[Ssf] Sheffield Social Forum

[dan at aktivix.org]

Hello to everyone on the new list!

I've also written to the old list, but for the last time: let's give it another
few days and then kill the old list.

So: what’s happening on planet SSF?

Nothing much.  Why?

Simple reason, I’d say:  we don’t have enough active members.  

The last thing that happened – democracy café at PiP – there were still just
enough people.  Jason basically made that happen.

In the past two months, we’ve lost another two key active members
 

It was starting to feel like a sinking ship
 but then someone – not a member of
the social forum – had a chat with me, and said such supportive things about
the SSF
 

Where are the hoards of people banging on the door, full of ideas about how to
change Sheffield for the better?

Plenty of people ARE working hard to make Sheffield a better place – but why
would they think to do this through the SSF?  What can the SSF offer to someone
who’s receiving a full-time wage from the European Union
?

I can think of a number of things that we could do – I’m sure many people on the
list could think of them too.  But if we don’t have the resources to carry them
out, so what?  The SSF WIKI is packed with people’s dreams and desires.

How do we work to make them happen?

At this stage, I think it can go one of two routes, and it’ll go one of them
very quickly.

1.	There continue to be too few people to make anything happen.  SSF fizzles to
an end.

2.	We re-convene, brainstorm, work out what we can do, and do it.  If you have
an idea, and you can persuade one or two others to join in, then get along to a
meeting and lets start sharing ideas and resources.

The next two meetings will decide it, I reckon.

These are the things I’m throwing into the pot – a couple of them from other
people.

ONE:  We start doing forums.  One every two months, an issue each time.  Some
can be debates, four opposed speakers for a chunk of it, followed by breaking
into tables to rant in smaller groups.  Others can be more networking or
skill-sharing.

One every two months???  Why not?  Just an evening event, for two hours.  How
hard can it be?  [Har har...]

If we did it, the issues at each must be decided as democratically as we can
manage.  Two topics I’d be keen to see - 

1. Sheffield’s regeneration: is it working? 

This one would pit representatives of Sheffield First against dissenting voices
– preferably from Sheffield.  Bernard has already said to me he’d be happy to
put the case against the ‘neoliberal’ model of development we’re using now, to
argue that the environment needs to be at the centre of development, not
‘growth’ or trickle-down.

This could be timed with a visit from the dissent roadshow, since the G8 are the
main defenders of the neoliberal development model that Sheffield First still
tell us is the best way out of poverty.

2. Sheffield: health and support – are we looking after the vulnerable members
of our communities?

One of my neighbours is setting up an ME support centre, here in Sheffield. 
Gathering people like this, and some from health services around the city –
another good forum right there.

3. Greening our city.

A chance to get as many folk working on green issues together in a room as
possible.  This could also be a chance to get the incinerator targeted again.

Any others?  A full year’s programme would be pretty good


TWO: SSF research

Universities are about to start again.  A while ago, we’d had the offer of
students being given the choice to do projects about Sheffield that would fit
with a social forum research agenda.  There’s a letter, written by Kev I
believe, just ready and waiting to go out to those in academe.

This could lead to a hard copy, which could include other stuff such as the best
of Sheffield Indymedia, plus stories from VAS newsletter (which is really
good!)

THREE:  SSF stall at Sheffield Uni and Hallam in Fresher’s week.  Could we do
this in conjunction with Indymedia?

FOUR:  Subvertising – I know at least one person who’s keen to get on with some
of this.  Any other takers?

FIVE:  Web development – re-jigging the website and integrating with the WIKI. 
Making the website ‘sticky’.

SIX:  A stall on fargate, in conjunction again with folk such as Indymedia, and
any other campaign groups who could share the space.  (I'd even argue for
letting the Green Party be there, as well as Worker's Power - a true buffet of
political consumer choice!)

SEVEN: Probably one of the most important - SSF socials.  Sheffield Sociable
Forum events!  A night out somewhere, with fud n drink n music n laughter n
dancing n romance.  Oh yes!

EIGHT:  Publicity.  All this is as good as useless unless we get a handle on how
to publicise ourselves.  We’re not very good at it yet.  (I know I’m not!)

That’s my ideas.

What do other people think the next year holds?

Shall we make a go of it, or what?

Love

Dan