DIY workshops empower women with skills and self-belief

Some of the best ideas are the ones that speak simply to a need. For Sharon* and a group of her neighbours living in Sydney’s historic suburb of Woolloomooloo, the idea to band together and undertake hands-on training in basic home maintenance sprang forth as a natural solution to their shared problem.

The women all had around-the-house repairs needing to be done but were frustrated by impracticably long waiting times, and the often prohibitive cost of maintenance work. “We thought, why not do it ourselves?” said Sharon, and the women of Woolloomooloo took matters and power tools into their own hands.

Being regular attendees of Woollo Connect, a collective of local organisations and residents who work together, Sharon and five of her neighbours used the monthly forum to approach Vinnies’ drop-in inclusion service, the Ozanam Learning Centre. They proposed that women’s workshops would resonate with the needs and the strengths of community members.

Vinnies Activities Coordinator, Michael Johnston, who has been facilitating the Vinnies Men’s Shed in Haberfield for more than 10 years, was keen to get involved, and together they devised the Handy Women’s Workshop. The six-week program, run out of the Ozanam Learning Centre’s impressive art studio, consisted of practical, weekly sessions that taught basic yet essential home maintenance tasks, from plastering to sanding, to tiling and changing a washer. As was hoped, a great deal of self-confidence was instilled in the women in the process.

Handy Women’s Workshop kicked off in August 2024, with ten Woolloomooloo locals coming together on a mission to create a portable, functional kitchenette from scratch, completing all the building, plumbing and finishing tasks themselves. The learning experience for the women was transformational. “A lot of us are seniors and we live alone,” said Norma, who now considers herself a handywoman. “Gaining these skills means that we can now do so much around the house, for ourselves and each other, without having to ask for help. It’s a great feeling.”

Many of the women described how the program exceeded their expectations. “We were introduced to so many different tools and learned how to use them like we were builders ourselves,” said Robyn, another graduate of the program. “There were more skills involved than I had ever considered,” she said. “It never got boring, we consistently learned new theory, new safety and new practical skills.”

The addition of ten handywomen to the Woolloomooloo community has been a boon. The sense of community amongst locals is strong, with the annual street parade and other youth and community celebrations bringing people closer together than they previously have been, explained Shirley Cachia, Team Leader of Community Development with Vinnies. “Empowering women to do their own repairs and attend to their own maintenance is a fantastic way for our community to support each other and grow stronger,” Shirley said.

Based on the success of the Handy Women’s Workshops, the Ozanam Learning Centre will be running a new program, DIY Workshops, in 2025, which will be open to all people seeking to build practical skills in an enjoyable and supportive learning environment.

For more information about DIY Workshops, and other community inclusion programs at Vinnies, head to Ozanam Learning Centre.

*names have been changed