Skilled…Joseph Gatt gained valuable skills while working on gardens at Taylors Lakes Tennis Club. 28694
By Cimara Pearce
UPGRADES to the Taylors Lakes Tennis Club through a Work For the Dole (WFD) program have left members of the club excited for the future.
Works at the club were finalised earlier this month with a celebration day being held at the club rooms last Tuesday.
However while the club has benefited from upgrades to its facility, local unemployed people have also gained from the experience.
More than 120 local, long-term unemployed people have been involved in the make-over of the tennis club.
Participants were taught essential skills that are thought to be transferable to the workplace. Skills taught included landscaping, use of power tools and team-work.
The WFD program was run through Matchworks, a not-for-profit organisation that works to improve the lives and options for people, or who are disadvantaged.
Prior to the re-developments, the club had been quite bare, with no seats for family members to watch players.
But, through the program, extensive landscaping has been conducted including the building of a barbecue area, paths, bench seating, a practice hitting wall and garden beautification.
MatchWorks has worked closely to support the participants in the program, all of varying backgrounds, and in some cases, even found them further education and employment.
Sydenham resident Joseph Gatt worked at the club for around three months planting trees, building tables and painting.
He said he enjoyed being able to work at the club through the WFD program and was hoping to gain future employment through the skills he learnt.
“To see nothing here before hand and to see it now is very rewarding” Mr Gatt said.
Matchworks site supervisor Sam Scire said the program taught the unemployed and disadvantaged participants discipline, respect and punctuality and boosted their confidence.
“It’s a win-win situation,” Mr Scire said. “They are learning skills at a community advantage.”
Club president Lydia Skwarlo was overwhelmed with the completion of the projected and thanked Matchworks and the participants in the WFD program for their hard work.
Ms Skwarlo said the works had fuelled the club’s desires to be “the best in the West”.
The Taylors Lakes Tennis Club has nine tennis courts, 360 members, 17 junior teams and 10 adult teams.
