The Many Benefits of Australian Community Clubs and Associations

If you live in
Australia and are a ‘tradie’, you probably belong to a club of some sort, and
if you are not from Australia, you might be wondering what a ‘tradie’ is.
Australian people like to shorten everything, and a ‘tradie’ is an abbreviation
for a tradesman, and qualified tradespeople traditionally join a working men’s
club or trade association.

A Sense of
Community

Australian people
have always had a great sense of community spirit, and during World War II, the
working men’s clubs were always a hive of activity, and the women had filled
many positions due to the fact that most of the men were called to fight in the
war. Today, this sense of community continues, with exclusive clubs like Tradies
in Sutherland
,
where members can enjoy great food and drinks, while catching up with the local
news.

Community
Activities

Over the course of
a year, there would be many community activities, with sports playing a major
role in keeping communities close – cricket and Aussie Rules are the favourite
– plus they would help local businesses and ethnic groups, giving the people a
sense of belonging. In rural communities, the clubs are even more important, as
they are places where people can meet and share drinks and experiences.

Old Traditions
Die Hard

While tradie clubs
were very common in the post war era, there are still many such clubs and
associations in operation around the country and they are involved in charity
work and community projects that are designed to keep local communities
engaged.

Typical Tradie
Groups

There are special
tradie clubs for construction workers, auto workers, ship builders, the mining
industry and other trades, where members can meet up and discuss developments
within their industry, while enjoying fine food and drink. Sports leagues are
in play and most tradie clubs have competing teams, which is another way to strengthen
the community, and when there are problems, these people come together to offer
support.

Overcoming
Difficulties

In the event a
club member is made redundant or faces a large medical or legal bill, the
community clubs will do what they can to support the community member during a
hard time. By spending their free time together, they create bonds and
friendships that keep the community together, and this really helps when people
face adversity.

Funding
Community Projects

While the state
would fund certain projects, community clubs and associations also provide the
money when a project is lacking funding, and this empowers communities to
provide essential recreational services for the young people. This is
especially important in remote rural areas, of which Australia has many, and in
the Outback, there are many such community clubs that play a vital role is
sustaining remote communities. In such cases, you could say that necessity is
the mother of invention, as the remote communities do not have the luxury of
urban areas, and it is natural for people to congregate when they live in
remote regions.

Next time you
pass, why not pop into a Tradies near you and enjoy a great meal and
stimulating conversation.