Friday 27th Meeting Minutes
1.We talked excitedly about making fancy flags for the backs of bikes to
make brilliant colourful movingness and discussed the joys of bike
trailers filled with info and food!
-Could build up to doing some fun stuff on May Day.
-Could perhaps do some making as part of the bike extravaganza event at
the Pearce Institute.
Denis and Liam interested in joining Mark in organising this day event.
- Suggestion that it could happen sooner than April – date to be fixed
soon so we can publicise etc.
2.We also discussed briefly how we work as a group. We were only a small
group but we decided that we would try and use consensus to make decisions
but would come back to review this and look more thoroughly at how we work
in 2 months time.
We also decided to be better with meeting formalities – putting the agenda
out in advance(sorry!), taking minutes, having a facilitator decided in
advance etc.
See http://seedsforchange.org.uk/free/resources#grp for information on
Consensus Decision-Making and Facilitating Consensus. (If people are
interested in training in facilitating consensus email Beth off the list
(on cringeandvomit_at_riseup.net) and if there's interest i'll see about
arranging it)
3. The following working groups have been established to get things moving
more outside of meetings. Come along or email to hook up with people to
work on the stuff you're interested in.
Working Groups:
Funding:
Beth
Denis
Property Group:
Denis
Hannah
Jonny
Melissa
Stephen
Research:
Tilly
Kate
Liam
Bob
Networking:
Bob
Jonny
Publicity:
Pearse
Bob
06/03/2009
23/02/2009
19/02/2009
Meeting Minutes 13/2
Glasgow Social Centre Meeting Minutes. 13/02/09.
1.General update on what's happened so far.
2.Update from Business Plan meeting:
Feel we're not ready to write a business plan yet.
Need to plan a strategy for the months ahead to get there.
Going to have meeting with CEIS who give advice on social enterprises etc.
Some points that came up:
*We could make a graphic map of Glasgow filling in what similar things
already exist and where are they to establish where we should be.
*If we're gonna have a cafe, we need to find people who want to run a cafe.
*Could cover some costs by taking subs – standing orders or regular
donations from 'members'.
*Could move in somewhere straight away to get things happening and just
have an activist centre for the short-term and build towards other aims
from there.
*Francis McGhee, Dir. Of the CCA has some land and allotment project in
Drumchapel and is interested in whether groups like us could be involved.
Planning a Strategy:
We decided that it would be good to give ourselves some structure and plan
the tasks we need to do. We had a brainstorm of steps that we need to
take, things we need to do and events/stuff that we can be doing regularly
and frequently from now.
Steps towards becoming a social centre:
(To be put into a timeline by smaller group – if you want to be involved
with this but weren't at the meeting shout now.)
Meet with CEIS
Have a workshop where we brainstorm everything that it could be and
document it really well so that we don't need to keep repeating this
discussion.
Research – map, what's happening already? Talk to local councillors and
other useful contacts.
Decide upon a location/area within Glasgow
Address our groups internal structure, roles etc.
Working groups?
Build links with a place/places that exist
Build links with existing groups
Why Glasgow? And what's unique about what we want to do?
Publicity
Funding (get some)
Find a place ( even temporary?)
Get regular events happening
Ideas for Stuff that we can be doing as of now at regular intervals under
the banner of Glasgow Social Centre:
Presentation of all similar establishments in Glasgow (Unity, Clydebank
space etc.) - How do we differ?
Host workshops from other groups in Glasgow – beer-making, master compost,
tetra-pak wallets, CityStrolls, Glasgow Craft Mafia etc.
Food Not Bombs
Pedal generators
Zapatistas
Film Screenings (Groups that lend out films – see Kate)
Clothes revamping – Partick Group
Swap Shop
May Day – could we link in
Face Painting
Roller-blading
Basic Electrics
Shelf Hanging
Bike Maintenance
Music Night – dancing
Field Trips and Walks
Paul Chatterton from The Common Place in Leeds and Mike from ACE,
Edinburgh can come and speak with us in early April-ish (Dan as point of
contact).
James from the Forest is up for coming
People from Bradford Social Centre
*It was felt that these could also be prioritised into some sort of order–
some will help to move us along, some will be fun which is much needed
between meetings and some will help to raise money.
Action Points:
Go through the list and timeline – Beth, Hannah, Denis, Stephen
Look into Drumchapel opportunity – Bob
Contact Clydebank Social Centre and ask about a meeting/something – Bob
Go to CEIS meeting – Beth, Hannah, Mark, Stephen, Melissa.
Contact the council to find out dates and timeline of their rent-free
initiative deal – Denis.
Next Meeting: Friday 20th Feb.
1.General update on what's happened so far.
2.Update from Business Plan meeting:
Feel we're not ready to write a business plan yet.
Need to plan a strategy for the months ahead to get there.
Going to have meeting with CEIS who give advice on social enterprises etc.
Some points that came up:
*We could make a graphic map of Glasgow filling in what similar things
already exist and where are they to establish where we should be.
*If we're gonna have a cafe, we need to find people who want to run a cafe.
*Could cover some costs by taking subs – standing orders or regular
donations from 'members'.
*Could move in somewhere straight away to get things happening and just
have an activist centre for the short-term and build towards other aims
from there.
*Francis McGhee, Dir. Of the CCA has some land and allotment project in
Drumchapel and is interested in whether groups like us could be involved.
Planning a Strategy:
We decided that it would be good to give ourselves some structure and plan
the tasks we need to do. We had a brainstorm of steps that we need to
take, things we need to do and events/stuff that we can be doing regularly
and frequently from now.
Steps towards becoming a social centre:
(To be put into a timeline by smaller group – if you want to be involved
with this but weren't at the meeting shout now.)
Meet with CEIS
Have a workshop where we brainstorm everything that it could be and
document it really well so that we don't need to keep repeating this
discussion.
Research – map, what's happening already? Talk to local councillors and
other useful contacts.
Decide upon a location/area within Glasgow
Address our groups internal structure, roles etc.
Working groups?
Build links with a place/places that exist
Build links with existing groups
Why Glasgow? And what's unique about what we want to do?
Publicity
Funding (get some)
Find a place ( even temporary?)
Get regular events happening
Ideas for Stuff that we can be doing as of now at regular intervals under
the banner of Glasgow Social Centre:
Presentation of all similar establishments in Glasgow (Unity, Clydebank
space etc.) - How do we differ?
Host workshops from other groups in Glasgow – beer-making, master compost,
tetra-pak wallets, CityStrolls, Glasgow Craft Mafia etc.
Food Not Bombs
Pedal generators
Zapatistas
Film Screenings (Groups that lend out films – see Kate)
Clothes revamping – Partick Group
Swap Shop
May Day – could we link in
Face Painting
Roller-blading
Basic Electrics
Shelf Hanging
Bike Maintenance
Music Night – dancing
Field Trips and Walks
Paul Chatterton from The Common Place in Leeds and Mike from ACE,
Edinburgh can come and speak with us in early April-ish (Dan as point of
contact).
James from the Forest is up for coming
People from Bradford Social Centre
*It was felt that these could also be prioritised into some sort of order–
some will help to move us along, some will be fun which is much needed
between meetings and some will help to raise money.
Action Points:
Go through the list and timeline – Beth, Hannah, Denis, Stephen
Look into Drumchapel opportunity – Bob
Contact Clydebank Social Centre and ask about a meeting/something – Bob
Go to CEIS meeting – Beth, Hannah, Mark, Stephen, Melissa.
Contact the council to find out dates and timeline of their rent-free
initiative deal – Denis.
Next Meeting: Friday 20th Feb.
03/02/2009
Brick Ideas
People at the Reshuffle were invited to post up what they would like to see from a Social centre.
Here are their thoughts:
* A Place to find out what is going on in Glasgow
* Teach workshop Club – subscription like a gym but you get to use equipment (sewing machine, soldering iron, drill etc…)
* Painting drawing and discussion
* A film Club showing contemporary film from indie Producers (Britain and abroad). Particularly on workers initiatives, struggles and solutions
* Greenspace garden, café and loads of workshops
* Fun, games and art activities for kids. No computers! No TV!
* A place to sing songs and tell stories
* Space for dancing, music, art, performance, chilling
* Some kind of exchange of peoples' unwanted stuff a la freecycle
* Women's evenings
* Free English lessons
* Skill exchange (my knitting for your Arabic, etc,…)
* Set up a thrift shop – second hand clothes and goods- (like a car boot sale)
* Park
* Use older members of community to tell stories or to run reminiscence for all ages
* Rent or share a granny – support for young and single parents
* Organic ethical (not as main feature- as background), run by volunteers workshops, books, computers.
* A communal haven for arts, crafts and good conversation over a lovely piece of cake and tea. + knitting needles
* Place with sofas to relax
* Network with like minded people
* Place to get exposed to alternative movies and books
* Face to face interaction –vs online communities
* A space with no pressure to buy –spend- sell-consume
* Somewhere o go late at night that isn't booze –pub focussed
* Get some archive films from Scottish screen for free community learning
* Space to share serious concerns, plan serious stuff – without feeling like an extremist loony
* Smiles, freedom, fun and enthusiasm
* Arty activities
* Safe meeting place, skill share haven and vegan café
* Create a space where people can create without being exploited
* Space for networking and collaborating
* Discussing and organising
* Space for kids and parents to play together … or better still, a cool and groovy free crèche
* Somewhere to organise – meet –plot- plan audacious and necessary things
* A workshop to learn basic plumbing
* Somewhere for open and honest discussion to be held
* Café and garden
* A space to explore our independence, and the ways we meet our needs as a society
* Music, history and cultural centres
* Plotting and planning – share ideas food the love.
* An alternative to boring pubs.
Minutes for Meeting 30/1
Reshuffle
we shall gather imput from the communities present through the via of:
- film, ask people to answer a few questions about what they'd like to see in a social centre
- the paper bricks which people can write on and stick to the cardboard social centre
This information should be compiled for the open meeting next saturday
Why Glasgow?
One question which has been put aside since it was raised at one of the first meetings is what makes Glasgow special, and how can we make the social centre relevant to its particularities.
Glasgow has a very rich history of activism and resistance (cf. rent strikes, poll tax strikes, tanks sent to george square to quell protests).
Could we maybe host an event which would have a look at this history of activism? This could be a very intersesting venture and could help us find how we might fit into this history. Kate would be willing to take on the organisation of this event if there is motivation for it.
Social at the Pearce Institute
A social event is being proposed to be held in the PI some time in february. Could we help organise this? It would be good practice for when we have our own place to organise events in! Bob to get more info.
Open Meeting
7th feb, 2-4 Posters and flyer have been made and sent round by pearce everone: get them out there!
This meeting could take the shape of several short presentations followed by a discussion on the social centre. These presentations could include:
- feedback from reshuffle
- update on how far we have got already (for all those who haven't been to our weekly meetings)
- galgate
- clydebank social centre (jonny to check that out)
- history of glasgow's activism
- bridge (bob)
- campaign to save schools (bob to contact them)
- any other community campaign or project willing to present s/t
Presentation should take a maximum of 5 minutes and would ideally underline why there is a need for a social centre. Anyone willing to do a presentation should email denis (quelgamin@hotmail.com) and i will compile a schedule for the day.
Premises
quick update: a source from inside the city council has suggested that most of the properties which will be on offer will be relatively out of the way. There might however be some around trongate and king street. (do not tale that for said, we don't know where they will be yet and won't until the end of feruary when the new list of properties is published)
The point that we must fit into the community where we will be was reiterated. This is essential if our project is to be a success, since a centre that isn't used or accepted by the local community will not survive.
Business plan
Many questions regarding our functioning must be answered before the workling group can make much progress. Questions to be thought about will be sent around by Jonny, and next meeting (next two meetings?) will be dedicated to these. Therefore please attend next (2) meeting(s) if you cannot please relay your thoughts on these matters through someone who can.
we shall gather imput from the communities present through the via of:
- film, ask people to answer a few questions about what they'd like to see in a social centre
- the paper bricks which people can write on and stick to the cardboard social centre
This information should be compiled for the open meeting next saturday
Why Glasgow?
One question which has been put aside since it was raised at one of the first meetings is what makes Glasgow special, and how can we make the social centre relevant to its particularities.
Glasgow has a very rich history of activism and resistance (cf. rent strikes, poll tax strikes, tanks sent to george square to quell protests).
Could we maybe host an event which would have a look at this history of activism? This could be a very intersesting venture and could help us find how we might fit into this history. Kate would be willing to take on the organisation of this event if there is motivation for it.
Social at the Pearce Institute
A social event is being proposed to be held in the PI some time in february. Could we help organise this? It would be good practice for when we have our own place to organise events in! Bob to get more info.
Open Meeting
7th feb, 2-4 Posters and flyer have been made and sent round by pearce everone: get them out there!
This meeting could take the shape of several short presentations followed by a discussion on the social centre. These presentations could include:
- feedback from reshuffle
- update on how far we have got already (for all those who haven't been to our weekly meetings)
- galgate
- clydebank social centre (jonny to check that out)
- history of glasgow's activism
- bridge (bob)
- campaign to save schools (bob to contact them)
- any other community campaign or project willing to present s/t
Presentation should take a maximum of 5 minutes and would ideally underline why there is a need for a social centre. Anyone willing to do a presentation should email denis (quelgamin@hotmail.com) and i will compile a schedule for the day.
Premises
quick update: a source from inside the city council has suggested that most of the properties which will be on offer will be relatively out of the way. There might however be some around trongate and king street. (do not tale that for said, we don't know where they will be yet and won't until the end of feruary when the new list of properties is published)
The point that we must fit into the community where we will be was reiterated. This is essential if our project is to be a success, since a centre that isn't used or accepted by the local community will not survive.
Business plan
Many questions regarding our functioning must be answered before the workling group can make much progress. Questions to be thought about will be sent around by Jonny, and next meeting (next two meetings?) will be dedicated to these. Therefore please attend next (2) meeting(s) if you cannot please relay your thoughts on these matters through someone who can.
30/01/2009
Wallboard for the reshuffle
Click here to view the wallboard to be displayed at the Reshuffle tomorrow
28/01/2009
23/01/2009
Workshops
Here is a list of workshops which could take place in our social center. These could potentially be lucrative (with the sale of their produce) and could be useful for the business plan, it is therefore important to plan them at this early stage. Please add your name next to a workshop if you wish to take responsibility for it. Please also add any other workshop ideas you can come up with.
-fixing broken (electrical) stuff
-creative painting etc
-woodwork
-sewing
-bicycle worshop (denis)
-ceramics
- Denis
__________________________
Ideas from Melissa
Nutrition - I could do workshops on nutrition, vitamins, minerals, herbal medicine, flower remedies, natural skincare.
Not a qualified therapist, but have a diploma in health food retailing, and worked in a health food store for 4 years giving advice to ppl.
Skating - also a qualified inline skating instructor...!
knitting- and could facilitate/organise knitting workshops, altho im brand new to it. but want to learn.
felting - also interested in getting 'Galgael' ladies along to do courses in feltmaking, spinning, weaving and looming... (check out www.galgael.org)
co-counselling- also interested in starting up some kind of 'co-counselling' or first person action inquiry group...
-fixing broken (electrical) stuff
-creative painting etc
-woodwork
-sewing
-bicycle worshop (denis)
-ceramics
- Denis
__________________________
Ideas from Melissa
Nutrition - I could do workshops on nutrition, vitamins, minerals, herbal medicine, flower remedies, natural skincare.
Not a qualified therapist, but have a diploma in health food retailing, and worked in a health food store for 4 years giving advice to ppl.
Skating - also a qualified inline skating instructor...!
knitting- and could facilitate/organise knitting workshops, altho im brand new to it. but want to learn.
felting - also interested in getting 'Galgael' ladies along to do courses in feltmaking, spinning, weaving and looming... (check out www.galgael.org)
co-counselling- also interested in starting up some kind of 'co-counselling' or first person action inquiry group...
22/01/2009
Minutes from the last meeting
What do we want the social center to be?
-social space for alternative folk to meet
-a productive space with workshops
-gig space (amongst other things for fundraisers)
-a space that includes and inspires its local community
-a sustainable, vibrant space
-open to all not just activists/alternative (therefore careful with that language!)
-could include a mobile social centre
Reshuffle (31st, Pearce Institute, 840 Govan Road, 12-6pm
-history of previous social centers in glasgow (strenghths and weaknesses)
-flyers to advertise open meeting Everyone to think about printing (can we do it for free/cheap) template to be sent around by the 24th
-Group to meet and prepare interactive cardboard stuff (we have met and are preparing :)
-pedal powered smoothie maker (collect fruit) (can we get this or other pedal powered stuff for the day?)
Open Meeting (provisional date = 7th feb)
-location: Landsdowne church, Pearce Institute, Woodside Social? ideally get a place for free
-how well do we want to defive ourselves before opening to a wider public? perhaps use reshuffle as first oportunity of consultation of a wider public and feed this info into open meeting
-make stuff not just talk about stuff!
-working group should start preparing meeting
Business plan
-new list of properties available in 4 weeks, provisional business plan to be ready by then
-working group to meet next thursday 5pm
Brainstorm of money generating ideas to make us economically sustainable
-productive workshops (the produce of which could be sold) many ideas have been put forward ill send round in another email a list of these and if anyone wants to take responsability for one so that these can go into the business plan
-charity shop
-office space to rent
-outreach projects which can get funding
-sale of food (=cafe)
-recycling
-get funding for being a learning center for the future of glasgow
issues for consideration:
-how will workshops and more generally the centre be run? by volunteers? would there need to be paid staff?
-how to organise the collection of materials used in the workshops
-can we legally sublet office space?
-how can we get working class communities to be interested in reusing?
-social space for alternative folk to meet
-a productive space with workshops
-gig space (amongst other things for fundraisers)
-a space that includes and inspires its local community
-a sustainable, vibrant space
-open to all not just activists/alternative (therefore careful with that language!)
-could include a mobile social centre
Reshuffle (31st, Pearce Institute, 840 Govan Road, 12-6pm
-history of previous social centers in glasgow (strenghths and weaknesses)
-flyers to advertise open meeting Everyone to think about printing (can we do it for free/cheap) template to be sent around by the 24th
-Group to meet and prepare interactive cardboard stuff (we have met and are preparing :)
-pedal powered smoothie maker (collect fruit) (can we get this or other pedal powered stuff for the day?)
Open Meeting (provisional date = 7th feb)
-location: Landsdowne church, Pearce Institute, Woodside Social? ideally get a place for free
-how well do we want to defive ourselves before opening to a wider public? perhaps use reshuffle as first oportunity of consultation of a wider public and feed this info into open meeting
-make stuff not just talk about stuff!
-working group should start preparing meeting
Business plan
-new list of properties available in 4 weeks, provisional business plan to be ready by then
-working group to meet next thursday 5pm
Brainstorm of money generating ideas to make us economically sustainable
-productive workshops (the produce of which could be sold) many ideas have been put forward ill send round in another email a list of these and if anyone wants to take responsability for one so that these can go into the business plan
-charity shop
-office space to rent
-outreach projects which can get funding
-sale of food (=cafe)
-recycling
-get funding for being a learning center for the future of glasgow
issues for consideration:
-how will workshops and more generally the centre be run? by volunteers? would there need to be paid staff?
-how to organise the collection of materials used in the workshops
-can we legally sublet office space?
-how can we get working class communities to be interested in reusing?
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