The Melting Pot E-Bulletin January 2009
Key Concept - It's All About Attitude And Intent
Ever come across the story of the 3 stone masons? One cuts rocks for a living, another makes walls, the third is building a cathedral!
Simply put this story highlights several things important to the successful growth of any organisation:
- The importance of sharing a vision to improve our motivation and well-being;
- Understanding how individuals, no matter what task or position;
- Contribute to the whole.
Personal attitude and intent are fundamental basics to the successful delivery of any vision. A Founders' character and particularly their levels or lack of confidence are the hallmarks of turning an idea into reality. Then comes the inevitable step of 'involving others' who's energy, skills and attitude are what will take it to the next level. What you've spent years building, without good judgement, other can destroy overnight. Build and learn anyway.
Claire Carpenter, Founding Director
Join us in March for the first in a new series of public talks held at TMP this year: Inspirational People: Inspirational ideas - and learn from the benefit of their hindsight...
Building Social Capital at The Melting Pot
People build relationships of trust and reciprocity faster and deeper through physical contact than any other form of contact.
As such, and following on from members' feedback, we're delighted to have introduced a new series of skill sharing workshops. Held every month, we're delving into the practicalities of subjects such as web design, sales, keys steps to successful consultancy...
The result is that Members gain greater connections within our community, develop skills, and get new business.
Members' Working Lunches
1 - 2 pm, every 1st Friday of the month.
Every month our members are invited to a private lunch, to get their heads together and hear what we’re each doing, and to give and receive advice. If nothing else we stop working for an hour, and concentrate on relationships that support and connect us.
Members' Breakfast Club: Skills-Sharing Workshops for Members
8.30 - 10 am, every 3rd Wednesday of the month.
Coming up in the next couple of months, we're getting together for skill shares on:
- February – Sales
- March – Successful consultancy
Inspirational People: Inspirational Ideas
Introducing a NEW series of public events to inspire the social innovator in us all...
Every few months through 2009 we'll be hosting a public event aimed at inspiring and supporting you to realise your ideas for a better world, and to find out straight form the horses mouth, about the joys, trials and tribulations of those who've gone before us. Ordinary people can do extraordinary things - support your local heros.
Talk 1: Mel Young, Founder of The Big Issue Scotland, and the Homeless World Cup
Date: Thursday, 26th March 2009
Time: 6.30-8.30 pm
Venue: The Melting Pot
Cost: £5 TMP Members and Associates / Concessions, £10 all Others
RSVP by contacting: bookings [at] themeltingpotedinburgh.org.uk and confirming the following details:
- Your name & email address
- How many tickets you require, at which fee
- If you require an invoice – please give us your full billing address
Need a Venue for Evening Meetings? Get a Deal on a Regular Slot.
Looking for a place to hold regular evening meetings? Our comfortable and well proportioned meeting room could be exactly what you are looking for. With space round the table for 10 people and full organic catering service, what better place to meet with colleagues or clients? For the next few months we are extending an offer for evening use - book a total of 6 evening sessions in the meeting room for 2 hours or more and we'll provide the 6th session for free. What's more - there's no out of hours charge on Tuesday or Thursday evenings, so that's only £15/hr for use of this excellent space.
And if you are looking for something a little larger, our main workshop space continues to be highly popular. The good news is we are continuing to provide this space for evening and weekend use with no additional out of hours charge - for any day of the week.
Contact the Events Team on 0131 243 2623 to discuss your requirements or to make a booking.
To explore The Melting Pot using our Virtual Tour, click here.
Scotsman Features The Melting Pot: "Feet under desks as turnover grows"
"An office space venture set up in Edinburgh to serve charity and social enterprise workers is on track to become entirely independent within two years. The Melting Pot, which was launched a year ago by Claire Carpenter, has this year generated £120,000 and is on target to break even – and run without the help of grants – by 2010..."
By Jane Bradley, The Scotsman
To read the full article, click here.
We’re made of money - well, our tables are!
We have new tables made of recycled car headlights and shredded bank of England notes, custom-made by TMP member Simon Hackin / Greenworks. The table-tops are made of shredded Bank of England notes suspended in a clear plastic from reject car headlamp lenses and corrugated conservatory roofs. Many thanks to Simon for all his hard work.
The Melting Pot Member Spotlight
Sorted - Liberated at Last!
The Sorted Project became a company limited by guarantee in October 2008 and was awarded its charitable status in December 2008. Its two founding Directors are Karen Bradford and Maddie Stark, but its history goes back a number of years.
Originally Sorted, it began as a pilot sub-project attached to Work Track, an employability based charity predominantly working in Craigmillar. Sorted was launched in September 2002, with the support of Scottish Enterprise.
The Sorted Project is responsible for delivering challenging and exciting life skills workshops for people recovering from addictions. Through its work, Sorted strives to develop progressive and innovative solutions in order to tackle tough social issues. Below, the directors talk about what they like about their work:
Karen: "Working in this field continues to be challenging and thought provoking. I am incredibly delighted to see people take steps to overcome addiction and go on to live their lives in ways they choose to. I am able to be creative and work with people who are creative and who enjoy asking questions."
Maddie: "The flexibility and scope for change and diversity. Most of all I get to meet so many kind, funny and good people. Setting up our own project, for me, has been a very liberating experience. Not having to justify your existence and work, constantly having to explain the decisions I have made or deal with people who really don’t like their job and feel very strongly that neither should I!"
Videoconferencing Courses from Prescience Communications
The Melting Pot Member, Prescience Communications has been in existence for 10 years. Over that time we have been involved in a number of innovative videoconferencing projects spanning community, business and education. People we have worked with include, the Scottish Co-op, the Scottish Parliament and Civil Service, Volunteer Development Scotland, Learning Teaching Scotland, Glasgow and Edinburgh local authorities and schools, and various businesses.
These three courses are designed to show you how you could use videoconferencing in a strategic way from your own work. They are stand-alone.
Download a leaflet with more information.
Click here to pre-register.
- "Getting Started with Videoconferencing"
February 26th 2009, 1:30 - 4:30, Cost £85 + VAT
Half-day course to give you experience of videolinks, and an introduction to professional tools.
- "Business and Community Videoconferencing"
March 3rd, 9:45 - 4:30, lunch included, cost £170 + VAT
Further development of the first, it uses more case studies, you will get more chance to use the technology, and will include a workshop session to help you develop your own strategic action plan.
- "Educational Videoconferencing with Schools"
March 10th, 9:45 - 4:30, lunch included, cost £170 + VAT
Aimed at organisations who would like to link with schools for educational purposes.
People who have an educational remit, and would like to explore direct links. Since 2000, we have worked closely with schools and local authorities within the curriculum for excellence to push the boundaries of real-world links with pupils as they learn. Prescience is an approved educational content-provider.
2009 S2S Trade Fair: The Marketplace is Open for Business!
The 2009 S2S Trade Fair will take place at Edinburgh's Corn Exchange on the 23rd April 2009. This year's theme is the Marketplace and the Fair will provide the perfect arena for social enterprise organisations or those with an interest in the sector to meet, trade, exchange ideas and establish new relationships.
Exhibitor booking is now open and a special discounted Early Bird rate is available until 18th February 2009. Booking a stand, also means you can take advantage of a number of fantastic discount opportunities that are available for renewal of your membership of the Coalition.
Further information and booking is available via the website at www.s2stradefair.com,
email fionamac [at] eventconsultants.com or telephone 0131 557 5767.
Further details on the range of workshops and other activities that will be running throughout the Trade Fair will be announced in January. Bookmark www.s2stradefair.com now!
FirstPort: The Social Entrepreneur's Fund
Some good news on the funding front, as the Scottish Government step up their efforts to support the Third Sector. John Swinney announced a new £1M award programme for new start social entrepreneurs at the Scottish Social Enterprise Coalition event in Parliament on 18th November 2008.
The fund, managed by Firstport, will officially open in March 2009 and will be available to individuals who wish to establish new businesses with social purpose. Awards will be made at three levels ranging from £500 to £20,000 and the programme will work in conjunction with the current Scotland UnLtd awards scheme which is open now for applications.
Click here for more information about the The Social Entrepreneur's Fund.
Help 4 Non Profits Library
http://www.help4nonprofits.com/H4NP.htm
An excellent source of advice for the more-than-profit sector. from the Community Driven Institute. Articles on all aspects of of planning and running an organisation for more than profit, along with some opinion pieces.
For Heated Discussion
A few people at The Melting Pot have friends who were arrested at the Plane Stupid protest at Stansted Airport in December, and other groups I belong to have been having quite heated discussions about aviation. We've been watching an animation that Plane Stupid campaigner, Leo Murray, made, and we thought we'd share the link for with you - it's well worth watching. Click here for Leo's animation.
We also wanted to share a couple of websites we think you could find useful. The Climate Connection recognises that reducing greenhouse gas emissions, apart from being necessary, has great potential for improving public health and well being, as well as reducing inequalities. Right up all of our streets, surely?
The second site is The Carbon Addict which is a tongue in cheek look at 'medical management of carbon dependence syndrome'. I think it is quite funny, I have to say.
Our aim is to inspire and support people to realise their ideas for a better world
The Melting Pot: E-bulletin © January 2009