Active Inquiry

Not For Profit – Final event photos and moving forward!

11th September, 2012 - Posted by Gavin - Comments Off on Not For Profit – Final event photos and moving forward!

On Saturday 12th May 2012 our Not For Profit project culminated in a community event at St James Church Hall in Leith. The event was a mixture of Forum Theatre performances, debates, food and action planning – all centred around the cuts to public services.

 

 

 

 

 

Lunch came in the middle of two Forum Theatre pieces developed by community members working with Active Inquiry. After each performance the keen audience were invited to come on stage and change the situation.

The end of the day was spent developing an Action Plan with clear objectives to take forward. The  table at the end of this post sets out the action points and the number of votes they obtained

The Not For Profit steering group met after the event and agreed on the following points to continue to be a resource for the anti-cuts movement.

1. To write a report of the event and make it widely available

2. To create a website page on the Active Inquiry website dedicated to Not For Profit which can be added to

3. To encourage all participants of Not For Profit to attend the intersectional open space event being held at the Citadel Youth Centre on Sunday 18th November

4. To continue to respond and be a resource to the anti-cuts movement. For example we hope to run a workshop for Occupy Edinburgh on 13th October.

Action   Point	Numbers of Votes
Organise   together collectively to oppose specific cuts. Support each other without use   of money e.g. timebanks, exchange of skills, self-help.	0
Join an   established group for sources of info and to help to raise profile (marches,   leaflets etc)	0
Community   Connection Network – ease of access, inform about the cuts, linked	1
If   faced with an issue/injustice, question it and voice it and put it in writing   to local council/government or relevant lobbying body	2
Organise   meetings to plan action	2
Raising   awareness of community resources i.e. local newspapers, community groups,   faith groups – listening and speaking to people	2
Accessible   creative performance and arts	3
Make   stronger laws against political corruption	4
Lobby   politicians, mobilise trade union support, contact public service workers   locally	4
Get/work   together as a community (where you live, work, what you have in common) to   see councillors in surgeries	4
Network   of local trade and infrastructure	5
Encourage   people to pass on info on cuts in their area to www.edinburghagainstthecuts.org.uk	6
Skills   sharing – forming groups, skills sharing days, building community, networking	7
Volunteer   i.e. self-help groups, community garden, swapping	7
Create   a vision of what we want and need in a positive way e.g. collaboration,   respect, support, communication, egalitarian, safe space to go if you’re   lonely, connection, strengthen networks	7
Targeted   campaigns on specific local issues challenging local politicians to adopt   rational policies based on thorough analysis of real costs and benefits –   suggest solutions!	9
Take   Forum Theatre to other parts of the community e.g. parents/families, people   who use other languages	11
Withdraw   all the money from the banks	12
Involve   local churches	19
Open   Forum of all ages to discuss together and decide which issues and actions to   take, and involve all in actions and decisions	19
The Big   Event!!! Invite community and political leaders to talk about the issues and   possible solutions (social work, police, teachers, the arts, politicians,   children, adults, all social groups)	19
Involve   young people (schools, youth clubs etc.) with local media to tell stories of   local people and the impact of cuts on their lives – make short films, blogs,   poetry etc. and publish in local/national media	28