Mirela, ‘To me, Community is having neighbours that look out for you‘. James; ‘To me, Community is socially close and supportive‘.
Hello I’m Small Works and to me, Community is opening my doors as a welcoming communal space. Small Works is a collaborative project between CLEAR VILLAGE and CIVA working alongside PEABODY on Vauxhall Estate, Victoria. On a crisp Monday evening on the countdown to Christmas, the celebration of the Small Works initiative was launched for discussions and drinks in the regenerated and freshly utilized space.
The purpose of the soiree was to introduce the Small Works Victoria project and to find out what the residents of Vauxhall estate would like most to see happening in the space and what would be most beneficial. Whether a community resident from the Vauxhall Estate or a social entrepreneur, the invitations were well received, with 40 or so people passing through for a jolly good natter and nibble!
The evening was designed to facilitate discussions around important questions, and to allow ideas to take shape. On entering the space, the table of games provided an icebreaker and a topic for conversation. The stickers invited the community members to finish the statement; ‘To me, Community is…’ My answer felt cliché, but despite that true; ‘To me, Community is a sense of belonging and having a purpose’. Next to the stickers was a sketch map of Vauxhall Peabody estate reading ‘Imagine your Neighbourhood….’ aimed at documenting personal aspirations for the local neighbourhood and kick starting the evening’s subject of debate. The space also hosted an exhibition of visuals and quotes from its sister project Small Works Hackney initiated in January 2012 on Regents Estate, Hackney. The exhibition displayed the results of the CLEAR VILLAGE Well-Being Analysis.
Sharing is at the core of our project. Sharing ideas, skills, things or even a warm smile. Benita Matofska, from The People Who Share, showed us just how easy it is to share, by doing an impromptu crowd sharing. Guests were encouraged to meet new people in the room through a simple exchange of small gifts or just a funny piece of information. As Benita Matofska says, ‘the more you share, the more you have’. The evening ended with a few inspiring words from the founders of CIVA, Michael Norton, and of CLEAR VILLAGE, Thomas Ermacora.
We look forward to many exciting projects and initiatives in the New Year!