Looking at the development of a centre for social change in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. This is a very rough draft. I hope to eventually replace it with the final version.

1. a centre for social
change in Calgary

3. Bringing together diverse
FT
communities of interest, in a
A
physical space in Calgary, to
R
support activities advancing
social change efforts, for social
justice and the environment.

4. Which people,
groups, communities,
interests, etc., will this
project try to serve?

5. Which people,
groups, communities,
?
interests, etc., will this
project try to serve?

6. Who might it be for?
Activists Cultural groups and
associations
Social change projects
and organizations Educators and learners
“Progressive” retailers Technologists
(eco-shops, book stores, Social change newbies
cafés, etc.…) The curious
Artists and arts groups ?

7. Which functions to
serve, and which
services to provide?

8. Which functions to
serve, and which
?
services to provide?

9. What types of rooms
and spaces will we
need or want in the
facility?

10. What types of rooms
and spaces will we
?
need or want in the
facility?

11. How will we decide
on where to locate it
in the city?

12. How will we decide
on where to locate it
?
in the city?

13. What will we need in
the building and site?

14. What will we need in
?
the building and site?

15. How might we
structure the
management and
administration of the
project & space?

16. How might we
structure the
management and
?
administration of the
project & space?

17. Need a governing
body independent of
other organizations.

18. Responsible to
membership,
participants and
broader community.

19. Democratically run.

20. I suggest:
Incorporate
a Co-operative.

21. Membership available
to both individuals
and organizations.

22. (Subsidized for low-
income access and
participation.)

23. Pay some staff to
manage and
administer the
project.

24. How can we pay
for all of this?

25. How can we pay
?
for all of this?

26. Possible sources of $
Memberships
Community
Sublet rent (offices, Investment Fund
space usage,…)
Loans
Retail revenue
Other fees
Charitable funders
…?
Donations

27. What the frak should
we call it???

28. What the frak should
?
we call it???

29. What’s in a name?
Centre for Social Could substitute “Co-
Change operative” for “Centre”.
Change Centre Name could
incorporate “Calgary”.
Diversity Centre
Maybe prepend “The”.
Margins Centre
Maybe something
Social Change Centre completely different.

30. Where do we start?

31. Where do we start?
?

32. Have these
discussions.

33. Figure out what we
want and set
priorities.

34. Foster a Culture of
Experimentation

35. Try something quick
and dirty…

36. …rather than taking
years to plan out
exactly what everyone
wants.

37. Just create a simple
space to try things
out.

38. Run the rst space as
a prototype, an
experiment…

39. Plan to throw out the
prototype, but keep
the learning.

40. Don’t over-invest up
front.

41. Embrace accidents and
failures — they are
opportunities for new
ideas and directions.

42. All of which says to
me that the rst thing
for us to do is…

43. Jump in and
work together.

44. So… What do you
think?

45. So… What do you
?
think?

46. grantneufeld.ca
©2009

47. Grant Neufeld
grantneufeld.ca
©2009