http://www.socialspaces.org Social Spaces Sun, 27 Nov 2011 17:58:18 +0000 http://www.socialspaces.org en http://www.socialspaces.org/Social-Spaces http://www.socialspaces.org/following/socialspaces.org/Social-Spaces Sun, 27 Nov 2011 17:58:18 +0000 Social Spaces 2360394 Social Spaces aims to transform society at community level. We surface new emergent knowledge from successful community practise around the world, use a trans-disciplinary approach to analyse and extract learning, and develop innovative approaches to spread these new ideas and methods. We are determined to make an adventure of it. Social Spaces has an infrastructure that enables us to collaborate widely. We have three different work spaces: + SOCIAL LAB <img src="http://payload3.cargocollective.com/1/0/8539/2360394/lab_1.jpg" width="670" height="72" width_o="1255" height_o="135" src_o="http://payload3.cargocollective.com/1/0/8539/2360394/lab_1_o.jpg" data-mid="17071436" border="0" align="left"/> This is an exploration and experimentation space for collaborating with people from varying disciplines - to understand and spread creative community culture. We connect with innovative people and organisations around the globe, to share practices, test new ideas, research community projects, and create tools and techniques. We seek funding for individual projects, or decide to self-fund things we believe to be important. + COMMUNITY LOVER'S GUIDE TO THE UNIVERSE <img src="http://payload3.cargocollective.com/1/0/8539/2360394/CLG.jpg" width="670" height="71" width_o="1251" height_o="134" src_o="http://payload3.cargocollective.com/1/0/8539/2360394/CLG_o.jpg" data-mid="17072086" border="0" align="left"/> Following the fantastic response to the collaborative book Hand Made (70,000 online readers), which was published in Autumn 2010, the idea evolved that we might be able to start producing local versions of Hand Made - which are now known collectively as Community Lover's Guide to the Universe. We are now over 45 voluntary editors across the globe - working together to share inspiring examples of creative, collaborative community activity. We work as a Collaborative Innovation Network, and are setting up an organisational structure which gives ownership to all contributors. The first edition to publish was the Community Lover's Guide to Rotterdam on the 8 March 2012 and stories are online to read. + SOCIAL SPACES STUDIOS <img src="http://payload3.cargocollective.com/1/0/8539/2360394/SSS.jpg" width="670" height="73" width_o="1249" height_o="137" src_o="http://payload3.cargocollective.com/1/0/8539/2360394/SSS_o.jpg" data-mid="17072596" border="0" align="left"/> This is where we put the knowledge, experiences and tools developed and tested in the Social Lab into wider practice. This work stimulates new types of community activities and enables citizens and professionals alike to collaborate in transforming their neighbourhoods. Social Spaces Studios work as a partnership, currently comprising Tessy Britton, Laura Billings and Maurice Specht, working predominantly in the UK and The Netherlands ... but also worldwide.