Democratic, Inclusive and Creative Neighbourhoods: event and live podcast on Oct 11

A networking and peer-sharing opportunity for community catalysts and practitioners of creative place making. This dynamic session explored how we apply neighbourhood-based, participatory and incisive processes to community-led housing, and other cooperative initiatives. 

The day-long session took place in Cloughjordan, County Tipperary, with Joseph Rathinam, a south Indian community activist. With inputs from Sinead Cullen, Peadar Kirby, Nathaniel Whitestone, SOA, Common Knowledge & WEAll IRELAND. It was hosted and facilitated by Davie Philip & Chris Chapman

In-Person Active Workshop  – 11.00 – 17.00 – Tuesday October 11th 2022 WeCreate Workspace, Cloughjordan Ecovillage, Tipperary. 

Tune in to the Live Podcast – 16.00 – 17.00 Participants share their ideas in this online session live from WeCreate.

Presented by Cloughjordan Co-Housing and SONEC (Sociocratic Neighbourhood Circles), Cultivate, FEASTA, Workhouse Union, SOA and the Wellbeing Economy Alliance of Ireland. Part of the Creatively Building Back Better Project supported by the Irish Environmental Network. 

Joseph Rathinam, a south Indian community activist, the lead trainer for the Neighbourhood Parliaments movement and an advocate and practitioner of ‘Neighborocracy’
Rosie Lynch, Creative Director of Workhouse Union and has been vital in developing the Nimble Spaces/Inclusive Neighbourhood programme.
Sinead Cullen, an architect, visual artist and Movement Medicine teacher working with individuals and organisations to imagine and build healthier ways of living.
Nathaniel Whitestone, is a certified Sociocracy expert with twenty five years experience in ethical business and sustainable community organising in North America and Europe. 
Peadar Kirby, an academic, author and active resident of Cloughjordan Ecovillage who has published widely on Ireland’s model of development, the political economy, globalisation, vulnerability/resilience, and on the low-carbon transition.
The proceedings will be co-facilitated by 
Davie Philip, a community catalyst and facilitator at Cultivate, the Sustainable Ireland Cooperative who has spent the last 25 years actively promoting and catalysing sustainable communities in Ireland. 
Chris Chapman, a highly experienced and competent convenor and host of conversations that matter with a background in community development and an interest in the powers of particular places to support transformative work.

Partners 
Cloughjordan CoHousing.Coop is progressing an affordable, diverse and cooperative neighbourhood model of low-carbon development, with an emphasis on sustainability and community, proposed to be located on sites within the Ecovillage in Cloughjordan. Cloughjordan CoHousing has co-hosted several events entitled ‘Housing Ourselves’, bringing together community-led housing activists, researchers and design professionals. https://cloughjordancohousing.coop
SONEC(Sociocratic Neighbourhood Circles) is an Erasmus+ project – funded by the EU’s “KA2 – Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices / KA204 – Strategic Partnerships for adult education” program – that addresses serious social and environmental issues by applying neighbourhood-based, bottom-up, participatory and inclusive decision making processes.https://sonec.org
Workhouse Union supports the development of inclusive, meaningful, positive places and communities. Their unique approach is rooted in care and collaboration. Using creativity, they bring people together around often complex issues, needs and challenges, helping facilitate a meaningful transformation of towns, neighbourhoods and shared spaces.https://workhouseunion.com
Cultivate – The Sustainable Ireland Cooperative Established in 2000 the Sustainable Ireland Cooperative trading as Cultivate is national NGO focused on education and civic engagement. The co-op has progressed sustainability and community resilience through courses, events and publications. For ten years Cultivate managed a sustainable living and learning centre in Dublin city before relocating in 2011 to Cloughjordan, County Tipperary and currently manage the WeCreate Community Enterprise Centre in Cloughjordan Ecovillage. http://www.cultivate.ie
FEASTA Feasta, the Foundation for the Economics of Sustainability, aims to identify the characteristics (economic, cultural and environmental) of a truly sustainable society, articulate how the necessary transition can be effected and promote the implementation of the measures required for this purpose.https://www.feasta.org
SOA SOA is a not-for-profit action research think tank, formed in 2017 to research and promote cooperative and collaborative approaches to housing in Ireland. We study proven and successful UK, European and North American strategies and look at how these might be adapted to Ireland.https://soa.ie
WEAll Ireland – ~Wellbeing Economy Alliance The WEAll Ireland hub is a collaboration of organisations and individuals across the island of Ireland working towards a wellbeing economy, delivering human and ecological wellbeing. The Wellbeing Economy Alliance is a global network building momentum for economic transformation and changing the debate so that economies around the world deliver shared wellbeing for people and planet. https://weall.org/ireland