As access to property and land remains a key barrier for socially-trading organisations to grow - a lack of affordable and secure space constrains the impact they make and deepens inequalities.
This event – Space, Property, Access, has grown out of a need for space expressed within the Occupy project* where young people were offered a small pot of funding to occupy a temporary space with new ideas.
“Space or money? space. You can do things without money, but it’s hard to invest out of your own money in a space”. lewis
We are bringing together those who have expressed an interest in access to space, property, those who have succeeded in securing their own buildings, some who can help to shape the conversation going forward, and young people who voiced a particular need for and difficulties with accessing space during the Occupy project.
We frequently hear a shared desire for access to property and land; the affordability of spaces to set up enterprises, but also spaces to try things out, to have conversations, to collaborate, to come together as communities and - at a most basic level – space in which to live or to do anything further than simply exist. Increased market rents, impossible purchase prices and deposits make even a living room or workspace a luxury for many who wish to develop enterprises.
So much property sits empty or is underused – and yet those without space are asked to pay ever increasing sums, locking them out of innovation, community, sharing and feedback to potential ideas.
“There is never enough space for young people and less people have their own houses or spaces. It feels squeezed. To be creative you need space. You need time and space. You can’t force it can you”. rosie.
The aim of the symposium is to begin a conversation, one which Kindred can support, be part of, and continue with those involved, to gain access to available space and drive change to increase access to that which is not. Through shared experiences, examples, questions and conversation, we can all learn and develop strategies and hopefully -shape policy.
Space, Property, Access forms an element of Kindred’s fifth birthday celebrations acknowledging that, during its first five years, Kindred has focused on money and investment, within the next five, access to space and property needs our attention, to support STO’s to grow the social economy.
Ticketed access to the event includes refreshments and lunch provided by a Social Trader.
*Occupy formed part of Ideas Work, the Kindred young ideas strand. You can read more about it, and some of the outcomes, in the blog on our website.
https://kindred-lcr.co.uk/news/the-space-to-create/
