Discussion on the Future Direction of Model Engineer and Workshop

[Nigel Graham 2Participant @nigelgraham2]

Putting things in proportion a bit, although it is off-topic, the bad experiences some have had with clubs should not be regarded as typical of all model-engineering societies, neither should unwelcoming attitudes by die-hards be seen as unique to our hobby.

I have seen it elsewhere, and very often it comes down to just a tiny clique of long-standing (or armchair-weighting) characters who have become very proprietorial to organisations or facilities they had put considerable effort into building many years previously. So they fear new people and ideas that might change the armchairs.

I also knew of three (one since deceased) people – members of my own club – who were deterred from helping it in future thanks only to one, just one, person being so hurtfully sarcastic to them on just one occasion they decided that was enough and they took no further part in its activities.

I have also known elsewhere, outside of model-engineering, a lot of visitors to that club’s facilities being treated coldly by a clique of only about three out of well over 200 members. It gave the club a bad name for a while.

Now, I propose such childish treatment of newcomers or visitors is probably very much a minority problem. Even so, no matter how friendly a bunch of chaps and chappesses personally, any club must be careful not to appear to newcomers to be stuck on just one or two aspects of its interest.

In the end, perhaps what inspires anyone to make things from metals might not be the publications, but the societies of people already making things. Not tracks or workshops or club-rooms; but people.

If society members don’t entice people into the hobby, the future of that, never mind its magazines, is down to the consequently dwindling number of potential readers. Not vice-versa.

[Martin KyteParticipant @martinkyte99762]

Totally agree Nigel.

At work myself and one other are old stagers. I’ve been there 33 years and he’s been there 40. We have two youngsters of barely 30 years old and 21 years. They are the future of the workshop. I can offer them a sense of heritage and the Lab has plenty but they are the people to lay down the heritage of 30 years hence.

Any club, society or indeed magazine has to see new members and ideas as the future or there just isn’t one.

I don’t understand any organisation that is frightened of being changed by younger members. They just end up like a closed order of monks who just age and die off.

In the Lab my greatest delight is to see young engineers and scientists just setting out. Everything is possible and some will do truly great things. I’ve had my time so why be envious.

The gift that we can impart to newcomers is how much fun and enjoyment we have had exploring whatever was new to us and making the things that interested us  just like they can and if it’s different new things or interests that’s fine because it’s just what we did.

[Author]

Posts