Workshops

SSF launch, 27th March 2004: workshops | programme | resources | indymedia lab | film room | tech rota | info pack | logistics

Intro
A list of the workshops, with some details.

There are also non-workshop events; these are explained individually - two of them have their own pages, the indymedia lab and the film room.

Workshops
See the programme for when and when these will take place.

Politics and Power
Where does the power lie? How do we get more power for our own communities? Focused around enabling and empowering people to make those in power accountable – understanding some of the structures, and learning from people who have had a lot of experience in dealing with them. Could end with thoughts on ways of carrying on this work / ways of making it known what work is already being done.

DEF: Mandy Aitken from IMPACT

Poverty in Sheffield
This is a new (as of 15th march) suggested workshop, thought it had obviously been discussed before. DEF: Father Shaun Smith of Church Action on Poverty could help to lead this workshop, the group has done some research into low wages and bad debt in Sheffield. Pot: Rosalind Eve of Age Concern (Kev is currently contacting other key participants to get involved - any more suggestions welcome.)

Timetabling: Shaun Smith would like to take part in a session in the early afternoon.

Resources: If possible a video player would be good for this session.

Regeneration Comes to Fir Vale - Community Involvement and the Struggle for Equal Rights
DEF: Gulnaz Hussain, Pakistani Advice Centre DEF: Richard Lee DEF: John Le Corney of Heeley City Farm DEF: Helen Todd from Netherthorpe and Upperthorpe Community Alliance.

Non-Violent Direct Action
non-violent direct action workshop Discussion of direct action Examples from around the area.

DEF: Rhiannon from Seeds for Change can do a workshop on non-violent direct action – how to fit this in with others? POT: Someone willing to talk about Nine Ladies and Sherwood?

Timetabling issues: obviously mustn't clash with Consensus Decision Making.

Consensus Decision Making
A practical "how-to", as well as an informative "what is?" Rhiannon from Seeds for Change offers a perspective on a direct form of democracy that we can make use of in campaigns, actions and group-work of every level. Mark offers experience of using consensus to make decisions quickly and efficiently in the head of direct action at events like the protests around DSEi in 2003.

DEF: Rhiannon from Seeds for Change. DEF: Mark B from Sheffield Samba Band.

Timetabling issues: obviously mustn't clash with NVDA; Mark requests that it doesn't clash with Creative Action workshop either.

Your Green City - Environmental Regeneration in Sheffield
A range of perspectives on projects to ensure sustainable and diverse green space in Sheffield. Questions over the balance between short-term conservation and long-term sustainability will be central.

DEF: Garry Smith from Green City Action DEF: Angus Hunter from Friends of ??? Woods DEF: John Le Corney from Heeley City Farm

Timetabling: Garry Smith can only be at the event after 12.30pm.

Creative Action for Social and Political Change
The importance of music and creativity in politics and some practical experience of how to go about it.

DEF: Matt from Creative Action Network DEF: Sheffield Samba Band (well almost, Mark B has put a request out and suggests that one or two people will almost certainly take part).

Timetabling issues? none Resources requested: use of video.

Measuring your Ecological Footprint
Find out your own ecological footprint and question what needs to change in local and global politics for a sustainable world.

DEF: Heather Hunt, Green Party

The grassroots go global - the emergence of Indymedia
DEF: Penni from London Indymedia

An introduction to the global Indymedia network (proposal as sent to IMC and SSF lists).

Timetabling issues? this might be best in the morning? | Resources requested: use of video - do it in the film room?

There is an UK IMC slideshow that is available in Power Point Format.

Council Housing and Public Services
DEF: Shirley Frost from Sheffield Defend Council Housing Pot: Alex Nunn from the Centre for Public Services.

The Care System in Sheffield: The View from a Campaigner/User
DEF: Ros Norsworthy veteran care/welfare campaigner will discuss her own experiences and the nature of care provision in Sheffield.

Indymedia Lab
The lab will be set up on the stage area in the main room, it will hopefully run throughout the day, except for the opening plenary and the closing report back. Plans for this now has its own page, suffice to say that Sheffield IMC have lots of good ideas, and can provide the necessary equipment.

Film Room
A film room will be set up in one of the side rooms for some degree of sound-proofing. The intention is to have a full programme of films, although it may be the case that some specific workshops need the projector. Kevin has lots of films from undercurrents, and we'll have a PC projector on the day. Currently trying to source a VHS player with SCART-output, because I know lots of people have good VHS videos. If you have films or a player you could lend for the day, please let [mailto:k.gillan@shef.ac.uk kev] know.

Please use the film room page to list films that people can bring and also use it to record what you want to see.

Re-imagining Sheffield
(N.B. This session needs a much better title.) Coming out of discussions between Kev and Dan. The proposal is that all of the third set of workshops in the Programme are given over to topics decided on the day, with the idea that these be positive, future-looking ideas of either a dreamlike utopian nature or a much more practical nature. time table difficulties: which workshops do we get rid of?

A suggestion for the mechanics of choosing which topics to cover could be the following:
 * 1) Everyone asked to write suggestions up on a board (in the lobby?) by, say, the end of lunchtime.
 * 2) Everyone asked to write their name by as many of the suggested topics that they would find interesting by, say, the end of the afternoon break.
 * 3) The four topics with the most names are covered in the sessions.

Why do this? There are a number of advantages to doing this:
 * 1) Its inherently more democratic than us organising all the programme ourselves.
 * 2) It immediately gets people directly involved in shaping the content of SSF.
 * 3) Relatedly, it may help to stop the "us" (as in we the SSF consumers)- "them" (as is they the SSF organisers) feeling that some people have already noticed from developing.
 * 4) These sessions are likely to offer space to develop political positions within the forum.
 * 5) These sessions may give space for very concrete ideas and action plans from which tangible results may appear.

The old workshops page has been moved to a new page if anyone still wants it for reference, following this comment.