Garryowen Community

Community event to celebrate and mark the work so far and foster community connections for the next stage of becoming a Sustainable Energy Community at which the video piece and collage were displayed.

Design and laser cutting of 'Invisible Bus-stop' sign at Fablab with community leaders. Made a presentation on the project with community leaders at Citizen Lab Symposium. Stitching the collage and liaising with person who will waterproof it for outdoor display. Meeting with Green Schools Officer and connecting the group with the Green Schools Initiative. Supporting the group in their application for Biodiversity funding as this was a theme identified through the process.

Three community walks were led and recorded, exploring home energy, community energy generation and future possibilities for Garryowen. People were asked to evaluate the creative approach taken. Veronica met with the newly formed Women's Shed to explain the project and invite their participation in the next phase. Fabrics were dyed and printed in preparation for collage making with the group. Walkshops were very effective in helping people engage with the topics, see their neighbourhood afresh and to be able to talk freely. Working closely with community leaders, empowering them to facilitate with us, worked very well in helping us build trust with the community and in enabling the leaders to continue the work after the project. When the community leaders realised after a few walkshops the value of listening to people and how what they were hearing would help them develop a sustainable energy community. This was reinforced during the collage making process. It made the Residents Association and the Garryowen CDP realise the extent of the confusion, misinformation and misunderstand around home energy schemes, funding and grants available.

Prepared and led two facilitated walks around Garryowen with the community leaders. 15-20 community members attended each. Community conversations were co-facilitated with the community leaders. We explored '15 minute city' and what makes Garryowen. The walks were recorded using video, audio and photos. Participants drew a map of their '15minute Garryowen' and these maps, together with ones prepared by children, are being compiled into one map. Preparation and facilitation of a Creative Climate stand with a programme of art-based children's activities at the Garryowen Community Day, introducing the project to children and their parents and creating fabrics that could be integrated into the community collage later in the project. A walking group has been established which continues to meet weekly.

Planning and preparation for the project, two meetings with community leaders to develop the project and engagement with wider community. Visit to FabLab to see how we could engage with the supports there for the project.