The Materials for making Buzz Space is in full throw and a list of needs has been compiled of what everyone needs. On Tuesday morning, one of the children arrives at the space carrying a small broken table which she had found with her parents on her walk to the venue. It had been left at a corner a few minutes walk from it. At the morning stand up meeting, she shares her finding with the group and it is agreed that the broken table can be used as scrap wood for the den. Three children are now eager to organise a walk around the neighbourhood to find other materials. The group votes to organise a Visiting Space. This means that a trip outside of the venue will be organised which everyone is expected to attend.
A sub-group/committee is formed including these three children and a facilitator to organise the Neighbourhood Walk. They meet that morning after the stand up meeting. The following is discussed:
- They go online and print a map of the area. They highlight the places they already know and decide on a route, considering where useful items may be left.
- They contact a local resident (a friend of the venue) to ask if they would like to join on the walk.
- They make a list of materials they need to take with them, including gloves to pick up items and a wheelbarrow to transport them.
- They examine the existing storage space and calculate that they have 2 meters squared in which to store materials.
- They come up with guidelines to know whether material is free to take or not.
- They look at the plan for the next week and propose to organise the visit on Wednesday morning after the stand up meeting. They estimate that it will take one hour.
During the end of day stand up meeting, the sub-committee presents their plans for the Neighbourhood walk. That afternoon, after all the children go home, the facilitator may walk the route to check for safety precautions and to identify any interesting sites along the way. If needed, a risk assessment form is filled. The following day, after the morning stand up meeting, the group goes for a Neighbourhood walk. They could be joined by a local resident or by a parent. They may or may not find what they are looking for. They are likely to interact with locals along the way who may give them leads.
There are likely to be two different policies for visits. Local visits which are within walking distance such as walking to the local library, swimming pool, park, or visits such as the Neighbourhood Walk, will not require prior written permission from parents. Visits which require some form of transport will require prior written permission.
A few days after the neighbourhood walk, a parent suggests organising a visit to the Remakery. This is a community space for recycling and making in Camberwell. The parent has a contact and can help to organise the visit. The parent (and their child) are invited to share this possibility during the next stand up meeting, explaining what the space is how it is linked to the Materials for Making Buzz Space. The children vote on whether or not they would like to visit the Remakery. As this is a visit which requires transport and coordination with an outside entity, it is likely to be led by the facilitator and parent. However, there will always be room for children to be involved in organising different elements of visits if they are interested in doing so.
The visit is organised within the month. In the meantime, the children make more specific lists of what they need and why they need it, as they are likely to be able to source many of their needs from the Remakery. Sessions are also organised with ‘makers’ to learn to use specific tools and skills.
On the day of the visit, children follow a set program and have some room to explore. One of the children gets interested in the work of a bike mechanic and spends a long time observing her at work, fixing bikes.