Month: October 2013

Make:Shift Video Short – Upcycling Furniture Enterprise

Elliot Lord founder of Our Own Future would like to establish a cooperative business that reclaims furniture and uses the materials to make new furniture. He would like to incorporate people with a flare for design in the idea. He would like support to obtain premises either through the local authority or by linking with the private sector.
Elliot developed the free organic gardens idea last year as part of Make:Shift. See more herehttp://ourownfuture.org/wedorganicgarden.
Get you ticket for November 9 here https://makeshift2013.eventbrite.co.uk/

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Here’s another great idea

Ange from Chez Hippo has been in touch to share her idea, which she would like to discuss at Make:Shift.
Ange says “We are creating an artist and makers co-operative for Wolverhampton and surrounding areas so that we can make, share, learn and teach lost and new skills to everyone. We intend to create an arts hub for the area which will see retail, gallery, studios, business incubation spaces, teaching areas, cafe and all things that go towards a thriving centre for everyone to get involved with. Many start-up artists and makers struggle making the transition from their kitchen table to the market place because they either lack support, equipment or space to expand and we want to remove all the barriers that stop you. Likewise many of us just want to have a go at something new so we will have lots of creative minds and hands ready to help you from throwing your first pot to fusing glass or maybe meeting others as a creative writing group. The options are open and we would like to know what you would want to see. We have a building in Wolverhampton ready to use, just waiting for the solicitor to sign us off, but the intention is that it will be open from April 2014. There are loads of way that you can be involved and help create something different and exciting for the area and if you are then please contact ange@chezhippo.co.uk for more details.”
This sounds like an exciting opportunity whether you are a novice just wanting to ‘have a go’ or if you are more established and would like to set up your own business. Come along to Make:Shift on 9 November to discuss this further, or contact Ange directly for further details.
Free ticets for Make:Shift are available from https://makeshift2013.eventbrite.co.uk/

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Make: Shift Video Short – Wolves – Wolves

At the last get together some of the group said they’d like to do a video short about their idea. First up is Paul Darke ‘s idea Wolves – Wolves. 

Watch here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYGWSk_pgWs

Paul is the director of the Outside Centre, one of the UK’s premiere independent arts organisations.

The idea is for a number of larger-than-life sculptured ‘Wolves’ made of a durable plastic that will be positioned around the city as a trail to follow: Wolves are a symbol of Wolverhampton – from the football club to an abbreviation of Wolverhampton.

Each ‘Wolf’ (though from the same mould) would be individually decorated in association with an artist working with local schools and groups.

 This project is similar to the Penguins (in Liverpool), the cow parage in Manchester (http://manchester.cowparade.com/cow/gallery) and Gromit Unleashed (http://www.gromitunleashed.org.uk/) in Bristol.

 If you’ve got an idea or you’d like to help someone else get their idea off the ground download your free ticket here https://makeshift2013.eventbrite.co.uk/

 

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Some principles for Make:Shift

Perhaps you’ve never been to an unconference like Make:Shift before and you’re not quite sure what to expect.

In our latest blog we explain a bit more about an unconference, the principles behind it and how it’s going to make 9 November an absolutely brilliant day.

Make:Shift is going to be an unconference. Everyone will be coming along to participate in some way, whether they are taking part in discussions or leading a session. Think of it like a giant slightly formalised networking event. We’ll be creating an environment where you can let everyone know what you’d like to discuss and we can all share our expertise.

There is only one rule at an unconference. That’s the rule of two feet. This means that if you’re in a session at Make:Shift and you’re neither learning or contributing, you leave and join another session. That doesn’t mean that we’re encouraging you to be belligerent or rude in any way. If you’re not benefiting from the discussions you owe it to yourself and the other people there to find a group where your unique talents can really shine.

Have you ever been at a conference where the session wasn’t what you expected, or the person leading it rankled you, and you wished you could just walk out. You didn’t because you thought it would appear rude or you thought it wasn’t allowed? Well, at Make:Shift not only do you have permission to do – it’s expected!

There are some other general principles, not rules, that we will apply to Make:Shift. They are about going with the flow.

  1. Principle One. The people that come are the right people. At Make:Shift the most important thing is having the people that care about Wolverhampton – the people that are really committed to the city – the people that will turn up!
  2. Principle two. The time it starts is the right time. Of course we’ll be following a schedule to make sure that everyone gets to run their session. But we’re not going to be clock watching at Make:Shift. This is designed to bring out the spirit of the event, which is about creativity. If a session finishes early or over-runs by 5 minutes, we’re not going to lose any sleep over it.
  3. Principle three. Whatever happens is the only thing that could have happened. We’ll accept what happens on the day as the only thing that could have happened and move on from there, rather than raking over problems and issues with the day
  4. Principle four. When things end, they are over. If our discussions reach a natural conclusion, there’s no need to prolong them just because there’s time left.

What do you think of these principles? Do they resonate with you? Do you disagree with any of them?

Leave your thoughts on the blog.

One final thing. Tickets will go on general release to the public next week so make sure you’ve got yours before the rush begins.

Go to https://makeshift2013.eventbrite.co.uk/ to get yours

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Thinking of pitching an idea at Make:Shift? Here are our tips to make sure your session goes really well

If you’re thinking of running a session at Make:Shift, here are some tips on making sure your session goes really well. Unconferences are very different to conventional conferences, so it’s worth spending some time thinking how you’ll present your session idea.

We’re going to ask people to ‘pitch’ their idea to all the other participants. Why not prepare a 60 second pitch that conveys the essence of your idea in an engaging way?

If you do this, hopefully your idea will be chosen and you’ll then be running a session with people who are interested in your idea. Don’t worry, we’ll provide a facilitator to keep a note of the key points and help you to keep the conversation going. 

Here are some guidelines that we’d suggest for running a session.

Do:

  • Create a topic and an angle. It’s very different to pitch a topic about ‘use of derelict land’ compared to ‘the scandal of dereliction in our city – how we can turn things around’. Straight away this makes people have an opinion either for or against your argument. It encourages people to think before your session and will encourage a lively discussion
  • Don’t be scared to choose a tough topic. The only censure at an unconference is you. If you choose a topic that you wish was discussed, but never is, the chances are that you’ll have hit on a really popular theme
  • Make sure your session is interactive. Ask questions, make it easy for people to take part, make notes of the main points people make, or ask someone to do this for you
  • Be a good host. Running a good session at an unconference is like running a successful party. Introduce people and be friendly. Set the tone for the session. If you’re nervous and withdrawn this will have an impact on the people in your group. If you’re not naturally outgoing, why not consider working with someone else to run the session?
  • Relax and have fun. The session will run much easier if you do. Remember that you’ll set the tone for the session. If you’re relaxed and enjoying it, the chances are that everyone else will too.
  • Take advantage of this unique opportunity. When else will you get the chance to have this many people in a room to discuss something close to your heart? Use the special blend of people in the room to help to develop the idea
  • Continue the conversation after Make:Shift. The session could form the basis of a group to take forward your idea with you. Stay in touch after the event – collect peoples’ email addresses; set up a Yahoo group; or arrange to meet after the event.

Not got your ticket yet? Tickets are going on general release to the public this week so don’t miss your chance to get yours before the rush starts. Don’t forget to tell your friends and family too.

Book your ticket by going to: https://makeshift2013.eventbrite.co.uk/

 

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Here’s a question I’ve been asked a lot recently

Recently a few people have asked me if they need to have an idea to come to Make:Shift. The answer to this is absolutely not. We need all sorts of people at Make:Shift – the people with the ideas are, of course, critically important – but so are the people who will support that idea, just by saying they like it or by offering some support to get it off the ground.

At the Make:Shift get-together, Silvia had come along to another event which had been postponed so she joined us. Listening to all the other ideas Silvia was inspired to come up with one of her own – a brilliant creative arts project for young people. Who knows what Make:Shift could do for your creative juices.

But just as important was Janet. She hadn’t come with a particular idea. She’d come to listen to what other people had to say and comment and add value to their ideas.

So if you’re delaying getting your ticket because you haven’t got an idea to bring to Make:Shift, stop it! We’d love to see you, whatever role you want to play.

Get your free ticket at : https://makeshift2013.eventbrite.co.uk/

Another great idea

custom-buildaffordable-passivhaus50k-AxisDesign
Today I’ve been contacted by Rob, an architect who lives in Wolverhampton and works in Birmingham. Rob is interested in developing a self-build scheme in Wolverhampton.
Self build has a lot of benefits – not only will it be significantly cheaper than buying an equivalent house from a developer, it can also have environmental benefits and build a real sense of community with fellow self-builders.
Rob wants to build relationships with local people who might be interested in supporting the scheme or even building their own home. He wants to make links with people through Make:Shift and other community organisations. This is another great idea and you can get involved in discussing it further at Make:Shift on 9 November. Don’t forget to book your free ticket through Eventbrite: https://makeshift2013.eventbrite.co.uk/

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Make:Shift Get Together 17 October 2013

Last night several intrepid Make:Shifters met at the Light House to drink coffee, eat cake and share their ideas for changing their street, their community and their city . It was a well attended event and once again we had some brilliant ideas that we all discussed.  The scope of the ideas ranged from quick wins that could be delivered fairly quickly and easily, to medium term projects requiring a bit more planning, through to some really quite big long term ventures.

First up, Fortune explained how his group is establishing friendship through families in Heath Town. The group is addressing various issues in the area and have now grown to the extent that they would like premises to meet in. Fortune explained that his group would like some support with obtaining funding.

Kevin and Andrew talked about their plans to bring a disused church in the heart of Finchfield back into life. They would like to involve the wider Make:Shift community in their plans, to offer advice on how this venture develops.

Next up was Sylvia. Sylvia is an artist currently working with schools. She would like to establish a temporary (pop up) creative space for children with story tellers, dance and other creative activities. The group suggested that she made contact with the University. Sylvia would like Make:Shift to help her obtain funding.

Elliot (who developed the free organic gardens idea last year as part of Make:Shift), would like to establish a cooperative business  that reclaims furniture and uses the materials to make new furniture. He would like to incorporate people with a flare for design in the idea. He would like support to obtain premises either through the local authority or by linking with the private sector.

Jerome would like to set up a book crossing event. This is when people leave a book in a public space and invite other people to take it free of charge. He was unsure whether to set up a one day book shop where anyone could drop off or pick up books , or whether to have a series of smaller book crossings across the city. If he chose the former he could turn it into a festival of words, with attractions such as children’s story time, poetry, a guest local author or a Haiku wall. Jerome would like help to sort out any insurance required and identifying appropriate premises and venues and potential volunteers.

Matt’s idea is called ‘Off the Grid’ and is a proposal to create a sustainable building – something like a mini version of Centre for Alternative Technology. This could be a temporary or permanent structure and would appeal to a wide range of people, bringing people to the city. The group could think of lots of people that could potentially be interested in supporting this idea. Matt also shared his idea of creating a Wolverhampton carnival – something that brings Wolverhampton’s diverse communities together and celebrates them, using scrap materials to make costumes and sharing street food from around the world. 

Donna from the CAB shared her idea of establishing a series of ‘sky pods’ in venues around the city. The sky pods would enable people to access a range of advice agencies from a place that they regularly use e.g. their local community centre, without having to physically visit the advice centre.

That’s a brief synopsis of the ideas discussed last night. So now over to you. What do you think of these ideas? Are there any that you like or don’t like? Why? Which ideas would you want to get behind? Don’t be a bystander as all these exciting ideas develop. Help to drive them forward. Book for ticket now by going to https://makeshift2013.eventbrite.co.uk/