“I’ve been working at MakerBay for about 3 years, and my work allows me to be very hands-on, which I love. I run workshops and classes for young people on textiles, woodwork, laser cut, 3D printing and even leatherwork. I also help to design programmes and work on strategy. Youngsters from all backgrounds come to this space to pick up maker skills, with an aim to create a positive social and environmental impact. We teach things that schools don’t normally teach or prioritise, in an open and fun space for young people to experiment, create and get their hands dirty. We also teach design thinking skills, which encourages students to think from another’s perspective and to step into their shoes. This is one way that we try to instil empathy and compassion in the work that we do. To become a true problem-solver, compassion is the first step. Compassion applies everywhere and to all aspects of life and, if you are like me and are visually sensitive, then it can be expressed and communicated through art, too.” 「我喺工匠灣 (MakerBay) 呢度做咗差唔多三年，呢份工要落手落腳，我好鍾意。我會搞工作坊同埋開班俾年青人，由紡織、木工、雷射切割、3D打印、到皮藝都有。我亦都會幫手設計項目同埋策略。唔同背景嘅年青人都會嚟呢度學返啲製作嘅技巧，希望為社會同埋環境帶嚟正面嘅改變。我哋會教一啲學校通常唔會教，或者唔着重嘅技能，提供一個開放好玩嘅空間俾年青人去試驗，真係落手去創造。我哋仲會教同學仔乜嘢係設計思維，鼓勵佢哋從另一個角度去睇事物，代入其他人嘅處境。透過呢啲活動，希望令佢哋明白咩係同理心同埋關懷。要成為一個真正識得解難嘅人，第一步就係要擁有同理心。同理心可以放喺任何地方同埋生活嘅任何方面，如果你好似我咁，視覺好敏感嘅話，你都可以透過藝術創作去表達你嘅同理心 ，同其他人交流。」

“Ever since I was a kid, I’ve always loved to make things from scratch with my hands. I would start all sorts of projects at home; even sawing woodwork in my bedroom, which my parents scolded me for, of course! My family was quite academics-focused and didn’t really understand why I always wanted to spend so much time making stuff. So I would save up my pocket money to buy a sewing machine for myself. They are now a lot more supportive of my work, as they start to understand and see that the work that I do is wider and more impactful than just creating some handiwork. Apart from the actual creation process, teaching is the most fulfilling aspect of my job – it’s just something that is so visible and concrete. There’s nothing that beats the satisfaction of seeing students transform and flourish, even in some small way. When some teenagers first join us they are quite shy and reserved, but after a few weeks we really see them grow and shine. I absolutely love it when the students start to throw out wild ideas of things they want to make and see materialise – and I try my best to help make it happen!”

「由細細個開始，我已經好鍾意自己整嘢玩。我喺屋企乜都會整，喺睡房入面鋸木都試過，咁當然有俾阿爸阿媽鬧啦！屋企人比較重視我嘅學業成績，唔係好明白點解我成日掛住整嘢。所以我會靠儲起啲零用錢，買一部衣車俾自己。佢哋而家支持多咗喇，因為開始明白同埋見到我做嘅嘢，廣闊啲同埋有價值，唔係淨係做啲手作仔。除咗落手製作嘅過程之外，另一樣令我最有滿足感嘅工作就係教其他人製作，教人嘅成果可以好具體咁睇得到，見到工匠灣嘅同學仔有所改變同埋成長，即使只係小小嘅轉變，嗰啲滿足感都係冇嘢比得上。有啲年青人啱啱嚟到嘅時候會比較怕羞同拘謹，但係經過幾個禮拜之後，佢哋真係有所成長。我哋最開心係見到同學仔開始自己拋出破格嘅諗法，想去將佢哋嘅構思整出嚟，我會盡我所能去幫佢哋實現！」

“My background is in textiles, so I create all sorts of things with fabric, from clothes to bags to home decorations. In my spare time, I play with sewing, dyeing fabric and weaving. I also experiment with different craft projects like glass, carpet-making and painting. I think that objects created by a person can give a good insight into that person’s feelings and character. It will also change their attitude, moving from being a consumer to being a creator. MakerBay is another outlet for us to express ourselves, learn some problem-solving skills and come up with innovative ideas. For me, creating things and solutions with people is just another way to connect and empathise with them. What I enjoy most about the community here at MakerBay is that we are all playful and collaborative people – and we love new challenges!” 「我本身係做紡織嘅，所以我會用布料整好多嘢，衫褲啦、袋啦，到家居擺設都有。得閒嘅時候，我鍾意玩縫紉、染布同埋編織。我都會試用唔同嘅媒介，好似玻璃、織地氈、同埋畫畫咁。我覺得一個人整嘅嘢好反映佢嘅感受同埋性格，呢樣嘢亦都會改變佢哋嘅態度，從認為自己係一個顧客，變成一個創作者。Makerbay 係另一個出口比我地去表達自我，培養解難能力同埋激發一啲創新嘅想法。對我黎講，同其他人一齊創作新嘅嘢同埋合作搵出解決辦法，係另一個同對方交流同埋表達重視嘅方法。所以工匠灣令我最享受嘅一樣嘢，就係大家都好鍾意製作同埋交流，仲好樂意接受新嘅挑戰 ！」

Want to know more about MakerBay? Click HERE