Please note that this is an on-going project.
Project Description
The Griffith University Repair Café is a student-led initiative aimed at giving new life to broken items that would otherwise be thrown away. The café seeks to educate people to view their possessions in a different light. The skilled technicians at the Repair Café can fix household items, clothing, small furniture, and a variety of miscellaneous items free of charge. When people arrive at the Repair Café, they are paired with a fixer who will examine the broken item and discuss what is needed to make it functional again. Guests are invited to stay with the fixer to watch and learn, as this is a great opportunity to understand how the item works, how to take care of it, and how to fix it themselves.
Project Personnel and Beneficiaries
The Griffith University’s Repair Café involves volunteers from students and staff, including professional and academic members, to help organise and run the event. It welcomes volunteers as helpers and skilled fixers with expertise in various fields such as engineering, electronics, mechanics, clothing and textiles, or design.
Outcomes to Date
In 2024, Griffith University’s Repair Café organised eight repair events across Nathan, Gold Coast, South Bank, and Logan campuses. Since the beginning of the first café, 174 items have been repaired and it has successfully diverted approximately 135.7 kg of waste from landfills. Additionally, the Repair Café has involved 25 volunteers, including students, staff, and community members, alongside welcoming 170 visitors. In November 2024, it championed the Griffith University Green Impact Challenge, an award-winning global program for sustainability learning and awards that aims to integrate environmentally and socially sustainable practices within organisations. Beyond repairing, Prof. Leanne Wiseman, as a chairwoman of Griffith University Repair Café, has shared the initiative on several occasions, such as the Waste & Resource Recovery Conference, Australian Repair Roundtable and Ballarat Repair Cafe’s 5th Anniversary Community Forum and the 3rd UK Repair Cafe conference.
Project Significance
The Griffith University Repair Café helps reduce waste and the consumption of raw materials by promoting reuse and extending the life of items. This initiative aligns with Sustainable Development Goal 12, which focuses on Responsible Consumption and Production. By contributing to the reduction of extracted raw materials, the Repair Café also saves energy that would otherwise be used to create new products, supporting Sustainable Development Goal 13 of Climate Action in reducing global greenhouse gas emissions. Repair Cafés are reviving sustainable and environmentally friendly repair skills, strengthening communities, and helping people save money during economic uncertainty.