Social Enterprise World Forum

Finding Common Ground

January 31, 2017

Collett’s Corner

December 21, 2017

The backdrop of the Social Enterprise World Forum 2017 is the transitional city of Christchurch and its community’s spirit of innovation and positive disruption.

The Transitional City Stream is about opening up the Forum to the city of Christchurch with a programme of tours and activities for both the public and delegates, offered by the local community and local practitioners. An expansive programme will run over 8 days around the Forum, from Saturday September 23rd to Saturday September 30th, to give the public and all delegates an authentic and meaningful experience of social enterprise in the host city for SEWF 2017.

Visit their website to find out about other tours and sign up, public registration here.

The tour we are included a visit to XCHC and Wikihouse, details below.

Building Community by Building Buildings

XCHC (Exchange Christchurch Ltd) is a cultural enterprise with the purpose to cultivate a creative ecology. It was established in the post-earthquake context and the result of the city having lost the majority of its grade C building stock, which is where creatives typically occupy and develop their businesses. XCHC is a hub for all types of creatives to meet and share ideas. The open plan space has production space to create creative works; a showcase space to share creative works and the café to welcome the public in to see the works and provide feedback.

Ohu
Ohu is a company started on the back of observing what transpired through the development of XCHC and other community minded projects in Christchurch. There are a number of people passionate about building communities to serve a range of purposes, but there are often essential skills missing for these communities to succeed. Ohu Development is established to support communities to collectively create and own their own asset. The purpose is to transform the built environment through using regenerative economic models in community ownership of our built environment.

Space Craft Systems (WikiHouse NZ):
Founded in the aftermath of the 2011 Christchurch earthquakes Space Craft Systems is a New Zealand-based social enterprise, leading the world in developing the WikiHouse open-source building system along with its implementation through the activation and engagement of the Citizen Sector.

Tour Description:
Your tour begins with a visit to Ohu, based at XCHC, where Camia Young and Preston Hegel will share with you the purpose and motivations behind these two social enterprises. XCHC Café will provide you with lunch, the café sources its ingredients from local farmers and the menu changes daily based on what is seasonal. They will share with you XCHC’s story, and you will see how things that start with a social purpose can be nurtured into creating big impact and lasting change.

Last but not least we head to Space Craft Systems to see the most advanced prototype ‘slice of WikiHouse’ in the world at the first global ‘WikiLab’ manufacturing premises, and meet the everyday people who have made this happen. There will be a presentation from the founders - why they’re so passionate about this project, the values they bring to their work and their ability to engage the Citizen Sector directly in the delivery of the built environment. Find out what distinguishes the WikiHouse method of community based manufacture and who builds the houses that are going to change the world!

There will be interactive displays & demonstrations and a chance to view the scale-models and understand how they translate holistic thinking into built form. Plenty of opportunities for Q&A at the end.

Date: Monday 25 and Tuesday 26 September Time: 12.00pm - 4.35pm Maximum Numbers: 40 Price: $86 (lunch included) To: Minimum numbers. Please note you will need to comply with Health and Safety directives from SCS staff as Space Craft Systems is a working factory environment. Sturdy footwear is required - no open toes or high heels.

22 September 2017 – Ohu will give a talk at XCHC as part of a tour for delegates visiting from around the world for the Social Enterprise World Forum hosted in Christchurch in September 2017.