Phillip Hill—Mr Versatility 1. Toy Making, 2. Systems Thinking, 3. A New Perspective for Family Therapy

Phillip Hill's life has been one of versatility, moving from one opportunity to another, and succeeding at each point along the way.

He has brought that versatility to his teaching program with U3A and the two courses he teaches focus on areas requiring completely different skills—Toy Making from Recycled Materials  in which he shows the extraordinary things that can be done with such things as discarded white goods, and Systems Thinking  in which he explores the relationships that exist between sometimes apparently unrelated ideas.

When Phill talks about toys he isn't thinking of fluffy animals or toy guns. Phill's toys are practical and built to last a lifetime. Like John Denver's Marvellous Toy they are something that can be passed from father to son as the child grows—but unlike Denver's toy it's quite obvious what they are and how they can be used.

From fish tank frame to tool box transporter

The six-wheel tool-box transporter (pictured at right of screen) began its life as a discarded fish-tank frame.

Phill's first task was to collect some "bits and pieces" for the project:

• a fish tank frame
• a front wheel assembly
• six 5" hard rubber wheels
• some scraps of square metal tubing
• some small sheets of 1mm metal
• a towing handle

He then devised an action plan, mapping out likely problems and finding ways to solve them before going ahead and assembling the transporter. It is during this planning stage that another of Phill's abilities comes into play—Systems Thinking.

The finished product is so well balanced that even his three year-old grandson is able to tow it around.

Phill's two U3A courses:   Toy Making  and Systems Thinking are open to new students, though the numbers for Toymaking are necessarily limited. Anybody wanting to sign up for either course can contact the U3A Nepean office by Email by CLICKING HERE.  They will give you Phill's contact details.

In term 4, 2007, Phil will take a new class: A New Perspective for Family Therapy.
He writes:
"This is the name of a book which looks at family therapy and which we will be studying. It looks at a way of thinking that explores human behaviour in a family context.
We will be exploring such questions as "How do you transform a way of thinking into a way of doing?" "Should concern be limited to families, or should we consider broader contexts when thinking about human behaviour in the family context?"
We will be thinking about a more expanded focus, opening our windows, so to speak, by considering complexity and the systems that are at work in families."