13 October 2022
Newton Moore Education Support Centre students are selling woodwork pieces they built at school through their student run retail shop.
As part of their curriculum, Year 11 and 12 students are involved in a unique school program called the Community Work Centre.
Students learn woodworking skills through the school's Community Work Centre program.
Established in 2010 the program teaches students important life skills through four centres: workshop, retail, office, and work crew.
In the workshop centre students are taught how to cut, sand, and build items out of jarrah and pine, including furniture, ornamental objects, and toys.
Under the guidance of skilled trade workers, students challenge themselves by building large pieces, including dining tables and chairs, or explore their creativity by designing and creating unique items.
During this time students work towards their Certificate 1 Manufacturing.
Once the pieces are complete, they are sold in a student run retail shop called ‘Item’ which lies in the heart of Bunbury.
Items made by Year 11 and 12 students are sold in the student run retail shop.
Open for a few hours a day, the shop provides students an opportunity to develop their retail and customer service skills while showing off the student talent to the local community.
Newton Moore Education Support Centre principal Jo van der Plas said the Community Work Centre program equips students with lifelong skills that go beyond the workforce.
“Our diverse range of training programs provides us with the ability to cater for the needs of all our students,” she said.
“The focus is on supporting students with a disability to learn work skills in real life employment settings.”
Mrs van der Plas said the shop is a long-standing part of the community which is why it has continual sales and it’s great for the students to see the products they put a lot of effort into being purchased.