HEALTH AND SANITATION 33
IWSH Launches New Plumbing Champions Initiative at Community Centre in Australia
Written by Mike Flenniken
David Viola , IAPMO CEO
When considering Earth — a planet with 70 % of its surface made up of water — the accessibility of safe water is surprisingly and disproportionately low .
The International Water , Sanitation and Hygiene Foundation ( IWSH™ ) - the charitable arm of the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials ( IAPMO ®) - delivered a new Plumbing Champions social project activity as part of the WorldSkills Australia National Championships and Skills Show , hosted on 17-19 August at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre .
Developed and presented by IWSH and the World Plumbing Council , the ongoing Plumbing Champions programme aims to inspire young people to pursue a career in the skilled trades , encouraging the next generation of plumbers , and highlighting the best talents and practices from across the plumbing - and broader building and construction - industry . The programme demonstrates the real-world application of improved plumbing systems assembled in skills competitions or industry trade-show settings for the benefit of local communities .
For the project in Australia , IWSH coordinated the design , assembly and donation of new hand-washing facilities for the Yooralla Business Enterprise site at Mooroopna , Victoria . Yooralla is an organisation that supports people with disabilities of all ages and needs across Melbourne and regional Victoria . The new hand-washing facilities were transported to Yooralla for immediate installation at the end of the skills competition , supported by apprentices from the Plumbing Industry and Climate Action Centre ( PICAC ), also based in Melbourne .
“ IWSH belongs to the entire IAPMO Group family worldwide , so we are very excited to welcome this new Plumbing Champions initiative to Australia for the first time , having seen similar IWSH community plumbing projects delivered in the past few years through partner IAPMO offices in India , Indonesia and of course the United States ,” said Paul Bonsak , managing director of IAPMO Oceania . “ Over the past 12 months we have completed registration
IWSH of IWSH Australia with the Australian Charities and Not-forprofits Commission , so the upcoming project at WorldSkills Australia represents the first of what we hope will be many more innovative and creative new corporate social responsibility efforts , together with our fantastic plumbing industry partners here down under .”
“ Through this Plumbing Champions effort , we provided 16 new individual hand-wash basins with hot and cold water at Yooralla Mooroopna – eight for the main workshop area , and four each for the male and female bathrooms ,” said Grant Stewart , IWSH International programme director and long-standing WorldSkills Australia representative . “ The existing facilities at the site were not fit for purpose , despite its long and valued history in the local community . It was established in 1975 by parents of people with disabilities before being taken over by Yooralla . They are one of Victoria , Australia ’ s largest and oldest not-for-profit disability service providers , so it is an honour to connect with the upcoming national skills competition to support these plumbing upgrades for carers and staff .” PA
Participants
Follow updates from the project via IWSH social media channels , @ IWSHFoundation and # PlumbingChampions .
• Visit https :// www . worldskills . org . au / to learn more about WorldSkills Australia .
• Visit https :// www . yooralla . com . au / to learn more about Yooralla .
In the spirit of the sharing of unique experiences that shape the plumbing industries in our respective nations , the following article looks at a new Plumbing Champions initiative that IAPMO ’ s non-profit organisation is spearheading in Australia . Written by IAPMO staff writer Mike Flenniken , it is the next in a regular series of similar articles that will run in this magazine .
Dave Viola IAPMO CEO
“ IWSH belongs to the entire IAPMO Group family worldwide .”
October 2023 Volume 29 I Number 8 www . plumbingafrica . co . za