March Collective Housing Workshops : Build your Collective Living Skills


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The Vancouver Collective House Network presents:



The Vancouver Collective House Network presents three upcoming opportunities to 

learn about collective living

Two of the workshops take place in long-established
collective houses in east Vancouver,  and all three
are Facilitated by folks who live in collective houses.

Join us to learn about ways we live together that promote
health, happiness, connectedness and sustainability. 

Advance Registration recommended, as space is limited.


BY DONATION
suggested $5 - $15 per workshop
no one turned away for lack of funds.




WORKSHOP ONE
collective living: how to make it work in a collective house
Saturday, March 3 2012
morning 9:30 - 12:30
This workshop outlines foundational systems and structures that make collective living successful. We’ll look at food & shared meals, work & energy around the home (aka chores), financial options, managing collective projects, and how to start a collective house. Using years of lived experience from within the Collective House Network, within each topic we’ll consider a range of possibilities to prepare you to move forward with the pieces that are right for you. Hosted at Cherry Tree Fort Collective House.

Register now for Workshop One  Free to register, event by donation.
NOTE: Location has 8 to 10 stairs to enter.
Facilitator bios:
Allison Prime is a sustainability educator, teacher, guide and facilitator who lives at a collective house called cherry tree fort. She is passionate about collective living and loves sharing her passion with the world.

Sara Ross (aka RedSara) lives at the Beehive Collective House, and loves the connections and practical life support it provides day to day.  She is a community artist and organizer, and facilitates collectives, workshops and bike rides. She loves to support and work for positive change in herself and in the world, and is endlessly inspired by birds, bicycles, her family, and the Pacific Northwest.


 



WORKSHOP TWO
the power of sharing food: strengthening your collective one meal at a time
Saturday, March 3 2012 
afternoon 2:30 - 5:30
There are many great reasons to share food: it's less work, it increases your connection with others, it's gourmet, and it's cheaper than eating on your own! Why then, does it seem so hard to put shared food into practice? This workshop explores a range of possibilities for sharing food in a collective house, including owning food in common, and eating meals together. Leave with the tools to give it a try. Hosted at the Beehive Collective House.
Register now for Workshop Two  Free to register, event by donation.
NOTE: Location has 10 to 15 stairs to enter.
Facilitator bios:
Travis Clyne has lived in the Beehive Collective House for 3 years. Previously he has cycled to, and lived at other intentional communities and eco-villages. He loves the efficiency and joy of living in a supportive community and sharing common resources. When Travis is not turning the Beehive compost, he practices outdoor sustainability education with folks of all ages.

Sara Ross
(aka RedSara) lives at the Beehive Collective House, and loves the connections and practical life support it provides day to day.  She is a community artist and organizer, and facilitates collectives, workshops and bike rides. She loves to support and work for positive change in herself and in the world, and is endlessly inspired by birds, bicycles, her family, and the Pacific Northwest.





WORKSHOP THREE
homo sweet homo: queer- and trans-positivity in collective houses.
Saturday, March 10 2012 
afternoon 2:30 - 5:30
What does it mean for a house to be queer- and/or trans-positive?
What might it look like to be an ally through a housemate's transition? What does "gender balance" in a house mean when gender is complicated? Explore these questions and more, and help to create a toolkit on gender and sexuality to take back to your house and community. 
Register now for Workshop Three Free to register, event by donation
1720 Grant St, at Commercial Drive in the Mosaic Community Room

NOTE: Location is fully accessible including washrooms.

Facilitator bios:
Esther McPhee is a writer, jammer, and pancake-flipper, who has been thinking about gender and sexuality since they first started their high school's gay/straight alliance back in the day. They live at The Red House and can most often be found dreaming of blackberries.

Ben Keane-O'Hara has given workshops on sexuality and gender to high school youth and university students since 2005. He likes reading poetry, taking pictures and baking cake, and lives with a gaggle of chickens, bees, cats and humans at The Grown-Up House.


VCHNetwork is Growing and your work is a part of it


What could this Network BE?
What do you want to see here?
  • Skills Database 
  • Map/Listing of Collective Houses 
  • List of Facilitators available to support Collective Houses (forming, visioning, conflict resolution) 
  • Updates on Advocacy, or for that matter... Advocacy
  • Workshop Descriptions and notes from past workshops
  • add your contribution HERE

Voices at City Hall are interested in ways to increase the stock of affordable housing in Vancouver. Collective Housing is a part of this picture, and the VCHN has skills to share!

If you think you'd like to get involved with increasing the visibility and awsomeness of the Vancouver Collective House Network SEND US AN EMAIL with your questions / thoughts / skills / ideas. vancouverchn -at- gmail -dot- com

We meet regularly and some of us are currently planning another workshop series for early spring 2012. ALL WELCOME.

Aug 4 Workshops a Success!

Thanks to all who supported and participated
in our August 4 Workshops about Collective Housing!
Read about it in this Georgia Straight Article.


Two houses were packed full of people,
leaving the general sense that both workshops
were stimulating and worthwhile. Pictures coming shortly...


Stay tuned for more workshop announcements, and
a b s o l u t e l y g e t i n t o u c h
if you are interested in offering, hosting, or attending any workshops in the future!
Together we are creating supportive community through collective housing.


The VCHNetwork is co-created through contributions of
anyone who would like to be involved. ALL WELCOME.

Thursday, August 4 COLLECTIVE LIVING WORKSHOPS


The Vancouver Collective House Network presents two free opportunities to
learn about collective living. These evening workshops take place
in long-established collective houses in the Commercial Drive area,
and have been sponsored by the Neighbourhood Small Grant Program
via the Vancouver Foundation.

Join us to learn about ways we live together that promote health,
happiness, connectedness and sustainability. Not to mention save money,
tread lightly on the environment, and enjoy life together!


Registration required.

Let us know in advance if you need child-care.
Snacks & bus tickets provided.
Both hosting houses have accessibility challenges (between 10 and 15 stairs).




collective living: how to make it work in a collective house
Thursday, August 4
6:30 – 9pm

This workshop outlines foundational systems and structures that make collective living successful. We’ll look at food & shared meals, work & energy around the home (aka chores), financial options, managing collective projects, and how to start a collective house. Using years of lived experience from within the Collective House Network, within each topic we’ll consider a range of possibilities to prepare you to move forward with the pieces that are right for you. Hosted by the Beehive Collective House.

Workshop followed by a short social, together with participants from "creating welcoming homes" workshop.

Register now (free)




creating welcoming homes: anti-oppression and collective housing

Thursday, August 4
6 – 9pm

This workshop explores the social dynamics of the collective house movement, asking some important questions about who we attract to our houses and why. Through anti-oppression exercises and discussion, participants will be invited to strengthen understanding of some of the ways various forms of oppression operate in daily life, developing skills and awareness to create safe, welcoming homes. Hosted by the Bicyclette Rouge Collective House.

Workshop followed by a short social, together with participants from "collective living: how to make it work" workshop.

Register now (free)




Facilitator bios for collective living: how to make it work in a collective house
Allison Prime is a sustainability educator, teacher, guide and facilitator who lives at a collective house called cherry tree fort. She is passionate about collective living and loves sharing her passion with the world.

Sara Ross (aka RedSara) lives at the Beehive, and loves the connections and practical life support it provides day to day. She is a community artist and organizer, collective facilitator, and loves to ride her bike into the sunset or the rain!


Facilitator bios for creating welcoming homes: anti-oppression and collective houses
Naava Smolash is a researcher and teacher whose work centres on nationalism, racialization, and antiracism. She has provided workshops on anti-oppression and critical media literacy for grassroots organizations such as SFPIRG, the Otesha Project, and others. She currently teaches a third year literature class on nationalism in Canadian literature at Simon Fraser University, and collaborates with the Press Release collective producing social-movement-based poetry. She has helped found three collective houses, including La Bicyclette Rouge where she currently lives. She is one of the co-founders of the Vancouver Collective House Network.

Anthony Meza-Wilson has lived in many (by last count 9) communal living situations throughout his entire life across North and South America. He has served as faculty at the North American Students of Cooperation Education and Training Institute since 2004 and is thrilled by creating spaces where people freely share skills, ideas, and resources. He is currently working to complete a Master's degree in Educational Studies at UBC where he studies the intersections between anti-authoritarian educational projects and anti-oppression work, particularly decolonization. He loves the wilderness, cats, and red raspberries and frequently drinks far too much coffee.

Collective Houses Workshop Series,
launching May 14, 2011

Vancouver Collective House Network is happy to announce their first Workshop for 2011:

How to Start a Collective House
Saturday, May 14th 2011, noon - 4pm
followed by social tea until 5pm
Hosted by 'Cherry Tree Fort' Collective House.



Facilitated by two members of the Vancouver Collective House Network, with an additional three panelists representing different houses within the Network.

This workshop will answer the basic 'how and why's of Collective Houses, as well as provide examples across the spectrum of different organizational systems that make collective living work. You can expect some guided visioning to support articulating foundational principles for what is important in shared living.

Workshop will be followed by a social tea-time, so people have more opportunities to connect about housing possibilities within the community.




To Get Involved, or to Learn More about upcoming workshops, email vancouverchn (at) gmail.com

Collective Houses Workshop Series Planned

Vancouver Collective House Network is in the formative stages of creating a Collective Houses Workshop Series for 2011/2012.

So far, in preparation for this Series, we have solicited ideas from folks about what they'd like to learn about, we've talked in person and over email about logistics with a recognition of how much we personally take on, and we've brainstormed a list of topics to pursue.


TOPICS for the Collective Houses Workshop Series include...but are not limited to:
  • How to Start a Collective House
  • Supporting Diversity in our Communities: Inclusive Collective Houses
  • Social Permaculture and Collective Houses
  • Collective Houses for kids & families
  • Creating Togetherness (Music, food, projects, etc)
  • Collective Decision Making: Meetings, Consensus & Communication
  • Building a Greywater System
  • Low Impact Living in Collective Houses
  • Non-Violent Communication (NVC) and Collective Living
  • Potluck music jam & Collective Living Celebration!
Format for the workshops varies topic to topic, and will include panel discussions, presentations, and hands-on experiential learning.

To Get Involved, or to Learn More about upcoming workshops, email vancouverchn (at) gmail.com

Day of Workshops a Success!

(read the next few posts to learn more about this inspiring day of workshops)





We packed several houses, fed 60, learned and laughed and shared the joys of collective houses.
Thanks to everyone who helped and attended and came together for this great event.


Check out these stories about the day.

Georgia Straight

Sing Tao
the Tyee
Jack's blog summary
The Vancouver Collective House Network presents:

A Day of Workshops about Collective Houses on Sunday, April 11, 2010
What are they? How do they work? Why are they so important?


10:30am - 4:30pm


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Come to a single workshop, or for the whole day!
FREE to attend and participate.
Delicious vegan lunch provided. Please register for (see sidebar)




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Schedule: April 11, 2010 Please Register (see sidebar)

10 - 10:30am: Gather, Tea and Registration (bring a mug),
10:30am - noon: Starting and Sustaining a Collective House,
noon - 1pm: free Vegan LUNCH,
1 - 2:30pm: Conflict and Communication, 

 1 - 2:30pm: The Beauty of Eating Together, 
3 - 4:30pm: Buying a House Collectively, 3 - 4:30pm: EcoTour,4:30 - 6pm: Urban Chicken Tour & Social Time, Starts from




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Gathering and Workshop Registration
Begin the day with a cup of tea at the Beehive. Sign up for your preferred workshops.
Time: 10am - 10:30
Location: The Beehive

Bring a mug!




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How to Start & Sustain a Collective House
The How's and Why's of Community Living
Time: 10:30am - noon
Location: The Beehive
This is a panel discussion with members of different collective houses. Topics include the process of starting a house,
choosing housemates, visioning and other strategies to form and maintain a cohesive house. This workshop will also
highlight the individual and community benefits of living collectively, and why we have chosen to live this way.

There will be lots of time for any questions and conversations that arise.





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The Collective Housing Connection (& Lunch)
A participatory workshop aimed at connecting like-minded individuals
who are seeking to start a collective house or have an existing house
they're looking for others to join.


Time: noon - 1pm
Location:
Food is a simple way to bring people together.A delicious, vegan meal will be provided.
Bring a plate if you can, or we can hook you up.




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