Build More Than a Pinball Machine. Build Opportunity.

Enter the Engineering Project Kits Competition for the chance to receive a complete pinball engineering project kit, valued at US$5,000, at no charge.

Some young people never get the chance to discover that engineering can be creative, practical and life-changing. This competition invites makerspaces to change that. By turning a complete pinball machine build into a mentored community program, one winning makerspace can offer deserving local participants a powerful introduction to design, electronics, fabrication, teamwork and problem-solving—while strengthening its own role as a place where opportunity is built by hand.

Turn a Community Need into a Hands-On STEAM Opportunity

We invite makerspaces to propose a locally delivered learning program in which participants work together to construct a working pinball machine. One selected makerspace will receive the project kit free of charge. The winning entry will be the proposal that presents the most compelling, clearly evidenced community need and the strongest plan to create a safe, inclusive and meaningful learning experience for local participants.

This is more than an equipment giveaway. It is an opportunity to bring mechanical design, electronics, fabrication, art, teamwork and problem-solving together in one memorable build—helping participants see themselves as capable makers, technicians and engineers.

Who Could Benefit?

We welcome proposals that expand access for young people and community members who may have had limited opportunities to participate in practical engineering education. Your nominated group might include:

• Justice-involved, at-risk or disengaged young people seeking a constructive pathway forward

• Young people who have left school early or are at risk of leaving

• Neurodivergent young people, including autistic participants, who would benefit from an accessible, interest-led learning environment

• Gifted young people from low-income or under-resourced communities

• Home-educated young people seeking collaborative, practical STEAM experiences

• People recently released from correctional facilities who are pursuing career pathways in technology, trades or engineering

These examples are not exhaustive. We encourage each makerspace to identify the people in its own community for whom this project could remove barriers, build confidence and open new pathways. Proposals should use respectful, strengths-based language and explain how participants will be recruited, supported and safeguarded.

What the Selected Makerspace Will Provide

• A suitable venue: sponsor the use of a safe, accessible workspace for the duration of the build

• Skilled supervision: provide a knowledgeable technician or experienced maker to mentor participants and oversee construction

• Responsible delivery: manage scheduling, tools, safety procedures, safeguarding requirements and appropriate participant support

• Community commitment: work with relevant local organisations, educators or support services where helpful

• Impact sharing: document the build journey and describe the skills, confidence and connections developed through the project

What Makes a Compelling Entry?

Tell us who you want to serve, why this opportunity matters now and how your makerspace will turn the kit into lasting local impact. Strong entries will present:

• A specific and well-supported statement of community need

• A realistic delivery plan, timeline and participant group size

• A qualified mentor with relevant technical and supervisory experience

• A safe, inclusive and accessible approach to participation

• A plan for measuring and sharing outcomes

• Evidence that the project can create benefits beyond the completed pinball machine

Why Should a Makerspace Enter?

Winning the pinball project gives a makerspace more than access to a valuable kit. It creates a high-profile opportunity to demonstrate the makerspace’s role as a practical, community-centred learning hub—one that can connect people, tools, mentors and real engineering challenges in a way that changes local lives.

• Showcase community leadership: position your makerspace as an organisation that turns access to tools and expertise into measurable social impact

• Attract new partners and supporters: use the project to engage schools, youth services, justice programs, disability support organisations, employers, donors and local government

• Grow participation and membership: introduce new people and families to your space through a positive, memorable build experience

• Develop a repeatable education program: turn the pinball build into a model for future STEAM workshops, holiday programs, outreach activities or funded community projects

• Strengthen mentor capability: give technicians and experienced makers a meaningful way to share skills, guide teams and support emerging talent

• Create powerful stories of impact: document the build journey, participant progress and final machine to support future grant applications, sponsorship conversations and community promotion

• Build lasting pathways: help participants connect practical skills with future study, employment, volunteering, trades, technology or engineering opportunities

Support from Engineering Project Kits

Engineering Project Kits will do more than provide the winning makerspace with the Pinball Project Kit. We will collaborate with the selected team to help shape the project into a practical, well-structured learning experience that suits the makerspace, the participants and the local community need being addressed.

Program delivery support: guidance on structuring the build into achievable stages, sessions or workshops

Planning and facilitation advice: help thinking through participant flow, learning goals, mentor roles, safety considerations and realistic timelines

Build tips and tricks: practical advice to help mentors and makers understand the kit, avoid common issues and make the construction process smoother

Troubleshooting help: support when technical questions arise during assembly, testing or refinement

Ongoing collaboration: regular check-ins and practical encouragement so the winning makerspace is not delivering the project alone

Our goal is to help the winning makerspace deliver a project that is achievable, rewarding and memorable—from the first planning conversation through to the final playable pinball machine.

Ready to Make an Impact?

Submit your Engineering Project Kits Competition entry by emailing us at info@engprojectkits.com.au and show us how your makerspace would transform a US$5,000 pinball project kit into skills, belonging and possibility for people in your community.

One kit. One community build. A lifetime of confidence in what participants can create.