Westbury Welders
February 2006 - Forging Strong Community Connections
A group of Business & Employment Work for the Dole participants working with the Westbury Community Health Centre’s Youth Worker, Mr. Chris Dell, is involved in the development of a range of community resources using metal fabrication and design techniques.
This project involves working as part of a team to design and construct resources such as a community trailer, community seating and metal silhouettes for use as tourist attractions. The fully equipped trailer will be available for use by community groups whilst the silhouettes, designed to increase and enhance tourist visitation, will depict many interesting historic aspects illustrating Westbury’s rich past.
A skilled and experienced metal worker oversees the involvement of participants and directs the construction. The participants are involved in all stages of design and construction from the initial research and design through to preparation, construction and installation. These local jobseekers, whilst manufacturing practical community assets, are gaining valued trade skills.
With the use of Training Credits earned by the participants throughout the activity, to assist with payment for further accredited TAFE metal fabrication trade training, future employment prospects are a real opportunity.
The Project supervisor, Mr. Chris Legge, is to be congratulated for his commitment and skills training as the Work for the Dole participants go about their tasks at the Meander Valley Council Works Depot in Westbury. The Westbury community members are sure to be impressed with the final outcomes produced by this skills focused, practical activity.
February 2007 – Community Trailers constructed by Work for the Dole. Project Assists Community Needs Whilst Meeting Skill Shortages.
A skilled and experienced metal worker has overseen the involvement of participants keen to learn and improve their metal working skills whilst providing real community assistance. The Work for the Dole participants have completed one standard box trailer, now in use serving the Westbury Community Centre and are nearing completion on a specially designed trailer for the Launceston City Band.
The Launceston City Band have dreamt of acquiring a suitable trailer to safely transport their many larger instruments as they conduct the many community concerts around the region but financial restrictions made the purchase of such a trailer impossible. An approach to Business & Employment soon answered their dilemma with funding secured with a willing group of jobseekers ready to manufacture the speciality trailer.
The Launceston City Band have dreamt of acquiring a suitable trailer to safely transport their many larger instruments as they conduct the many community concerts around the region but financial restrictions made the purchase of such a trailer impossible. An approach to Business & Employment soon answered their dilemma with funding secured with a willing group of jobseekers ready to manufacture the speciality trailer.
The trailer is now at the stage of paint application with the handover of the new asset to the Band scheduled for later on this month.
Pictured below are the final construction touches being applied prior to the application of the paint. Plans are also in place for Work for the Dole participants to further extend their new found skills with the production of specialised trailers to service the State Emergency and Volunteer Fire Services.
September 2007 - Trailer Production Services Community Groups
Metal fabrication continues to meet the needs of the Northern Tasmanian community whilst developing vital skills in demand and engaging jobseekers in the Westbury region.
Good news spreads very quickly in small communities and word of the fine work being achieved by the Work for the Dole participants creating purpose built community trailers is spreading. After being approached by a local service club to develop a trailer capable of operating as a food preparation centre to cater during fund raising and emergency events the team of fabricators have almost completed the order. Another request came via the regional State Emergency Service group for the supply of another purpose built unit to allow the removal of abandoned and derelict car bodies from the bush areas around the locality.
Pictured below are the latest products to emerge from the workshop floor. As eligible community groups, finding it financially impossible to commercially commission trailers to service their public benevolent operations, hear of the quality of the product available through this team of dedicated participants the order list is DEEWRined to grow!
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February 2008 - Community Service a Major Work for the Dole Outcome
The ‘Westbury Welders’, as this group of productive Work for the Dole participants are becoming known, has completed the manufacture of another vital community asset for the region. Following the production of a purpose built coaching box, band trailer and providing the local State Emergency Services crew with a purpose built car trailer the team has now commissioned a food van for operation by service clubs in the area.
This specially designed unit incorporates easy access and functionality and is sure to be a popular addition to future community events. The trailer also has the capacity to be deployed in the role of an emergency food preparation vehicle should any disaster situation arise in the region.
Participants are justifiably proud of their new skills in metal fabrication and the results of their efforts will benefit the Westbury community long after they have moved into employment. Pictured below is the completed unit ready for to be fitted out for immediate operation.
April 2008 – Coaches' Box
Our team of metal fabricators have directed their new welding skills from the manufacture of community trailers to assisting the Longford Football Club.
The existing coaches’ box arrangement was far from satisfactory so the welding team answered the call from Mr. Lindsay Jacobs and what rapidly followed was the construction of a new shelter within the Westbury work site.
The new coaches’ boxes, based on the design of the boxes within Aurora Stadium, were manufactured off site by the jobseekers and transported to the prepared area within the Longford football ground.
This project is part of a grand design to vastly improve the spectator and sporting facilities utilised by a great number of community members.
Business & Employment, having donated the safety glass enclosing the Coach, plans to gain further funding to improve the change rooms, kiosk and viewing platform with the Work for the Dole Program being a major provider of skills and funding to bring the final upgrade to completion.
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February 2007 - Hit the Right Note with the Launceston City Band.
The many weeks of work experience to manufacture a purpose built trailer for the Launceston City Band was concluded on a high note at a civic function at the Westbury Community Centre on Sunday, 18th February 2007. Members of the Band joined the Work for the Dole Project supervisors and local community members to acknowledge the fine work completed by their local jobseekers and to formally pass the completed trailer over.
The Launceston City Band now have a specialized trailer to safely transport the equipment and larger instruments as they travel to community events around the wider Northern region. The Regional coordinator responsible for our Work for the Dole operations around Northern Tasmania Mr. Paul Lindsay stated “This event officially recognizes and provides public appreciation for the work experience participants. Their acquisition of new skills, whilst better preparing them for future employment, was gained whilst constructing an asset that will serve the Launceston City Band well into the future.”
Members of the Band are pictured with their new trailer after the successful completion.
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August 2008 – Appin Hall Childrens’ Foundation receive a purpose built trailer from the Westbury Welders.
Specifically designed to transport a wide variety of luggage from the airport to Appin Hall, as new arrivals begin their period of retreat, the trailer construction has raised the metal fabrication skills of the jobseekers.
Ronnie and Maggie Burns, the founders of the Foundation, are literally ‘over the moon’ with the quality of the trailer. “It is even fitted with internal lighting” commented a delighted Ronnie as he took delivery from our Regional Coordinator, Mr Paul Lindsay.
Our work in support of this worthy Not for Profit organization does not stop here!
The planning of a unique sporting facility at Appin Hall will again providing an opportunity for the Westbury Welders to hone their developing skills in metal fabrication and welding - more on that development at a later stage!
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| A delighted Ronnie Burns accepting the keys from Paul Lindsay at Appin Hall. |
February 2008 – Raindrops keep falling….but not on Westbury Primary School heads.
After an approach from the Westbury Primary School Parents and Friends our Northern Co-ordinator, Mr Paul Lindsay, set the local Work for the Dole welding team another task – “make a bus shelter lads!”
Welding and metal fabrication skills, developed within the workshop over a number of community projects, were soon directed towards the manufacture of a purpose built bus shelter. The Westbury Primary School is now ready to utilise this fine asset as the new school year begins sheltering the students in both sunny and rainy weather.
Another community need successfully answered by this very productive Work for the Dole welding team!
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September 2009 – Feeding the community, food van production
An industrious and skilled group of Work for the Dole participants have been working two days in each week over the past six months to improve the plight of homeless people across Tasmania. The construction of a special purpose food distribution trailer and the modification of a caravan, whilst developing important metal fabrication skills, will greatly improve the distribution of food to the needy in the Northwest and South of the State.
The participants have designed and manufactured this food distribution trailer from ‘the wheels up’. The trailer, to be presented during October to the Bridgewater Vietnam Veterans will assist in the operation of Louie’s Van. This trailer will increase Louie’s Van operations and extend their effectiveness throughout the Bridgewater/Gagebrook region.
Also on the Work for the Dole production line is the Rotary Club of West Ulverstone food caravan. The Club approached the State Manager for Community Solutions, Ian Fawkner, to investigate options related to their community food service needs. Advice provided saw the Club purchase a caravan and the fabricators set the task of modification into a viable food outlet. It is anticipated that the project will be handed over to the Club in November.
