Collage-network - The Age of Collaboration

Collage-network is a UK based social business addressing the challenges of unemployment.

The initiators:

Nikki Fishman and Pamela McLean are co-founders and directors of Collage-Network

Wrte-up by

Pamela McLean July 2012

The backstory:

Nikki and I know each other well through collaborating on Dadamac. In 2011 we discovered a shared concern for what was happening to people who were being made redundant (and also those who were struggling to enter the world of work for the first time).

The catalyst:

We saw a TV programme called "Finished at Fifty?". We were angry about the unrealistic advice being given to the participatns who had been made redundant. We decided to do something.

Timeline:

• December 2011  - Pamela shared ideas about workshops and support groups with Peer to Peer group and at Dadamac's posterous - P2P and Landscape of Change   
• December 2011 - Nikki suggested a separate social business, called Collage - Age of Collaboration.
• January 2012  - Pamela wrote -  Reflections on employment, a TV programme and a guru.
• Early months of 2012 - Worked on setting things up, with help from Andy Broomfied: Website and Facebook and Twitter
• April 14th, May 12th, June 16th 2012 - pilot workshops at Bromley Library
• June 25th 2012- we tried Matthew's Yard as a location and then started a series of regular Monday meetings there

The ongoing story:

(July 2012) We're on a steep learning curve. From the responses that we're getting we're convinced this is worth doing. So far we are doing it all from our own resources. We are reading things up, trying things out, and getting all the advice we can. We're putting in an application to the RSA Catalyst programme - and if that is successful then we'll have wise help and guidance.

Collaborators:

Probably the best way to keep track of our collaborators will be through Collage-network's Website and Facebook and Twitter. Although we are keeping dadamac and collage-network separate in some ways there is a lot of overlap (especially regarding shared learning, and "waya of doing things"),

Future vision:

it is about people making opportunities to create value together - financial value or social value. We believe it starts by getting to know each other, and looking out for each others interests, and doing small, low-risk things that develop trust and undersatnding of who can do what. We are startign small locally and with as online presence.

The vision  will become visible through the website and in our local group as we demonstrate what we mean and grow the Collage-network.

Learning issues

I've been observing  and thinking about aspects of change for some time:

• I've written some thoughts about how things are now, and some deep and disruptive changes  here  -  "The Invisible Revolution"  - included in - Despatches from the Invisible Revolution 
• I also wrote somel imaginations of a future related to a more collaborative and "thinking-together" life style The Future we Got - Earth Date Zero Plus Twenty  - included in - The Future we Deserve 

Collage-network is where Nikki and I are putting some of the key ideas into practice.