Workshops & Education

Practical and creative workshops in schools and   at festivals

koalaReverse Garbage runs practical and creative workshops in schools for any year level.  We work with you to design activities and themes that fit in with your program.  We also run professional development workshops for teachers. 

Reverse Garbage specialises in eco-art workshops. Our skilled workshop facilitators develop sessions that are not only directly linked to curriculum outcomes, but provide students with an insight into issues of sustainability through a range of creative activities.

We teach students to make useful items using a range of interesting salvaged materials.  For example, we work with primary school children to make musical instruments, masks, finger puppets, pencil holders and desk tidies, jewellery, fantasy creatures, junk robots, toys and mobiles. 

Speak out workshopIn our secondary school program, we work with students on creative projects such as kinetic art, sculpture, wearable art, assemblage, installations, paper works (including books, cards and collage), printmaking, mosaic with alternative materials, jewellery-making, collaborative works and junk-IT, using salvaged computer components. 

We also offer a full day workshop on wearable art and IT junk sculpture for secondary schools.

We run workshops for children and adults at festivals and other community events so please call Julie Hauritz on 3844 9744 to discuss your event.

Environmental and social sustainability

We run interactive workshops in schools for teachers or students on sustainability issues such as consumption, waste, consensus decision-making and co-operatives.  We design these to fit with your SOSE or other curriculum.

Cost of workshops

The minimum charge for a school workshop is $150 for a two-hour workshop up to $400 for a full day workshop, not including materials and transport, which are additional costs. 

A typical two-hour junk art workshop for 25 - 30 students in a Brisbane school costs $270 - $370 including materials and transport, depending on the materials you would like us to bring.  If we need to bring a second Reverse Garbage staff member because of the number of students involved in the workshop, this costs an extra $50 per hour.

'Mini Mondays'-                                                                eco-art workshops for preschoolers and parents

funky easter baskey‘Mini Mondays’ are creative workshops designed for pre-schoolers (3-5yrs olds) and parents to enjoy environmentally sustainable art making together. Classes cost $15 and begin at both 10am and 11:30, running for 45 minutes.

With the focus on fun and basic waste education we spend the morning exploring unusual Reverse Garbage materials and textures. Although the class is structured with step-by-step instruction we allow the pre-schoolers imagination to direct the outcome and so their learning is enriched through the enjoyment and satisfaction of making their own toys.

13th July ‘Pirates – ‘Aargh me hearty’’
Come along to dress up as pirates! We will make pirate hats, patch for your right eye and a parrot friend to sit on your shoulder!

27th July ‘Fairies & Pixies with fly away wings’
With wands for fairies and pointy ears for pixies, we will make attachable wings for those little ones that like to play make believe in the back garden.

10th August ‘Drums or Maracas- the hardware orchestra’
Who likes to make noise?  We will make either a drum or maraca to cling clang all the way home. Warning: volume dials will be a prop only!

24th August ‘Where the wild things are: full-face animal masks’
Make a cardboard mask together, with leather ears, wide eyes, pointy teeth and wiry whiskers…and sail away for a year and a day.

31st August ‘Fathers Day Kite’
 Can you think of a better way to spend Fathers day afternoon than flying a hand made kite together? We’ll make a classic diamond kite for dad’s to fly… with a long ribboned tail, for kids to chase.

14th September ‘Trumpets, Bugles & Kazoos’
Does your little one like creating a dramatic entrance? Well perhaps a toy trumpet would complete their performance!

The purpose of the workshops is to facilitate a creative interaction between parent and child while creating a functional toy or object out of salvaged materials. Projects require equal input from child and parent; so if at all possible, we suggest that alternative arrangements are organised for younger siblings.

There is a maximum of six children and six adults per activity. Workshops need to be paid in full upon booking to secure a place. Fees are non refundable.

For further information, phone Rebekah Evans, Mon–Wed, on (07) 3844 9744

June/July school holiday eco-arts workshop program - 6-12yr olds

All children's workshops are $20 per class and include materials. They are open to children aged 6 to 12 years. Maximum of 10 participants per workshop. To secure a place, workshops must be paid in full upon booking.  Fees are non-refundable.

WEEK 1

Monday 29th June

Rainmakers (10.00am – 12.00pm) – Made with modern salvaged materials, you’ll discover a world of ancient sounds with this unique instrument. Help bring some winter rains!

Sail Boats (2.00pm – 4.00 pm) – Cast off into the big blue with your own unique model sail boat. Children will explore a variety of salvaged materials in the making of their own model.

Tuesday 30th June

Rocket ships and Robots (10.00am – 12.00pm) – An all time favourite workshop. This popular workshop brings to life the flights and fantasies of the future. Children will make their own model rocketship or robot with salvaged materials.

Little Globe (2.00pm – 4.00 pm)  – Exploring the visual surface of our earth, children will create a 3D globe and using salvaged materials create their own interpretation of the future of our planet.  Issues of waste in our environment will be discussed to assist children with their interpretations.

WEEK 2

Monday 6th July

Rocket ships and Robots (10.00am – 12.00pm) – An all time favourite workshop. This popular workshop brings to life the flights and fantasies of the future. Children will make their own model rocketship or robot with salvaged materials.

Knights and Dragons (2.00pm – 4.00pm) – Create your own knight and dragon to battle with your toys at home. Children will recreate stories with their medieval charactors.

Tuesday 7th July

Green Frogs & Dams (10.00am – 12.00pm) – Make a fabulous frog with moving limbs using salvaged materials.  Children will be active in the discussion of the destruction of our environment and the effects of waste in our waterways and how it impacts on creatures such as frogs.

Fast Cars and Groovy Wheels (2.00pm – 4.00pm) - Design your own model car, built for speed. Children will look at how to create a pattern for a 3D form using salvaged paper and a variety of other salvaged materials.

June/ July School holiday eco-arts workshop program - 12-17yr olds

Thursday 2nd July               Workshops for 12 to 17 year olds

Simple Journal Making (10am– 12.00pm) – Create your own diary or journal to keep all your secrets in. This workshop uses more advanced motor skills and is suitable for children 12 years and over.

Funky Bags (2.00pm – 4.00pm) – Create your own bag to wear using hand sewing methods with unique salvaged materials. This workshop uses more advanced motor skills and is suitable for children 12 years and over.

Thursday 9th July               Workshops for 12 to 17 year olds

Funky Junk Jewellery (10am– 12.00pm) –Exploring alternative construction methods with unexpected materials, participants will have an opportunity to create their own unique jewellery pieces.

Little Globe (2.00pm – 4.00pm) – Exploring the visual surface of our earth, participants will create a 3D geodisic globe and using salvaged materials create their own interpretation of the future of our planet.  Issues of waste in our environment will be discussed to assist children with their interpretations.

School holiday workshops are held at Reverse Garbage, 296 Montague Rd, West End (cnr Ashington St). To secure a place, workshops must be paid in full upon booking.  Fees are non-refundable.

Excursions to the Reverse Garbage warehouse

A visit to the Reverse Garbage warehouse is like an archeological exploration into our consumer society. The warehouse hosts an inspiring collection of low-cost, interesting materials.

A Reverse Garbage staff member will talk to groups from schools, pre-schools and other community organisations about waste, materials, the problems with landfill and what we do.  Excursions can be scheduled between 9.30am and 4pm, Monday to Wednesday.

We have activity sheets for years 1 - 3 and years 4 -7 which you are welcome to print for your class and bring along.

Cost of excursions

Free but bookings are essential (Monday to Wednesday only).

Information and bookings

For more information about workshops in schools or at festivals, please contact Bronwyn Field or Julie Hauritz at Reverse Garbage on 07 3844 9744, email or fax us.   If you are emailing or faxing, you might like to use our workshop enquiry form.  For visits to the Reverse Garbage warehouse, please contact Julie Hauritz or Louise Gillard.

 

Funding Acknowledgements

In 2007, Reverse Garbage purchased an arts workshop van, enabling us to travel more easily to schools and community events. Funding for this vehicle was provided by the The Gambling Community Benefit Fund, who we thank for their significant contribution ($22,732) towards this new purchase .

We would also like to thank Helen Abrahams (local Councilor for Dutton Park Ward) and the Lord Mayor for Livability Grant funding which assisted in the creation of our on-site workshop space.

Supported  by the Lord Mayor's Suburban Initiative Fund, Reverse Garbage performed a warehouse re-vamp to welcome in 2009. With new snaking isles and low-lying bays, we can fit and display further materials while creating a more pleasant shopping experience. Educational signs with colourful perspex displays have been purpose built to label each section of the warehouse.