RePair Detectives
Repair the Present. Fix the Future.
our PROGRAMME
The Repair Detectives programme is designed to promote sustainability and explore technology. We want to spark curiosity in students around how things are made and how they work, build self-belief in their ability to fix or repurpose broken items, and understand the complete life-cycle of a product and its environmental impact.
Our programme caters for Years 3-10, and consists of workshops, videos, activities, worksheets, lesson plans for teachers, and more.
Hi, I'm Kaitiaki the Curious Kea. I love to explore and take things apart to see what's inside. Sometimes I can't put them back together!
I need lots of helpers to repair the things that get broken - can you help??
CAN YOU BE A REPAIR DETECTIVE?
Repair Detectives is a fun hands-on sustainable tech programme for kids, available in schools, communities, and online.
new!! Repair detectives club
We are starting a weekly club at Cambridge Primary School Hall on Tuesday evenings, 6:30-7:30pm, for students who are interested in taking things apart and fixing things. The cost is $12 per week, paid termly, and support is available.
Contact Geoff at repairdetectives@gmail.com for more information.
SCHOOL PROGRAMME
Our school programme is a mix of fortnightly workshops and classroom activities for teachers to run in-between.
Our programme caters for Years 3-10, and we can work with a maximum of 60 students per workshop. They run for 1.5 hours, with introductions, activities, and wrap-up chats, and we can run 2 workshops in a morning.
Workshop 1 - Unmake & Remake
Students are introduced to the magic and benefits of repairing & repurposing, then take items apart in pairs, keeping track of bits (screws etc), and putting the item back together.
Workshop 2 & 3 - What’s the Problem?
Students bring in broken items, and in small groups or pairs, use a worksheet to investigate & find the cause of the problem, systematically work through possible issues, brainstorm solutions and see if they can fix the item. In consultation with the school, whānau can also be invited along to join in.
Workshop 4 - When we can't fix things
We learn what to do when we can't fix an item. We'll look at creative options around Re-purposing & Recycling, and students will practice taking items apart and separating and sorting the components.
Workshop Benefits
Good for the environment - learn to repair and re-purpose, rather than throw away
Great for learning - instant problems to solve, debugging, analytical thinking, build curiosity, discover how technology is designed and made and repaired
Good for communities - engage parents and whanau to help solve problems, share their knowledge and skills
learning outcomes
All our activities are linked with the NZ Curriculum, aligning strongly with Technology and Science Achievement Objectives, as well as Education For Sustainability, several Key Competencies, and 21st-Century Skills. Curriculum links are provided for each activity.
about us
Repair Detectives is a social enterprise developed by Geoff Bentley, founder of TechLeap. The aim is to grow the next generation of repairers and grow a repair mindset and awareness of Waste Minimisation throughout communities.
Geoff started a monthly Repair Co-Op in Cambridge, New Zealand, in April 2018, and saw the benefit of growing a repair mindset within communities, via schools. With support from the Waipa District Council Waste Minimisation Unit and RecycleIT, a pilot programme of workshops was run within Cambridge in May 2019, providing invaluable feedback from teachers and students.
TechLeap aims to nurture life-long learning skills in communities, through the lens of exponential & future technologies. Our programmes aim to facilitate life-long learning, foster a love of learning, and inspire curiosity around technology.
Feel free to contact Geoff on 021 256 3648 or repairdetectives@gmail.com