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Encouraging more women to D.I.Y.

Jason
Community Manager
Community Manager

Meg13.png

 

From teaching ballet to singing and dancing in a Taiwanese theme park and working on a Kalgoorlie mine, Workshop member Meg is clearly game for anything.

 

The multi-talented Meg is as comfortable with a power saw in hand as she is on the stage, and is now trying to give other women the confidence to D.I.Y.

 

Meg recently founded She Skills in her home town of Brisbane to teach basic woodworking and power tool skills to women. “The mission is to empower women by providing them with the opportunity to gain the skills and confidence to imagine, design and create anything.”

 

Growing up on a Queensland farm, Meg spent her childhood “riding horses, mustering cattle, picking pumpkins, painting fences, changing irrigation pipes and various other forms of child labour”. “We had a huge amount of freedom to explore on our own,” Meg recalls. “I have very fond memories of mischievous adventures with my siblings and kids from neighbouring farms.”

Meg loves sharing her woodworking skills.Meg loves sharing her woodworking skills.

 

Meg has also learned a lot of skills from her husband Clint, a former acrobat and cabinet maker who she met while singing and dancing in Taiwan. “I feel very fortunate to have someone teach me,” says Meg. “I used to say to Clint ‘Can you build me this?’ and he would reply ‘I can build anything!’ How awesome is that?”

 

Design and create together

 

The idea for She Skills classes evolved over time, Meg says. “Clint and I have always loved working together and we have often dreamed about having a workshop where locals could come to imagine, design and create together.”

 

Extra catalyst came from some tough times. “I went through a rough time last year that required me to take time off work. Getting outside and building stuff provided me some much needed therapy and I thought that other women could benefit from learning these skills”

 

The energetic Meg, who once hiked 100kms in less than 30 hours to raise money for Oxfam, says she gets great joy from sharing her skills with others. “I especially love teaching skills that stretches someone completely out of their comfort zone. I want to help women wrestle with that fear that we often harbour because of the roles and behaviours that we were raised to adopt. It still exists within me. I will sometimes think to myself ‘I will have to get Clint to fix that’ and then I realise I can do it myself.”

 

Meg’s tips for D.I.Y. newcomers include looking for information from a variety of sources, including magazines, tradies, friends, YouTube clips and the local hardware store. The only stupid questions are the ones you don’t ask.”

 

Meg also recommends that people “don’t reinvent the wheel too soon”. “There are thousands of plans on the internet and in magazines.  Take advantage of other people’s learnings until you feel confident to design your own project.” She also encourages people to find things that they can repurpose, and join forces with others.

 

“Look for a maker-space in your town or city,” Meg continues. “These are often community groups that provide space and resources for you to build and fix stuff by paying a small membership fee. If there isn’t one of those where you live, then start your own."

Meg encourages people to join forces with others.Meg encourages people to join forces with others.

 

Start from a young age

 

Meg feels that encouraging more women to try their hand at D.I.Y. or take up a trade needs to start from a young age. “There’s a great teaching tool called The Marshmallow Challenge where people have to construct a tower using raw spaghetti, string, tape and a marshmallow,” Meg says. “Pre-school age children test extremely well in this activity because they build and test prototypes as they go. They are basically playing.

 

“Adults try and solve all the problems first and then never have enough time to complete the project. Children are extremely creative, but then somewhere along the line we will all find ourselves in the ‘pink aisle’ of the toy section where all the toys are based around the girl stereotype. While there’s nothing wrong with girls wanting to play with dolls (I had plenty), I encourage parents to encourage their boys and girls to help with technical and physical tasks at home. They’ll thank you for it one day!”

 

Meg has lived in three different countries and eight different Australian cities, moving house over 20 times. Her current home is a lovely little apartment on the Brisbane River. So far we have replaced ugly old carpet with engineered timber floors, painted the interior crisp white and fitted it out with a collection of recycled timber furniture and a few antiques.  I’m not sure if we have a style, but I guess it’s kind of industrial.

 

“The next project will be to design, build and install a new kitchen. The walk-in robe and laundry cupboards need to have all new shelves built. We’d also like to refit our bathroom but we’ll be enlisting the help of a few qualified tradespeople on that one. It’s never ending!”

Meg loves sharing ideas with like-minded people.Meg loves sharing ideas with like-minded people.

 

Favourite project

 

Meg’s favourite project was a beautiful recycled table. I bought an old laundry door which must have had at least 10 coats of paint that had to be stripped off. 

 

"I got beat-up, recycled timber for it and we made the most beautiful outdoor table complete with some pretty fancy joinery work by my husband.”

 

Her favourite tool is a sander. “A sander has the ability to transform dull, neglected, rough timber into something shiny, smooth and full of life. 

 

"My husband actually passes this job off to me as his trades assistant but I actually quite enjoy it. It’s therapeutic.”

 

Meg was keen to join the Workshop community as “we are makers at heart and we want to connect and share ideas with like-minded people”.

 

“In a world of rampant consumption and keeping up with the latest trends on Instagram, the simple art of making something with your own hands can bring you immeasurable pleasure,” Meg says.

 

“And if it’s made well, it might just last you a lifetime.”

22 Replies
_Marley_
Building a Reputation

Love this. 

 

Any chance of expanding @She_Skills into other states?

 

She_Skills
Having an Impact

Hi Marley.  We are certainly planning on expanding.  The next location we are looking at is Adelaide and we have an opportunity in NSW that might open up.  Where are you based?  Meg

_Marley_
Building a Reputation

Fantastic. Good luck. I'm based in Melbourne. 

RenoQueen
Making a Splash

What type of items do you typically make in your classes @She_Skills?

She_Skills
Having an Impact

Hi @RenoQueen.  Thanks for your interest. So far we have been running 4 hour introductory workshop where the women make a small shadow box that goes on their wall.  This weekend we are running our first full day pallet workshop where they will design and build their own creation (we have suggested outdoor planters).  In May we are running our first Ikea Hacking workshop where they will bring their own piece of furniture and we will go to a salvage yard to buy materials to complete their upcycling project.  You can see the pictures of our workshops here https://www.facebook.com/sheskillsoz/.  

Andy_Mann
Former Community Member

@She_Skills
G'day Meg
I love you're background, what you're doing, & the teachings that Clint has passed onto you.
With relationships being so disposable as they've become, women need the confidence that you're giving them, to bolster their feeling of independence. To exacerbate their predicament, there's a glut of unscrupulous males that prey on single women, be they widowed, divorced, or by choice. so your initiative is extremely positive.
Sorry to note:
"Extra catalyst came from some tough times. “I went through a rough time last year that required me to take time off work. Getting outside and building stuff provided me some much needed therapy and I thought that other women could benefit from learning these skills”

Unfortunately, employment has become a "swim or sink", day to day proposition, which can take it's toll. My wife & I have been there & done that.   

 

What you're doing gets my Stand up Applause rating, & I wish you every happiness.

 

John

She_Skills
Having an Impact

@Andy_Mann

 

Thank you so much fo your kind words.  I really do appreciate it.  We've now got some more workshops coming up.  Operating and maintaining a chainsaw and Vehicle Maintenance, and I've booked in to do a welding course so I'm taking this self-empowerment stuff to the max!!

Old-gal24
Becoming a Leader

Oh gosh wish we had some one and somewhere like this where I live.


I have wanted to learn how to use some tools properly, not just of a youtube clip and approached my local men’s shed and asked if there were some fellows there that I could learn a bit off as my only male figure was my pop a state away in Vic, now suffering with dementia at 93 *(since passed away) and I missed being able to phone him up and ask for advice as I'd done in the past.


I was told that they don't allow women there and that maybe I should start up my own group.

Well that won't teach me or the great many women, girls, young and old how to use tools when they don't have males in their lives that can teach them what they want to know, even if they know them selves will it?

 

So I left very disappointed to say the least as it had taken me months to pluck up the courage to go and ask someone for help.

 

Keep up your amazing work.
Jenn
Dubbo NSW

Jason
Community Manager
Community Manager

Sorry to hear of your discouraging experience @Old-gal24. We hope that the Workshop community can help encourage you and build your confidence. 

Please feel free to ask any question you like here on Workshop - everyone has to start from somewhere. 

 

Have you also read @Tara86's story here - https://www.workshop.com.au/t5/Blog/How-to-build-your-D-I-Y-confidence/ba-p/28362

 

Like @She_Skills, Tara is also very passionate about encouraging other women to get into D.I.Y.  and has shares some tips in her inspiring story. 

 

Jason

 

Tara86
Amassing an Audience

@Old-gal24 Welcome Jenn sorry to hear about your experience. Unfortunately I found myself in th same boat with our local men’s shed. I’ve tried searching for a local women’s group but nothing near me or during hours I could attend. 

I wasn’t allowed to use tools (not even a drill) had to rely on my ex to do anything that required one. I only had a hammer and nails. I had no confidence but wanted to try making things myself and so 2 years ago waited till my current partner was interstate for work and attempted my first project - using only a hammer, nails and a handsaw. He was really surprised and of what I’d created but very supportive. Since then I’ve learned how to use the basic tools and with each project l learn something new. I’ve gained a lot of respect from the males in my life who originally didn’t give me a chance. To the point some have even asked me to build things for them. 

I really hope the more women who get involved in D.I.Y. and express their desire to learn will be given the same opportunities. I’d love to see more ‘she sheds’ opening up with experienced and trained tradies coming in to offer lessons. 

 

Good luck!

wendym66
Getting Established

1E79B842-0020-467F-9E28-2E97D59C080E.jpeg

very proud of my first attempt at paving. 

Jason
Community Manager
Community Manager

Well done @wendym66. You should be proud!

 

Looking forward to seeing what you tackle next. 

 

Jason

 

emilyjune
Just Starting Out

@She_Skills  Hey there, did you end up bringing anything to the adelaide area? This lock down has given me heaps of time to work on my endless diy projects and sharpen the diy skills but left me dying to start socialising again! Any chance something will be happening once things have settled down?

Jason
Community Manager
Community Manager

Thanks for joining in the discussion @emilyjune. I'm also keen to hear an update on what @She_Skills has been up to lately, and plans for the future.

 

Hopefully it's not too far away that Bunnings can restart its in-store D.I.Y. workshops again. 

 

Looking forward to reading all about your projects and plans. Please don't hesitate to post anytime you have something to share with the community or need a hand with a project around the house and garden. 

 

Welcome, 

 

Jason

 

debzara
Just Starting Out

Hi. Are there any classes on the north of Brisbane I would love to join

Jason
Community Manager
Community Manager

Hi @debzara,

 

When I last checked in with Meg she wasn't running any classes. Let me tag her (@She_Skills) in case that has changed. Could you please let us know what kind of skills and experience you would like to obtain and I'm sure our friendly and helpful community will be able to assist. 

 

Let me also extend a very warm welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community. It's exciting to have you join us and to hear of your interest in D.I.Y. You'll find many like-minded people in our community sharing their projects with us. Please don't hesitate to post whenever you need a hand with anything.

 

Jason

  

VV21
Just Starting Out

Hi. I'm new to this forum and very keen to learn some basic carpentry and DIY renovation skills. I'm based in Sydney and would love to attend these workshops. Can you please keep me in the loop with when they are re-started post the lockdown? Thank you

EricL
Bunnings Team Member
Bunnings Team Member

Hello @VV21

 

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community. It's great to have you join us.

 

We will definitely send you a notification once the D.I.Y. classes resume. However, why not get your feet wet and try some easy projects right here on Workshop? 

 

 

It really depends on what kind of D.I.Y. project you're after. I find that furniture upcycling is very addictive. Creative projects do not always have to be made of wood. Any project is up for grabs painting, redecorating, planting, and everything else in between is an activity just waiting to happen. I encourage you to explore the site and see all the amazing contributions that our members have made. If you find one that really catches your interest talk to us about it and we will be more than happy to help you with it.

 

If you need more advice or information, please let us know.

 

Eric

 

brendawebster44
Making a Splash

Hi, Meg and Jason, I would love nothing more than to be able to be part of she skills. I enjoy the online advice but to be shown how to hold something or how tight etc. within a group is worth it’s weight in gold. I wouldn’t know where to start with a drill or sander . I must ask Bunnings if they could help to set something up, in between lockdowns curfews and general malaise. Even a little group of women is a start.I think it would help with the depression a lot of women are feeling being unable to see family and friends. Of course I wouldn’t expect Bunnings to get involved in a hands on capacity because of covid but they would certainly know more than me. Thankyou for sharing, I am going to Bunnings tomorrow for some paint and I will be sure to ask yours b🌺

MitchellMc
Bunnings Team Member
Bunnings Team Member

Hi @brendawebster44,

 

We look forward to providing our in-store D.I.Y. clinics again as soon as regulations allow. If you'd like to check with the Activities Organiser at your local store, they'll be able to keep you up to date with when they might be re-opening. We also have a function to book a workshop online, which lets you know what's available.

 

Mitchell

 

ShellSarahChloe
Just Starting Out

Hi, can someone please help me to work out how I join in a LADIES DIY CLASS?

 

Thankyou 😊

MitchellMc
Bunnings Team Member
Bunnings Team Member

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @ShellSarahChloe. It's great to have you join us, and many thanks for your question about joining a D.I.Y. class.

 

You can typically see and book available upcoming workshops on the Bunnings website. If you can't find what you're looking for, then it would be best to enquire with the Activities Organiser at your local store to find out whether a Ladies D.I.Y. class was something they were planning on running at that location.

 

As always, our members are more than happy to provide any advice you need for your projects, and we encourage you to reach out and start a discussion if you need any help.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell
 

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