Plane Wellness

Thank you for having me and for this thread? post? topic? I guess I should start by saying I am new to forums.  

This may answer the question I have seen a few times here in WC. "Where are the new woodworkers going"? I personally did not know that forums were still active. Sure, SMC and others would show up in my Google searches when looking for answers, but it was always a post from years ago with jumbled answers. I would browse for a few seconds and then return to the Google search to seek a different platform. 

My friend recommended looking into forums, specifically WC and OWWM. The newer platforms, Facebook, Reddit, etc. are flooded with mostly newer woodworkers and some seasoned woodworkers that usually just respond with a rude comment. He was explaining that there is knowledge on forums that you won't find on those platforms. Using OWWM for example, as a nonprofit we won't be buying modern equipment. I will need the knowledge from OWWM to buy and maintain old machines. 

Answering what WC can offer, knowledge. I am currently working with an individual who wants to teach a Plane Wellness (PW) course. He has mentioned techniques and course topics I have never heard of. This is leading me to believe that woodworking knowledge is getting lost with split platforms and what seems to be younger on Facebook/Reddit and older (please do not be offended) on forums. 

Circling back to mental health (MH) and woodworking, or really any hobby and MH. I believe this connection is something that is lost in the MH "industry". They tend to focus on talk therapy and medication but what does that individual do when they go home? Or over the weekends? After work? That isn't really talked about. Idle minds and idle hands are the devil's playground as they say. Hobbies need to be a part of an individual's MH treatment, for the exact reasons you mentioned above from the Reddit post. It can save lives. Hobbies are that important. Now, I am too small to take on the MH industry, but I am hoping with PW we can start bridging that gap.

Hear, hear! Agreed. And, welcome, 'Harper'. 

I don't bother to re-up my sign-in because it will flop like a dying fish tomorrow; you get the raw belligerent lurker now.  And, I also find WC watered down with far too many multiple forums. Just pick one subsection that looks more interesting, universal, and stay the course.

I suppose I should glance at the link....

Related perhaps but in real life rather than online is the Men's Shed movement (phenomenon?) started in Australia. I know a little about them from reading but perhaps Derek or others can fill in a few details.

Gary Radice wrote:

Related perhaps but in real life rather than online is the Men's Shed movement (phenomenon?) started in Australia. I know a little about them from reading but perhaps Derek or others can fill in a few details.

Thank you, I haven't heard of that one yet, I am going to have to look into it. Maybe network and make a connection. I know Purple Heart Project in Canada (I reached out to them and they didn't respond) but couldn't find others. Our ultimate goal is to obtain land and build a retreat faciality; this could be a few years out but that is our goal. We want to woodwork during the day, enjoy meals together and have camp fires at night. Students would stay on site with us, that is another reason it may be a while till we have land, we have a lot to build lol

Here is a link:  

https://mensshed.org/

Hi Jamie

Woodworking is indeed therapeutic for many, and no doubt your publicity will attract the attention of those seeking support - not only those with formal mental health issues, but those who just want time out or some respite from the pressures of life. 

While not meaning to sound negative or critical, you are long on passion and short on research. Woodworking forums are filled with members already woodworking for relaxation, but I would view most starting not for this reason but start out with a need to build for home and family, and the mental health benefits are then discovered. Of course, it depends on the personality of the individual - is golf relaxing?

Here in Australia we have identified the need for community involvement to get people together. The Men's Shed movement has been mentioned. Another involved woodworking clubs, which are found across the world - not specifically for mental health, but no doubt treated that way by some, either deliberately or unconsciously. 

In Perth (my home town here in Oz), we also have facilities for kids:  https://perthkidsshed.com.au/.  I have a friend who has run courses for children for decades: https://www.thejoyofwood.com.au/about/

I have been woodworking, building furniture quite seriously for over 30 years, an amateur who started our renovating homes, and in this probably am quite typical of many members at Wood Central, Saw Mill Creek, the Australian Ubeaut forum, and others. I am also a clinical psychologist specialising in neurodevelopmental diagnosis and treatment, and often considered inviting kids into my workshop as part of treatment ... however this is a potential minefield and my insurance premiums would likely be prohibitive.

You are welcome to contact me off line to discuss this area. I have watched a few of your videos on YouTube before now, and therefore am familiar with your presence. 

Regards from Perth

Derek

Hey Derek, 
Thank you for your reply, please note I am not here to look for PW students. I wasn't going to mention PW but saw an admin made this thread (I got outed! lol) Plus, you all have more knowledge than I do, I have only been woodworking since 2018. That's why I joined, I still need to gather knowledge 

Thank you for those links, it is encouraging to see that similar programs exist and are doing well!

I will reach out to you, I have had a tough time finding others in the mental health field that are also woodworkers so it would be good to connect.

Bruce McCrory wrote:

I don't bother to re-up my sign-in because it will flop like a dying fish tomorrow; you get the raw belligerent lurker now.  And, I also find WC watered down with far too many multiple forums. Just pick one subsection that looks more interesting, universal, and stay the course.

These are the user profiles with "Bruce" in their name from the old forums transferred as user accounts here. Are any of them you?

https://www.woodcentral.com/forkbb/userlist/all/username/ASC/bruce%2A

If so, I can activate it as your login. You just need to contact me via email, easily done using the Contact Us link. More info...

Should we reduce the number of forum choices similar to https://www.woodworkforums.com/ 

Added later 2 h 15 min 03 s:

JHarpster wrote:

Thank you for your reply, please note I am not here to look for PW students. I wasn't going to mention PW but saw an admin made this thread (I got outed! lol) Plus, you all have more knowledge than I do, I have only been woodworking since 2018. That's why I joined, I still need to gather knowledge 

I assumed your purpose here was to gather information rather than promote the PW course, and I didn't intend to expose you. Traditionally, most individuals use their real names on this platform (as you did, sometimes even incorporating their location into their usernames), so anonymity has never been a significant concern. For me, it's more akin to LinkedIn, where everyone desires to be recognized by their real names, and mentioning newcomers helps foster personal interaction and networks.

And I thought some "old-timers" here may be interested in becoming involved as teachers, not students. 

About a year ago, we established a Beginner Forum, and many users expressed interest in sharing their woodworking knowledge with younger enthusiasts. I shared this initiative on r/BeginnerWoodworking (careful not to fall afoul of the admin's spam policies), and within 60 minutes, over 1000 members from there visited our new forum (I track this through analytics, and that was a new record). Our forum format allows for posts with multiple images and formatting options not available on newsfeed platforms like Reddit, and several users made detailed and thoughtful posts describing the issues they were encountering. And our members responded.

I assumed your purpose here was to gather information rather than promote the PW course, and I didn't intend to expose you.

I was joking about the outed part, I messaged Derek offline explaining that I am not use to people knowing my name, this is new to me lol I appreciate this thread, it does help us spread the word and teachers would be amazing! I just don't want everyone to think that is the reason I joined. I still need to feed my own woodworkers' soul!  

The beginner's forum is awesome! I am liking the structure of forums more and more. I am realizing that on the other platforms people give like quick short answers that don't always include all of the info you need. Forums solve that problem because you are free to write as much as you want and include pictures and videos. 

The original post referenced making a birdhouse as a new woodworker which reminded me of a card a friend gave me when I began my shop.......

@Peter Martin,

Anyone trying to build a birdhouse that would attract ......and keep.......that bird......should listen to "Any Day Now" by Ronnie Milsap......{maybe you could add the video......I'd appreciate it}........

Peter Martin wrote:

@roger lance,

Can you make a birdhouse to attract this?

Do you favor this bird just because it has Taylor swift's last name in it?