The MakerSpace is the initiative of the Mid North Coast Community College and is part of our commitment to finding ways to enhance the lives of people who are suffering from social isolation or disengagement within our community and fits perfectly with our purpose to;
“Lead community development by providing socially inclusive learning programs and opportunities that enable enriched and enterprising lives.”
This innovative project takes its place beside other initiatives such as our alternative high school, Nautilus Senior College for young people struggling with lifes challenges and mainstream schooling; the Absolutely Everybody Choir of the School of Hard Knocks, our wonderful choir for disadvantaged and isolated members of our community and our LifeSkills Express program supporting new ways of building independent living skills and community engagement for people with disabilities.
Our work in this area over many years has proven the value of shared learning experiences both formal and informal. MakerSpaces facilitate opportunities where community connections are supported and encouraged with educators and students pooling their skills and knowledge, sharing in the tasks of teaching and learning. As so it was with this in mind that we set about creating a MakerSpace for our own Community and in late 2017 secured a lease on our 4 Albert Circuit property and work began to transform the spaces.
On 28 August 2017, our first group of building & construction students walked into an empty warehouse with their Trainers Mark and Luke and work began to transform the space. Students building walls and workbenches, tool racks and storage areas where there were none as part of their vocational training and as a service to their community.
At the same time, we had a group of Landscaping Pathway students who were given a brief and a budget and work began on a ‘Frontyard Blitz’ style makeover. Learning important skills for future employment in a hands on, project based, real work setting.
The Community, Businesses and Service Clubs have supported our project by very generously donating tools, equipment and materials to help us to develop our spaces and a ‘Tools Muster’ was launched via social media and is still running.
In Early 2018, we were approached by Port Macquarie Womens Shed who had tools and machinery but, unfortunately, no permanent home. In March 2018, an MoU was signed between our 2 organisations whereby, in a nutshell, they shared their tools with us and we shared MakerSpace with them - although this MoU was only in place for 1 year, it was great to have the PMWS aboard and it gave us the determination to establish our own ‘Community Shed’, open to all just as soon as practicable.
In 2018, our Pathway Programs continued to prove a successful alternative to mainstream, classroom learning for our (predominantly) young people with each cohort of students contributing something further to the development of the complex. Still, we needed to undertake major redevelopment work in the front half of the MakerSpace building to make the required improvements to the emergency evacuation arrangements as well as the toilet facilities and disability access.
Christmas came early at MakerSpace in December 2018 when we found out that our application for infrastructure funding through the Office of Liquor and Gaming had been successful. Special thanks to our Local State MP Leslie Williams, a great advocate for the Community College and supporter of the work we do at MakerSpace, who made the official announcement in January 2019.
More good news followed with the announcement of a number of other small grants to support our MakerSpace Programs including a Grant from Mid North Coast Local Health DIstrict to develop a ‘green Patch’ in our very small backyard area to include Veggie Gardens and a Chicken Coop. With the work undertaken by the young people themselves, our Green Patch now supports a Healthy Breakfast/Lunch program at MakerSpace.
Major Construction work began in April 2019.
TO BE CONTINUED.........
Working together with NGO’s Government agencies, business, schools and community groups our programs will provide opportunities for engagement for everyone. Learners, Teachers, Artists, Craftsmen and women, Business Mentors and Life Coaches, drawing community in to surround participants with the supports they require to build capacity and re-engage with life and learning and to ‘re-imagine’ their futures.
