’s shed empowers members to get handy and upskill during COVID-19 pandemic

In many respects, women have been affected by the coronavirus pandemic more than men, so it makes sense that 2020 is the year Canberra got its first women’s shed.

Similar to men’s sheds that can be found in many towns across Australia, Canberra’s women’s shed is a place to learn new skills and connect with other people.

Skye Haffner counts herself lucky she still has paid work, unlike other members of the group.

“It started off with a lot of women unfortunately losing their jobs during the pandemic,” she said.

“The women’s shed is there to help women upskill or learn new roles or things like that so I think if anything, the women’s shed has been birthed out of the pandemic.”

The shed is the baby of friends Sunita Kotnala and Robby McGarvey,…