DIY tutors

Alan Stern

Alan Stern's proposal for DIY tutors is entitled 'The Institute for Domestic Engineering Advancement and Learning' (IDEAL):

IDEAL's aim would be to enrol students who wish to learn the skills of 'domestic engineering', and hence, to develop and keep their homes, contents and attachments, in an attractive, comfortable and well-maintained condition.

'The tutor would offer practical tutorials in DIY, in the student's own home'

IDEAL would create a register of independent consultant craftsmen or tutors, in much the same way as the Open University maintains a local tutor and counsellor network. The IDEAL tutor would offer practical tutorials, in the student's own home or place of development, with the objective of helping that student become both proficient and self-sufficient with respect to the developmental problem at hand. Examples of domestic engineering skills that could be taught at such tutorials include: painting and decorating, plumbing, wiring and electrical installation, general household and building repairs, to both internal and external fixtures and fittings as well as furniture, mechanical appliances, motors and bicycles, plus guidance in gardening and horticultural projects.

'Not to do the job itself but to teach the student how to do it for themselves'

This new educational institution would be financed by student fees paid (via IDEAL) to the tutor, matching the market rate for the standard job. The tutors would, in effect, be paid not to do the job itself but to teach the student how to do it for themselves.

IDEAL will need to take steps to deal with issues such as the selection and ongoing quality control of tutors, and establishment of criteria for student assessment and the awarding of a diploma in domestic engineering (Dip. Dom. Eng.).

Initial funding and the foundation of IDEAL could well find benefaction from one or more of the several large retail DIY chains such as Homebase, Texas, B&Q, Do-It-All and Wickes, etc, who would all benefit from both a financial and public relations perspective, as they help to create a nation of DIYers.

IDEAL would in turn serve an ever-growing market of home owners, desperate to know everything there is to know about DIY, but afraid to experiment on their own.

To summarise the benefits of IDEAL:

(1) Society would become more self-sufficient on the DIY front resulting in renovated, revitalised and refurbished communities.

(2) Legitimately skilled and empathetic local craftsmen would find a growing and grateful market, that would continue to employ their tutorial service, as new skills are required to tackle ever more demanding domestic engineering tasks. Moreover, their image and community standing would be enhanced by their IDEAL tutor status, no doubt resulting in increased job satisfaction.

(3) Industry and commerce would find a new and potentially lucrative outlet for its social responsibility policies.

The chairman of Wickes Building Supplies, W. J. McGrath, has responded encouragingly to the scheme: 'We would be delighted to discuss the possibility of developing our current innovation, product development and design department into a far more proactive Wickes institute.'

Alan Stern, 5 Walker Close, London N11 1AQ (tel 081 361 5323).

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