‘Tuesday Shed’ wraps up another year

A LONG-RUNNING partnership between Surf Coast Secondary and Torquay Community Men’s Shed is celebrating wrapping up its tenth year.

“Tuesday Shed” as it is known, has provided projects to students that are eager to undertake practical work and receive mentoring for over a decade, most recently delivering on a Bird Box initiative to provide new homes to birds of Taylor Park on Torquay’s foreshore.

Men’s Shed mentor Paul Ryan has a background in woodworking and has led the construction of 20 bird boxes in Term 4 alongside the students.

“We’ve introduced these Year Nine students to a whole range of systems, plans and methods to put together these first-class bird boxes,” Mr Ryan said.

“The students have just finished the final stages, putting the oil finish on them, now they will go to the Friends of Taylor Park and make a genuine impact on the community of Torquay.”

Students were also taught how to properly use hazardous equipment such as bandsaws, drills, and sanding machines under the watchful eyes of Men’s Shed members.

Surf Coast Secondary College education support teacher Katrina Simpson has been supporting Tuesday Shed since the program’s inception ten years ago, outlining how important early exposure to projects such as these can have on high school students.

“Some of these kids might not look like they’re paying attention but let me assure you they can recite the processes we undertake word for word,” Ms Simpson said.

“This group has completed everything to an immaculate finish, and it really shows on the bird boxes.

“What these students have done is something to be really proud of.”

In tandem to Tuesday Shed, Ms Simpson also mentors groups of female students as part of the Torquay Women’s Shed.