STIR to Action – Crowdfunding for Training Workshops

Our friends at Stir to Action are seeking to run a program of training Workshops and are hoping to raise funds to assist this project via Crowdfunder. Below are the words they sent us in support of their campaign and a short video as well:

We’re the founders of Stir to Action and STIR Magazine, and we’re crowdfunding to support a six-month programme of training workshops to build the co-operative capacity of local communities. We want to establish strong and resilient communities that face up to climate change, financial crises and the other social problems we experience.

Over the last few years we’ve realised that while magazines can inspire and be a starting point for making the changes we’d like to see, they can only do so much. It’s a big step from reading about community farming, the launch of a local currency or the creation of a co-operative…to actually seeing these projects succeed.

The next stage for Stir to Action is to host a six-month programme of two-day training workshops — intense and involved — facilitated by some of our inspiring and innovative magazine contributors from the last few years. So from March to September 2015, we’ll be running a series of 12 workshops in beautiful Bridport, Dorset, where the magazine is based.

The workshop programme itself is being designed using some of the best practice around strengthening local economies, such as sourcing local, co-operative food, working with young apprentices, bed-mapping local hosts and discounts for green travel.

We’re even hosting a tea blending workshop with a local, ethical tea company to make a bespoke, co-branded tea for the workshops!

For today only (7th November) pledgers can also have the chance to win a 6 pack of Freedom Hiker craft beer that we brewed this summer with Gyle 59 brewery!

Some of the workshops…

We have Brett Scott, author of the Heretic’s Guide to Global Finance and founder of the London School of Financial Arts. He’ll be delivering a workshop on the exciting new tools and strategies in financial activism and also the creation of maker-hack spaces.

The Bristol Cable Co-op will be delivering a workshop on creating citizen journalism initiatives. This will include everything from crowdfunding your project to crowdsourcing your constitution; from making smart phone reports to learning the basics of wordpress and article writing.

We’ve also got Jon Halle of Share Energy Co-op on setting up the co-operative structure, launching a crowdshare offer to fund your renewable installation, and working on the all-important community engagement.

Your rewards…

Everyone who supports the campaign will get a big thank you from us and we’ll put your name in our supporters list on the programme and website. You’ll see a breakdown of the rewards in the column on the right. Here’s some more info to entice you…

As we publish original art in every issue of our quarterly magazine, we’ve selectedMatthew Frame’s beautiful illustration from our George Monbiot interview for the tote bag artwork. We’ll be printing these bags using the silk screen printer in STIR’s studio especially for you!

We’ll also be printing t-shirts custom designed by illustrator Edd Baldry/ Hey Monkey Riot — Even Little Things Can Cause a Big Stir.

If you find you’ve got an appetite for pizza and deep conversation, here’s your chance to share both with internationally renowned philosopher and activist Nina Power. She’s the author of One-Dimensional Woman, a senior lecturer in philosophy at Roehampton University, and a regular contributor to publications like Radical Philosophy, the Guardian and STIR.

There are a couple rewards that pre-book you or a friend on a workshop! We aren’t offering pre-bookings to anyone except our crowdfunders. Why not use your pledge to save yourself a seat?

Our Great Transition reference library will be a collection of practical books and resources that will be located in the Chapel in the Garden’s public reading room in Bridport, where the workshops will be held.

(**For rewards of £15 and above for supporters outside of the UK, please add £5**)

Your contribution will allow us to…

>> Hire workshop spaces and equipment
>> Train local apprenticies
>> Create sponsored places or bursaries for those on low or no income
>> Design and distribute promotional materials
>> Co-ordinate the workshop programme