{"id":17369,"date":"2025-09-22T19:10:01","date_gmt":"2025-09-22T18:10:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.uwe.ac.uk\/engineering\/?p=17369"},"modified":"2025-10-06T09:14:06","modified_gmt":"2025-10-06T08:14:06","slug":"launching-the-how-to-create-makers-guide-repair-belonging-and-sustainability-in-action","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.uwe.ac.uk\/engineering\/launching-the-how-to-create-makers-guide-repair-belonging-and-sustainability-in-action\/","title":{"rendered":"Launching a new toolkit for MAKERS:\u00a0Repair, Belonging, and Sustainability in Action"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

At UWE Bristol, the MAKERS<\/a> project \u2013 Making And Knowledge Exchange for Repair and Sustainability<\/em> \u2013 has been showing how practical repair and making activities can transform engineering education. Now, we\u2019re excited to share the next step: the launch of the How to Create MAKERS<\/a><\/em> guide and toolkit, designed to help other universities and colleges embed similar approaches in their own student communities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is MAKERS?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Delivered by the Science Communication Unit at UWE Bristol and supported by over \u00a3115,000 from the Royal Academy of Engineering\u2019s Diversity Impact Programme<\/a>, MAKERS connects students with local maker and repair communities across the West of England. Through workshops and monthly Repair Caf\u00e9s, students build hands-on skills, tackle real-world sustainability challenges, and strengthen their sense of belonging in engineering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The initiative was designed to widen participation in engineering by supporting women and students from Global Majority backgrounds. In its first year, the results have been striking: 32% of regular participants were women \u2013 double the UK engineering average \u2013 and 77% came from Global Majority backgrounds. Alongside these inclusion outcomes, MAKERS has prevented 248 kg of waste, saved 1.6 tonnes of CO\u2082, co-developed projects with 17 organisations, and welcomed more than 70 community participants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cRepair and making are not just about fixing objects \u2013 they\u2019re about building communities, confidence, and resilience,\u201d said Dr Laura Fogg-Rogers<\/strong>, Associate Professor for Engineering in Society and MAKERS lead. \u201cThrough this initiative, we\u2019re showing how sustainability can be embedded in engineering education while creating more inclusive spaces where every student can thrive.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Creating MAKERS Spaces<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Building on this success, Creating MAKERS Spaces<\/a><\/em> offers a practical guide for other higher and further education institutions to establish their own programmes. The toolkit provides step-by-step advice on:<\/p>\n\n\n\n