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.