Co-Building a Dream Centre
Impact Hub Birmingham will be a centre of dreams. Not a dream centre. Granted, the space is going to sexy as hell (is hell sexy? I’ve never really got that reference. And I guess it depends if you believe in the paradigm of heaven and hell… anyway, I digress). It needs to be sexy. It needs to boast state of the art facilities; the kind of place you want to bring your clients to, your co-workers to, even your competitors to! But this isn’t about another place or a building. I wouldn’t be writing this if it was. It genuinely saddens me to see so many run down offices unused; dilapidated spaces people have orphaned and moved on to bigger, shiner things. No, this isn’t about building another ‘super centre’ which sits isolated in a corner of Digbeth, disattached from the world. It isn’t even really just about co-working (not in my eyes anyway). This centre of dreams represents 3 very real, and very important things for me:
- A giant trampoline
- A big fat yes
- Glocal excellence
A giant trampoline. Impact Hub is a platform, a springboard, a launchpad, a catalyst — whatever synonym you fancy. It will birth, home, nurture and release into the world, hundreds of projects, initiatives, and just damn good people. The subtle yet mighty combination of the co-founders passion, their diverse expertise and their genuine intention (which is right at the heart of every action, every campaign and every midnight whatsapp message), will ensure a solid yet agile enough ecosystem that every Tom, Jaz and Harminder can truly thrive. This space will bring together thinkers, makers, do-ers and all the resources you need to run successful businesses and social ventures under one cosy, sexy roof. That’s why you’re there — for the people, for the resources, and for the cataclysmic impact you get when you put those things together at your fingertips.
A big fat yes. Impact Hub Birmingham, and the Epic Brum campaign, represents a big, fat, screeching, palm-in-your-face, YES. It screams to the neigh-sayers, the silo workers, the stuck-in-their-wayers, that yes, a group of humble Brummies (and Solihullians — we’ll forgive them) CAN and WILL do this. With or without your help! That’s powerful. Have you ever noticed we’re moving in cycles? Hierarchy, network, anarchy, hierarchy, network, anarchy. This straddles the best of them. It’s cleanly and clearly designed in a way that stuff will get done and people know who to speak to make those things happen (hierarchy). You’re empowered to make the most of the network yourself and with the ‘hosting’ of the space, equality within the network is one of the most important principles of how the space will work. Take it, build it, use it, grow it (network). Finally, a flat structure, self sufficiency and independence. There’s no super structure at play here pulling the strings, or handouts from the big boys. The beauty of crowdfunding and self-financing is in the freedom of independence. “Absence or non-recognition of authority or other controlling systems” (anarchy). Impact Hub will blend the best of these three things, in no doubt an unusual and epic way.
Glocal Excellence. Ok this one is definitely a big more jargony but it’s still relevant, I promise. Impact Hub is global network — 60 hubs across the globe from Singapore, to Barcelona and Birmingham is the first Hub in the UK outside of London. This represents an opportunity for us to be major players, on a global platform. A chance to collaborate and learn from a global community whilst staying true to our hyperlocal needs, values and goals.
Finally, on a personal note, this is a dream I’ve had for a while and it’s something I’ve been lucky enough to have some involvement in. A team of resilient, relentless community of passionate changemakers are out there, building a home for the rest of us to live in. I’m at peace knowing they are extending a hand for us to not just be there, but help build it. Will you help build it?
Thank you for your reading my first blog post *runs around in a circle in a sense of achievement*
Anisa
@anisahaghdadi
