STEAMLabs - Our Next Community Adventure
Updated September 2024
We are super excited to announce a new and intentionally designed ASD community club called STEAMLabs, to be held each Thursday at 3:30 to 5:30pm down at the Riverway Library Mixhaus MakerSpace. The club is free and aimed at those with ASD and people who support. It provides a safe space to meet others and explore STEAM experiences in a free roam way, or learn a new skill from one of our volunteers. We hope to build a community of skilled volunteers over time, so if this sounds like something that may interest you, please get in touch via our contact page, or Facebook group here: STEAMLabs Facebook Group
The core intent is for parent to support their child's learning.
The following is an overview of the types of experiences that the program can offer.
- Introduction to a MakerSpace
- Exploring Problems and Visualising Solutions
- Generating a Digital Design using Tinkercad
- Remixing an existing 3D design using Tinkercad
- Introduction to 3D Printing including slicing software
- Introduction to CNC Laser including software
- Creative software programs including Blender, SculptGL, InkScape, etc
- Generative Ai Tooling including ChatGPT and Midjourney
- Using/Building/fixing computers
- Drones and VR headsets
- ...and more!
Over the course of the last 18 months, we have learned lots and fine-tuned the learning curriculum towards those with ASD as well as parents and caregivers, who are also on a learning path to provide skills support. The following is an overview of the progress so far, albeit with development time worked around important family and day-jobs.
November 2022 to Present - Stage 1 - One on one entrepreneurial mentorship. Creating a flexible Innovation journey with a local teenage participant, who had a drive to learn how to run his own business. The mentorship followed a product development path focused on a home security device for windows and sliding doors. The product was branded as Track-Lock, and provided process design (manufacturing), economics/marketing (MS Excel balance sheet/Facebook/Market Stall) and product testing skills and experiences.
August 2023 to October 2023 - Stage 2 - Parent or Carer and Child innovation workshop. A 2.5 hour workshop was designed as detailed below and delivered to three separate families with a total of four kids, two boys and two girls as the target learners. The workshop was held at the Townsville City Council Riverway Library Mixhaus MakerSpace. This proved to be an effective environment, enabled by digital design terminals, industry standard tooling (3D printers, 3D scanner, Laser CNC) and was extremely conducive to learning. With feedback in hand, the curriculum has been updated, including extending to 3hrs to dedicate a 1hr timeslot on Tinkercad.
October 2023 to Present - Testing the Design Thinking-Sketch-Digital model creation - process flow. All while using free online digital tooling including Tinkercad and desktop 3D printing software, to reduce the participation (overhead) costs; adopting the open-source mantra of the global maker community. Local market participation has seen a steady increase in sales of unique, but simple products, as we tweak the target market designs, ensuring scaling is achievable though leveraging 3D printing and resin mould manufacturing techniques.
February 2024 - Purchased additional printer - Bambu labs A1 with 4 colour auto material selection unit. This provides an ability to teach the latest multi-colour lithophanes, custom LED light strips and custom artwork techniques. This is an exciting capability and we are still learning and will develop the techniques over 2024.
January 2024 to May 2024 - Stage 3 - Parent or Carer Innovation workshop. This is our current endeavor and aimed to up-skill and teach participants about the raft of Maker online digital support networks, that can support STEM learning in the home. Given the onset of AI fusion within our society, a Generative AI module has been added. We learned a great deal from this engagement and included the following:
- We need to cater for engaging conversation both at the start (introductions took a bit of time but were a great group connection point) and throughout the session.
- The current Design Thinking components again needs to be further distilled into a full practical form, More talking while showing the project example.
- 2hrs is needed for Tinkercad and getting participants to do the learning resource few minute lessons (6'ish) would be a great pre-day learning activity.
- Keep the project simple and a bag-tag worked well, taking roughly 20mins to print three. Multiple printers help deliver a more rounded learning experience with increased hands on for each participant.
- Could do the same with Laser, in fact would be easier and quicker, but 3D printing is a more useful skill, come 3D modelling and associated manufacturing industry skills.
- Support worker and client (Adults with ASD) worked exceptionally well. Highly recommended for anyone to to teach that combination,
- Efficient way to build industry skills, through a simple hands-on project approach.
February 2023 to Present - Testing products at the local market and the online store. Those who have a family member with ASD often comment how a place for those to connect would be great to have. Some positive feedback that helps drive our recent pivot.
June 2024 to Present - Maturity of #InnovationforASD program. Feedback generated pivot (STEAMLabs), through dentification of local ASD community needs.
From feedback garnered on the journey so far, we have pivoted and are focusing energy to create a sustainable and free program for the ASD community. Leveraging our small funding stream ro help deliver unique experiences for participants, a local MakerSpace and volunteer time, we are off with Townsville City Libraries approval to run an exciting regular STEAM engagement.
(Our social enterprise Logo representing neuro-diverse participants, intertwined with a cyclic journey of challenges and discovery)
What is our drive and ambition?
With a commitment to providing a positive community impact and in the early stages of developing a unique Social Enterprise business model, Urban Maker aims to empower ASD participants to be creative. We are looking for your help to take this service model to our Townsville ASD community with a desire as a free service, using local council resources, that is the MakerSpace Or also known as an Innovation Space.
In our community, the opportunity to engage in creative endeavors is not always accessible due to various challenges such as physical or mental limitations and a lack of access to educational resources. Urban Maker's Innovation for ASD initiative is a response to bridge this gap.
The statistics tell a compelling story – since 2019, there has been a 46.6% increase in homeschool registrations in Australia (source: ABC News). Considering that 1 in 100 Australians is on the autism spectrum, and with a 50% lower likelihood of obtaining a bachelor's degree compared to students with other disabilities (source: Amaze), Urban Maker is motivated to address these disparities through the Innovation for ASD initiative.
We believe that this initiative has high potential to make a meaningful impact within our community. By providing hands-on training experiences, we connect those disadvantaged with Innovation educators and facilities, including introduction to local MakerSpaces. Recognising the unique requirements of participants, these experiences can be one on one, accompanied by a support worker or parent, or a group setting targeting Parents and Carers. Fostering inclusive and continued learning within both home and local support networks is a powerful value proposition that can help germinate the early building blocks for a bright future in the STEM working environment. If you need assistance in understanding your child's STE(a)M needs, Reach out for a conversation, via the contact page.
If you share our commitment to narrowing this educational divide, consider exploring our shop. There, you can purchase not only a product that has been made from following this initiative's curriculum, but also an Innovation session to sponsor a local ASD individual, group or maybe one for your own child.
As a sponsor and as a token of our gratitude, you will receive a certificate of support. Your contribution goes beyond a purchase – it becomes a step towards a more inclusive and supportive future. Thank you for your kindness and support.
If you have any questions or suggestions, please don't hesitate to contact us via the online form.