ESPA Communities Group

I know there's a wiserearth blog on the way, and because I want to start blogging now, I'm using this space to let people know what I'm up to and/or thinking.

Summary of current interests:

Wiserearth - I'm adminstrator to the wiserearth UK group, which aims to help UK based wiserearth members connect more effectively

Hub Bristol - I'm helping strengthen the board, get a sales effort going, offering general business support as an 'Angel' and supporting the staff as well as helping to connect the space with other 'Funky Spaces' across the city

University of West of England - I'm helping one of their students start up a social enterprises, am talking about cross departmental connections in business-related work, and am helping build better connections between the 'UWE Ventures' space on the 4th floor of Bush House, and The Hub Bristol on the floor above.

Walk Your Talk - I'm drafting invitations to this year's event in Brecon. The web site will be revised by the end of April, when I'll update the links on Wiserearth

Association of Sustainability Practitioners - I'm handing over the mantle of Director and coordinator, and am stepping more into the role of Chairman/supporter

Bristol City Council - I'm talking to a range of people about how to support partnership working across groups in the City, and about how to move effectively from confrontational to collaborative politics

GWE BusinessWest - a key partner in the Bristol partnership scene, I'm also staying in touch about how best to support Social Enterprise

999 It's Time - I'm working with Misty Oldland on a song based initiative that helps bring this and other social change networks together more effectively

Sitcom - I've started drafting out an idea for a sitcom which refers to the kind of issues debated on Wiserearth, and which will raise the profile of lots of great people and their websites/initiatives

March Highlights

Updated the text and details for Walk Your Talk 2009 and issued first invites - 3 No's, 7 maybe's and 2 Yes's already.

Threw in 10 penn'orth on seeing past organisations to shared purpose at a Sustainability Breakfast, and again at Bristol's 'Momentum Group'.  I quoted Lao Tse "And as for the great leader, when his work is done, the people will all say 'we did it for ourselves'..."   I'm optimistic about the potential for partnership work in Bristol.

Meeting up with Misty Oldland to talk about the 'OneSong' project. Fantastic creative energy and possibility there.

Conversations with Bristol City Council, Bristol East Side Traders, UWE Ventures and others about using the 'Funky Spaces' group we set up in Bristol to be more collaborative. There's potential for being a kind of clearing house for people involved in social enterprise so they get exactly the kind of space and support they need/can afford.

Enjoyed re-connecting with CREATE centre, and seeing the continuity of the story/vision from there in Bush House

REALLY pleased to finally have started writing the sit com.

April

Went to a great Festival of Ideas (www.ideasfestival.co.uk) debate on 'Freedom of Speech'.    I think these kinds of debates are fascinating  because people start thinking about things that they simply don't normally talk about.  Our attitudes to difference seems to be a the heart of it all (sounds obvious when you say it), and I thought it was a shame the group didn't get into the ways we can turn conflict into learning, and make difference an issue to embrace and celebrate...