Repair Shop Lead - Furniture (carpenter, cabinet maker) (Summer Hill Location)

Volunteer Role: Furniture Repair Shop - Lead Repairer (Summer Hill)

Are you an avid repairer with a passion for bringing furniture back to life? We’re looking for skilled and enthusiastic volunteers to help relaunch and run our Furniture Repair Shop at The Bower’s Summer Hill site. This is a unique opportunity to share your repair skills, support the community, and make a direct impact on reducing waste

Key Duties As a volunteer in our Furniture Repair Shop, you will:

• Assess and quote repairs for members of the public, focusing on common household issues such as wobbly legs, refinishing surfaces, fitting new hinges, and carrying out upholstery repairs.

• Repair and refurbish a range of furniture and cabinetry to extend its usable life.

• Encourage a repair-and-reuse mindset by advising customers on sustainable alternatives to buying new.

• Maintain a clean, safe, and well-organised workshop environment, ensuring tools and equipment are cared for.

• Assist with workshop operations, including record-keeping, stock of materials, and scheduling repairs.

• Support training or mentoring of less experienced volunteers or students interested in repair skills.

Skills and Experience Needed

We welcome volunteers with: • Practical experience in furniture making, carpentry, cabinetmaking, or related trades (retired or semi-retired tradespeople are highly encouraged). • Hands-on skills in fixing common household issues like tightening / gluing joints, refinishing, replacing hardware, or light upholstery work. • Ability to work safely with woodworking tools, machinery, and finishes. • Good communication skills to engage with the public, provide quotes, and explain repair options. • An interest in sustainability, waste reduction, and community impact.

About The Bower

Since 1998, The Bower Reuse & Repair Centre has been a leading Sydney-based environmental charity committed to reducing landfill, saving resources, and supporting vulnerable communities. We collect, repair, resell, and redistribute thousands of household goods each year, giving them a second life and making affordable goods available to the community. Our Repair Shops are an extension of this mission, offering affordable, professional repairs that help households save money and the planet.

Benefits of Volunteering

By joining The Bower, you will: • Put your skills to meaningful use while directly reducing waste and emissions. • Be part of a friendly, values-driven community that shares your passion for repair and reuse. • Gain satisfaction from seeing items restored and cherished again. • Share your knowledge and mentor others interested in learning repair skills. • Help keep vital repair skills alive for the next generation.

The Impact You’ll Have Every chair mended, table restored, or cabinet reinforced means one less item ending up in landfill. As a volunteer, you’ll help: • Extend the lifespan of household goods. • Encourage a cultural shift away from “throwaway” consumption. • Provide affordable repair options for the community. • Support The Bower’s House to Home program, which furnishes homes for people in crisis using repaired and donated goods.

How to Apply

Interested? We’d love to hear from you. 1. Please send your resume 2. Let us know about your relevant skills and availability. 3. Our team will be in touch to discuss next steps and invite you for an orientation.