Help!
What do you mean, Help!?
Help! is a weekend-long participatory exchange in which members of the local community are encouraged to visit the Pipe Factory in order to give or receive some kind of assistance. Participants should approach the site with a problem they would like solving, or to offer their own resources for the benefit of another participant. A problem in this sense could be almost anything: a need for advice or a good listener, or a broken appliance that needs fixing. Relevant resources would include anything that might offer a solution, such as: the quality of being a good listener, or being handy with a screwdriver.
Why bother?
The goal of the Help! project is to facilitate problem solving through the sharing of resources and the communication of various forms of knowledge. This process should have a positive impact on individuals while strengthening community bonds, and could also establish a valuable new role for the Pipe Factory as a vibrant community hub.
Who is it for?
The expectation is that most participants will be from the local area (the Barras / Calton), though some visitors from the wider Glasgow area (and beyond) can be expected – especially persons already affiliated with the Pipe Factory and the Glasgow art “scene”.
What exactly is going to happen?
In order for the project to be a success, community members should be able to approach the Pipe Factory with their problems and/or resources, and should be able to get assistance in solving their problems and/or be able to assist in solving the problems of others.
What will the results be?
The outcome should be that not only will participants have their own problems solved, but they will also feel the positive emotional benefit of having helped others. The necessary sharing of knowledge is sure to be a positive outcome for all involved.
When will it happen?
The project will run over the course of one full weekend – Saturday and Sunday, 9am to 5pm. The specific dates are unimportant, so long as there is sufficient advertising that the local community knows exactly what will happen and have enough time to prepare.
How will we know whether it was a success?
The project will be evaluated primarily through a survey of all participants upon entering and leaving the Pipe Factory. The survey will record individuals’ expectations and outcomes, and help to gauge the strengths and weaknesses of the project. .
O.K… but how much will it cost?
Resources will largely come from the participants themselves -however a small budget should be made available for refreshments on the day, and of course a space will be needed to work in. There is also a requirement for some advertising of the project in the local area in the weeks leading up to the event which should be handled in the usual way.
