Caretakers & Host Venues

We're looking for islands on the British and Nordic coasts to join this project. We're also looking for people on all of our islands who are interested in working with us as Caretakers of the project on their island, and any variety of Host Venue building or organisation that is very connected to the community. And of course, we want to connect with community groups and individuals too. Chat to us on Discord.

Caretakers

We work with a Caretaker on every island to shape a unique version of this project. This is a paid role that can be done by one person or shared by several people. A Caretaker can be anyone who is interested in community-connected work, has some people organising skills, and an interest in any of the themes and intentions of this project:
Access: accessibility and inclusion, especially in areas like neurodivergence, and for those who have experienced barriers to cultural and community activity
Connecting: making and maintaining connections with, and between, community groups and individuals, on each island and across the whole network
Craft: especially heritage crafts, with a particular focus on textiles
Ecology: especially the impact of climate change
Folk traditions: especially around music and community gathering
The Future: considering models of value and governance for future stability and growth, particularly for community groups and organisations
Heritage: capturing the unique heritage of the islands and their people

What does the work involve?

This is collaborative work that we do with the Caretakers in a bespoke way that works for them and their community. Much of it is typical project management work, which might include working with us to:

identify and connect with community groups on the island
identify and apply for local funding
identify and book appropriate venues for events
hold space for gatherings of participants
think creatively about how this project can best serve that specific community

What kind of experience is needed?

No specific experience is necessarily required, though it's helpful to have led some projects that engaged with the public. We share our working processes with every Caretaker, so along the way we hope they gain some of the skills we use for things like making work accessible, holding space, storytelling, and so on. Our goal is to fundraise within each local area as much as possible, to keep everything flowing within the local community. There is no fundraising requirement for being a Caretaker: we can take the lead on that wherever needed, though it's great to have local support in identifying possible funding sources. Where a Caretaker is willing and able to apply for some local funding, maybe to find out more about fundraising or run some funds through their company, we can work with them to do that.

How to get in touch?

Click here to join us on our Discord platform, where we can have a chat or arrange a meeting to talk about how it all works, and find out about you, your community, and your interest in the project.

Host Venues

We like to connect with a building, or organisation, that is very connected to the local community. This might be a community centre that hosts local groups, or a venue or support organisation that is connected to the project along one of our themes, like a craft centre or library, or a support group for people who are neurodivergent. Our partnership might involve using space for gatherings at the venue, or about other resources. It's certainly about connecting with the local community and supporting them and the local area in the most appropriate ways. Being a Host Venue doesn't require an organisation to have an actual building. It also doesn't require the availability of any funds - though we would love to hear about existing funding opportunities for which any aspect of this project might be a good fit.