Description
A methodological step by step tutorial guide to show local communities how to spread the philosophy and the know-hows of low-tech in your region
Summary
Contents
- 1 Description
- 2 Summary
- 3 Introduction
- 4 Step 1 - Discover more about low-techs
- 5 Step 2 - Role world-wide
- 6 Step 3 - What to expect from a local community?
- 7 Step 4 - Explore your surroundings
- 8 Step 5 - Reach out to existing communities
- 9 Step 6 - Organise your first meeting
- 10 Step 7 - Your first workshop
- 11 Step 8 - What kind of structure?
- 12 Step 9 - The Low-tech Lab charter
- 13 Step 10 - What's next?
- 14 Step 11 - Joining the global community
- 15 Step 12 - Make yourself known!
- 16 Step 13 - Stay patient
- 17 Notes and references
- 18 Comments
Introduction
Welcome to the historical tutorial for building a low-tech community. It remains useful for people new to the Low-tech Lab wiki who are wondering how they can set up a local initiative to spread the low-tech approach. It is especially useful for people who don't speak French, who will be able to find translated versions in English, Spanish, Portuguese, and German of the lessons we have learned about creating and developing a local community.
Une version plus agréable et régulièrement mise-à-jour est disponible ici : Guide de création d’une communauté low-tech
Step 1 -
Discover more about low-techs
Discover more about low-techs
"The basics of an evolving concept"
Lors du montage d’une communauté locale, vous allez être amené·es à répondre à beaucoup de questions sur votre projet et sur la démarche low-tech. Il est toujours bon de se renseigner en amont sur les bases de ce concept mouvant, afin de bien comprendre les enjeux et poser sur papier sa vision, ses idées pour les partager plus facilement.
Si vous ne l’avez pas encore fait, nous vous invitons à consulter notre site web pour découvrir les projets portés par le Low-tech Lab, les autres structures qui existent, des références bibliographiques si vous souhaitez aller plus loin, ainsi que les autres définitions existantes
Step 2 -
Role world-wide
Role world-wide
"The islands of a growing archipelago"
Establishing a link between territories, as close as possible to needs is the be-all and end-all of the low-tech approach.
Digital distribution channels help to raise awareness and to get to to know this approach, however then you have the people who put it into practice.
Local communities made up of beginners, experienced and/or expert citizens play this leading role in local dissemination, collaborating with the actors in their territory.
They are equally interlinked with each-other in orde to share and exchange resources, ideas, discoveries and sound practices.
"Map from this post- available in HD"
https://lowtechlab.org/fr/actualites-blog/l-archipel-low-tech-en-france-illustre
Step 3 -
What to expect from a local community?
What to expect from a local community?
"From doing, in a dense and resilient local network"
Si vous êtes motivé·e, aimez communiquer, rencontrer du monde, et parler de low-tech c’est un très bon début !
Workshops to experiment with low-tech on oneself, to help citizens become more self-sufficient and to bring out their DIY side!
A detailed knowledge of the players in its territory, the sources of reuse resources, the craft skills of its region, etc.
Strong links with public, academic and entrepreneurial structures in order to spread the low-tech approach to various levels and to help transform these players.
"Photo: Low-tech Tour of Grenoble 2019- Sunflower Farm"
Step 4 -
Explore your surroundings
Explore your surroundings
"Hello, is there anyone here?"
Some convinced people may have already started to work together to spread the low-tech approach in your region. How can you find them?
Our directory can help you search for what is existing near you.
If not, there may be a Facebook group like "Low-tech Gironde" or even "Low-tech Lab Grenoble" with the name of your locality. If it doesn't exist, don't hesitate to create it!
- Directory of low-tech Actors
- Low-tech Lab France Facebook Group
Beyond social networks, talk about it to your friends, colleagues and other associations, the grain of low-tech may already be present in other people.
Step 5 - Reach out to existing communities
The humans behind the screens
This is once again the basis of the approach, to create links, to meet people who are active in this field, and to have a good time with nice people!
There are already existing communities, get in contact with one of them, find out if you can meet them, allow them to share their experience with you!
Then when your structure is setup, other people will be happy to benefit from your own feedback.
Photo : Low-tech Tour Grenoble Takeoff -
Step 6 - Organise your first meeting
"Champagne time ! "
Once you have gathered a team using whatever platform (Facebook group, Whatsapp, Framateam, Discord, local newspaper adverts...), it's time to meet! Over a beer in a bar, in a park, a meeting room, at your local association's house, any place will work. And don't forget to celebrate this first meeting, it is the beginning of a great adventure.
Throughout this event and the following ones (meetings, workshops, stands...), don't hesitate to take pictures! This can always be come in handy when promoting projects and communicating on your activities. Be careful, however, make sure to gain permission and rights in order to use images with identifiable people present.
Photo : The Inauguration of the local Low-tech Lab of Grenoble, 2020"
Step 7 - Your first workshop
"Heads up!"
Many people are joining the low-tech movement to make use of their hands (maybe this is your case!). Many workshops can be easily carried out with only a few materials, tools, and quick results!
These few guides can help you to organise one, but if you have other ideas, don't hesitate to share them!
For all your workshops open to the public, we advise you to add them to the agenda.
You will find under the tutorials section this list "exhibition sheets" in the "File" tab next to the "Tools and Materials" paragraph.
Photo : Stoves workshop / rocket stove, Low-tech Lab Grenoble
Step 8 - What kind of structure?
It's not about the name
If you are starting from scratch, we obviously encourage you to build an association with your collective, this is the easiest way for the basic formalities: looking for a space, collecting memberships, buying material/tools...
We provide a graphic charter to build the Low-tech Lab Local identity that correlates with your region, as well as support for administrative issues.
If you already have an association/identity/name or you want to create one using another name, and you also have the objectives of promoting and spreading the word about low-tech, no problem! There are already a couple that are part of our network.
- Charte Graphique of communities
- Discord Channel #help_admin
Step 9 - The Low-tech Lab charter
"'Bringing together energies
We suggest that new and existing communities wishing to join the network download and send back signed to us (at community@lowtechlab.org) the Low-tech Lab Charter, which highlights our values, and our principles of behaviour.
It can be found in the "Files" tab at the top of the tutorial.
Step 10 - What's next?
More champagne...?
We're sure that you'll soon be flooded with ideas from your members in your community and with requests from people who will hear all about you!
Many different actions are relevant , from raising awareness through stands at events, conferences, workshops, setting up projects with local partners, creating informative lessons to tutorials in order to feed the platform starting from low-tech tested at home or discovered in your region...
In any case, don't forget to continue to enjoy yourself and organise meetings and festive events with your community, this is what builds the strongest teams and the most beautiful friendships!
Photo : Stoves workshop / rocket stove, Low-tech Lab Grenoble"
Step 11 - Joining the global community
The more the merrier...
If you haven't already done so, it's time to come and talk to others about your community, to share your successes, your failures, your technical, administrative and economic questions... Others have perhaps already experienced or are experiencing the same thing, and would be delighted to work with you through these issues!
=> Register your structure and the one that you discover in your region at l’annuaire.
=> Register your events at l’agenda.
=> Participate in monthly calls (follow the announcements on a Discord channel linked)
Photo : Weekend Communities Low-tech Lab 2019 - Grenoble
Step 12 -
Make yourself known!
Make yourself known!
Hey I'm here!
Chaque mois, des membres de toutes les communautés locales se retrouvent pour l'Appel des Communautés. C'est l'occasion de faire la connaissance de nouvelles personnes, de découvrir leurs communautés et les actions mis en place dans l'ensemble du réseau et de réfléchir ensemble aux défis rencontrés par les communautés et l'Archipel.
Plusieurs fois par an, les référents ou les membres des communautés se retrouvent pour le Week-end des Communautés ou des rassemblements régionaux ou des festivals. Ces temps sont importants car ils donnent l'énergie aux membres et aux communautés pour impulser de nouvelles dynamiques sur leur territoire.
Rejoindre le discord de l'Archipel des Communautés Low-tech Lab
Step 13 - Stay patient
Like a good wine'
Building a community isn't just a weekend activity. But it is well worth the effort, gain personal experiences, make new friends, step by step, ask for help, and celebrate your successes!
These documents show the erection and evolution of several structures over the years. They are examples among many others, but can give you an idea of how just long the different important milestones in the lifetime of these associations have taken!
#MakingOf_Low-tech_Lab_Grenoble
#MakingOf_Low-tech_Lab_BBGP (under construction)
Notes and references
Version 2.0 august 2021
Published
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