Co-CreationLab

Social Projects in Rio: Morrinho and Rocinha Surfe Ecole

2008-01-11T13:10:00.000+01:00

The two projects have been initiated by local people, with the purpose of creating a novel and different space for the youth. The designer Henrik Vibskov has in association with Co-CreationLab supported the projects by sponsorung sports clothes to those involved.

Morrinho project is created by eight young men on a hill in their favela. It is a model of their community in colored bricks and using lego. The Morrinho model is sort of a parallel reality - it mirrors the life and the reality of the favela. It has rules, inhabitants, events, happenings, deaths... It is a whole universe created and lived daily by children, who are are the ones that animate the otherwise inanimate lego-people, and who construct a very complex and nuanced world and reality through play. Morrinho is in no way attempted as a reality-escape - it contains all the elements they are acquainted with - but it does give children a unique possibility of perspective on their own existence and a possibility of realizing how the "real-reality" is created and constructed daily by the people involved in it. It has been presented at the Venice Biannale in 2007!

Rocinha Surfe Ecola is located in the largest favela in Brazil- Rocinha. Ordinarily, our modes of representing favelas don't involve happy children, surfing great waves on one of the most beautiful beaches in Rio. Yet, it is precisly this reality that Bocao has created by starting a surfing school for the local children. A surfer himself, he has dozens and dozens of surf boards piled up in a hut at the edge of the favela. It is filled with kids, music, drum-sounds and laughter! A number of children shows up every day, spending the day learning how to surf. By doing what he loves, he has created a space for the children in which they can play, learn and explore.

Please watch the videos of the projects below:

Organizing the Alternative Climate Summit for 2009

2007-12-17T19:09:00.001+01:00

Co-CreationLab is co-operating with the group of Pioneers of Change in Copenhagen in creating an alternative summit in 2009, when the official Climate Change Summit is to take place.

The core idea behind the initiative is to create and facilitate an event that focuses on the possibilities, on sustainable solutions and on the potentials behind different initiatives in the world. The intention is to show that we must think beyond immediate problem-solving, that we must focus on the solutions already present and that we have to begin c0-creating a future as we want it!

It is intended as an event that gathers various fields, initiatives from different domains and inspiration from global sources in order to create an interactive, liveable and engageable space for all the participants.

The event is currently in its early development stage. However, we invite ideas and initatives from others who are interested in creating an event focused on the sustainable futures.

Join!

Best

Co-CreationLab

Events: Co-CreationLab at Global Journey in Brazil

2007-12-16T13:25:00.001+01:00

From 1 December to 8 December, we have been participating in the Global Journey in Brazil, organized by the global network Pioneers of Change. This event gathered over 40 people from all over the world, and from a wide number of disciplines and areas of interest. The topic of the gathering was sustainability and sustainable communities, which was explored in-depth throughout the 7 day process. The hosting team invited all the participants to host sessions, to raise topics of interest and to explore the issues that were most relevant to them. Thus the process as a whole reflected the richness of the perspectives, backgrounds and expertises of the participants. Activities ranged from open space sessions, world café sessions, theatric explorations, life council sessions, coaching and project presentations. A vast number of ideas, co-operative links and future plans arose in the process, regarding everything from the future and the shape of the PoC network, over project-co-operation and sharing to entirely new projects being formed!

We at Co-CreationLab had the chance to get familiar with other projects and form associative links between Dreamers Inc. and other youth projects around the world. Furthermore, Co-CreationLab was able to present the project of Alternative Climate Summit initiatied by the Pioneers in Copenhagen. The consequence of presenting this project in an open space session was vast! We acquired very rich imput, we had been given a number of implementable ideas and importantly we acquired interst from others to co-operate on the creation of this event!
Thank you to all the pioneers - it was a most rewarding experience!!!!!

Co-CreationLab - Summer School in Brazil

2007-11-24T17:48:00.000+01:00

On 29. November we are going to Rio in Brazil to particpate in the summer school organised by the global network Pioneers of Change (www.pioneersofchange.net). The event bears the name Global Journey, and it invites practitioners from different countries to explore together. The focus this time would be on:
- sharing personal stories and journeys
- sharing collective journeys
- exploroing the possibilities and tools for sustainable initiatives/projects/work

Recently, we have become involved with the members of PoC in Copenhagen in organising an alternative climate event in 2009 when the Climate Change Summit is to take place in Denmark. Co-CreationLab is therefore bringing the ideas and questions from this forum to Brazil, in order to explore with others further possibilities and options and in order to gather knowledge, advice and contribution from other pioneers.

(We will be updating upon this subject. )

Henrik Vibskov co-oprates with Co-CreationLab

2007-11-24T17:08:00.001+01:00

The progressive Danish designer Henrik Vibskov had decided to support the social innovative initiative of Co-CreationLab and the project Dreamers Inc. Henrik has therefore contributed by sposnoring clothes, sports clothes and accessories for the children in the Usa River Children's Centre in Tanzania as well as independent socially conscious Hip Hop artists in Arusha Tanzania (TruthGivezPower Crew).
Needless to say, his contribution was a refreshing and a welcome initiative, greatly appreciated by both the children , the artists and Co-CreationLab.
Clothes donations to Third World Countries mostly assume a charcter of collecting and giving away old, second hand clothes that people no longer use. We applaud Henrik's innovative initiative to contribute with brand new, designer clothes for the people involved in our project, as it provides a new and dignified way of global social engagement. He truly is an example for Danish artists and designers who wish to be socially active.

Henrik Vibskov has further decided to sponsor more clothes for the forthcoming trip Co-CreationLab is making to Brazil. The clothes will be given to children in an associate project (we will make regular updates from Brazil).

Once again - great thanks to Henrik Vibskov!

Projects: Dreamer's Inc. - Babuu's message

2007-10-16T17:15:00.000+02:00

The second phase of the project in Tanzania has just been completed and we are now back in Denmark. Once again, it was a rewarding and an inspiring experience to work with the Dreamers Inc. group. Much focus this time was devoted to sharing and working on their dreams and visions for the future. We worked on creating supportive structures and networks, building the team spirit, clarifying the individual values, identifying stregths and opportunities, planning and learning how to navigate towards the goal.
Towards the end of our workshops, Babuu (16) showed us a letter that he and his friend have written about the needs of education in Tanzania. We find that it displays an amazing sense of perspective, responsibility and visionary leadership. We also find that there is nothing more inspiring than these qualities blossoming in the hearts of young people.
Please read Babuu's letter below:

HOPE THROUGH EDUCATION

Our development in Tanzania will be achieved by ourselves. To help us achieve sound growth, we invite knowledge, guidance and resources from beyond our borders. Our own desire to progress will win co-operation from others, especially our elders.

The sound education of our youth is the foundation for a bright future. Each generation of adults must invest in the youth to ensure a better future. While we focus on our youth, we include concern for our natural environement, forests, plants, birds, animals and fish.

It takes a short time to do something correctly, but it takes a long time to explain why it was done incorrectly. Let us choose accuraetly and make the right choice when a choice has to be made.

An education which does not encourage concern for the environment is like a beautiful flower whihc has no attractive odour. Such a situation is of no benefit to society. Our youth need to be proud of what we achieve rather than simply acknowledge what others have accomplished. creative, inventive and revealing of trust. Thinking and talking is of no use without supporting action. We must work in order to deliver the goods. We want to be

Another consideration is that the education of our youth will enable them to recognise the problem facing society, and following this recognition is the need to find a solution to the problem, which will involve participation by the local community.

Another aspect of this sound eductaion is that our youth be happy in their environment. Happiness leads to freedom from burdens of dictatorship, terrorism, corruption and poverty. A good education is the pathway to happiness which in turn leads to successes. If youth loves what it does now, it will bring sucesses in the future.

Success breeds sucess.

It is better to light a candle than blame in the dark.

Prepared by

Hemed Abdalah

AND

Tumuombee Richard - Babuu

Projects: Dreamers Inc.: Pictures

2007-09-24T10:41:00.000+02:00

Project: Dreamers Inc. - In Tanzania again:Second Phase began!!!

2007-09-20T10:13:00.000+02:00

We arrived in Tanzania two days ago, and began the second phase of the project. This weekend and the next, two intesive workshops will take place. The focus is mainly on identifying the visions of the young people in the group, which would then provide a foundation for a focused strategic proactive future planning. In this phase, we shall be devloping a tool-box suitable for the group, enabling them to clearly identify their goals, intermediate objectives, their mission, values and possible obstacles to work through. The idea is to enable them to achieve clarity about their current situation and to take concrete, strategic steps towards planning of their future reality. The days between the workshops will be dedicated to focused individual coaching of the members, as well as exapnding of their local network.

This time, we are accompanied by our asssociate Gurpreet Brar from the UK, who is working for a foundation that supplies meals for school children in India. Co-Creation Lab is co-operating with Gurpreet on planning a project in India for next year, where we would again work with a selected group of young people. Our vision, as always, is to co-create projects that focus on and help develop the visionary and creative spirit among youth in the world.

Please follow the blog for the upcoming updates. Greetings from Co-CreationLab in Tanzania!

Projects: Dreamers Inc. - Participants' impressions - 1st phase

2007-09-16T16:43:00.000+02:00

Here is what the participants had to say about their experiences from the 1st phase of the project:

Babuu, 16 – Dreams of being a computer engeneer : ”We discussed a lot of new things today, and I think that they are helpful for understanding how to think positively, how to help ourselves... The different ideas that i got are so helpful for my life – because I now know that one day, I will fulfil my dream.

Zeituni, 14 – Dreams of becoming a pilot : ”I like it, and I want to know more about it. Most important thing I learned is to help myself, to take responsibility... When we did a ”dream travel” exercise, I could already see myself as a pilot...I want more people to share these ideas and I want to learn more.”

Lucas, 15 – Dreams of being a general in the army and also a Hip-Hop artist (Lucas has already written a number of songs and has recently recorded a song in a studio together with his crew from the Childrens Center called ”Deka Heka”): ”I think that things that we discussed today are really helpful in our daily life, and I have gained many new ideas about things. For instance, to focus on the future and on the positive things, and not to give focus to negative things whcih will make us fail in reaching our goal.

Nelson, 15 – Dreams of being a teacher: ”I enjoyed the workshop today a lot, and I think that it is a good idea if we continue this program. I learned things I did not think about before...It is important that if you have a dream, people are there to support it. It is not good if they tell you you cannot do it – because you can...I want to be a teacher because I can help other children...The most important thing I take away from the workshop is co-operation – if we co-operate, we can acomplish and improve things much easier.”

Prosper, 21 – Loves science and dreams of becoming a doctor: ”I have really enjoyed the program and the way in which it was conducted. Me, myself – I have learned something new, something about thinking in a different ways. I have learned how I can think about problems differently, but also about how to find a way to achieve my goals... I liked the ideas about focusing on what you want to create and about not being stopped by obstacles, but thinking about possibilities – these are the ideas that I want to transmit to others...For myself, I understand that sometimes I have been focusing on obstacles too much. Now, I believe I should stop focusing on the obstacles but on what I want, what is possible.

Projects: Dreamers Inc. - the mission

2007-09-15T20:30:00.000+02:00

We wish to accomplish and to model a way of focusing on innovative human capacity,resources and potential, and to demonstrate that a road to novel and inventive solutions lies in contextual co-creation rather that programmatic and technical applications of former practices

We believe that the full potential of change lies in the dreams, visions and the creativity of Africa’s younger generation.

We see the children in Usa River Children’s Centre as a resource of the local community.

We are convinced that they would function as a catalyst towards change in their community, and thus affect wider change.

In the pilot project, one aim is to work with a selected number of young people in Usa River Children’s Home in Tanzania, to develop high level of visionary and innovative personal leadership within the group, as well as a mindset that is geared towards invention, exploration and co-creation. This includes proactively working with the dreams and visions, held by the individuals of the group, co-creating with them structures to facilitate social change for the local community, for the country of Tanzania and for the world.

The pilot project is called Dreamers Inc. The name was decided upon together with the young people from Usa River who participated in the workshop.

Moreover, the aim is to model the approach in this pilot project in Usa River Children’s Center, and to use this pilot to subsequently develop written material and a series of workshops/courses about such a co-innovative approach.

Projects: Dreamers Inc. - description

2007-09-15T19:55:00.000+02:00

Dreamers Inc. is the pilot project in which Co-CreationLab models the approach and the idea that a small group of people in one place can change the world, as long as they have visions and a strong sense of personal leadership in the world.

The Childrens Home in Usa River, Tanzania houses some absolutely amazing children that we work together with. We see them as having the potential to become new leaders in Africa and as co-visionary spirits in bringing forth a different world. We see these children as an exceptional resource to generate change. They all go to school, they have each other, they are curious about the world and importantly - THEY HAVE DREAMS!!!

Our wish is to work with their leadership potential and to help them bring forth the amazing creational power through serious work with their visions. And at the same time, we have as much creational inspiration to get from them, and as much new space to explore. Thus we see this encounter as a true co-creation, from which a unique dream for humanity will originate.

The principle behind the project is sustainability. We think that aid and donations keep the order where some are givers (they have) and some are receivers (they have not). Instead, we wish to work from the place of abundance and start with the notion that everyone can have/is entitled to resources, and that there are enough resources to go around (and more), only if we dare think differently and relate to each other differently. So, for us it is important that this project can generate resources through co-operation/partnering/co-creation. It has to be a win-win for everyone involved - because we want to model that this can benefit everyone who particpates. In this regard, people who particpate are more than just involved - they are co-creators. What we are looking for are other people who share this passion and vision, who have ideas and who dare dream big. If this sounds like something you would like to contribute to or help co-create, then do not hesitate to get in touch.

About: Rita Christina's profile

2007-09-15T19:12:00.000+02:00

Indira about Rita Christina:

Christina Biza is an energetic coach, combining in a unique and creative way the methods of Co-Active Coaching (CTI) with the principles of Evolutionary Coaching.

She has been trained at the CTI institute in Sweden and she has completed the advanced leadership and coaching training at the Evolutionary Institute in Copenhagen. Prior to this, Christina graduated from The Chaos Pilots - the business school for social innovation – where she led and co-developed a number of socially inventive projects worldwide.

As a coach and facilitator, Christina’s mission is to bring forth the visionary leadership of individuals and groups, thus assisting them in realizing their creational potential. She works with people who are driven by an idea or a vision, who are courageously explorative, and who wish to take the leadership in making their ideas and dreams manifest.

Christina has a gift of seeing a greater potential in all things, of asking courageous questions and of designing powerful processes that create magical spaces where her clients can become adventurous and creative. She is a true visionary, who believes in the possibilities of things, who is determined to find a way, and who courageously acts upon her vision. Christina’s positive energy is inspiring, and it creates a way for other people to see the potential of situations, circumstances and events.

As a person, she is energetic, driven and adventurous. She is also a professional DJ under the alias Rita Blue, playing electro, Balkan, experimental hip-hop and reggae…among other things.

About: Indira's profile

2007-09-15T19:07:00.003+02:00

Indira is a dynamic coach and trainer, who works from the idea that every person is absolutely unique and has limitless potential to create, change or transform anything.

She believes that the horizons and limits of the possible are determined only by our imagination, and that if we want to cause change or create something new, then our dreams and imagination are the most important and powerful resources. She works from the vision of opening up the space in our thinking for the new, the incalculable, the unique and the unlimited - that is, for a world and a future thought in terms of irreducible and endless potentiality. Her dream is, for this notion of potentiality to become an integral part of our thinking, being-in-the-world and relating to each other.

As a coach Indira specializes in working with people who have a vision of bringing their knowledge and expertise towards innovation on a common platform, who are willing to explore and be adventurous, and who dare dream big.

Indira’s academic background is in international politics, with a strong focus on critical philosophy of 20th Century. She has a Masters in Critical Security Studies and a Bachelors in International Relations from University of Wales. Moreover, she is trained in advanced Evolutionary Leadership and Coaching, at the Evolutionary Institute in Copenhagen.

Currently, Indira is the owner of the company LifeXlode, which is a platform for her creative work, coaching, proces facilitation and workshops. She is an active member of Pioneers of Change, currently in the proces of creating an alternative focus on the future for the Global Climate Summit. She is also the initiator of Belaj Kru, a creative space in Copenhagen, with the vision to promote the multicultural spirit in Denmark through music and creative events. She has also co-edited and published a volume about the future of deconstructive philosophy - "Derrida: negotiating the legacy".

Indira has a special gift of bringing together different disciplines and establishing connection between initiatives from various platforms by identifying the larger, common vision and movement behind them.

As a person, Indira is adventurous, explorative and energetic. She loves creative arts, philosophy, writing and music, and is increasingly fascinated by the new paradigms in science and social scien´ce. Her next creative projects involve creation of visual music, work on a book of aesthetics and design for the future.

About: The idea behind the initiative

2007-09-15T18:03:00.000+02:00

If we were asked to imagine any world, what would it look like? What if it were possible to create the kind of world that we imagine?

Well, we at Co-CreationLab think that we as humanity can do just that – we can create any reality and world we wish. Our best and biggest resource is our ability to imagine and to create, each in a unique way, and this unique capability and potential needs to be nurtured and developed. Change does not occur with a mindset focused on the ”same”, but through visionary spirit that streches the boundaries of what was perviously imagined as possible. And while it may be called reaching for the stars, both history and today’s world show us that those who dare dream of doing the impossible, are the ones who succeed in making it possible. They understand that the reality we live in is fixed only as long as we don’t ask any questions. That the boundaries of the possible are set only by our imagination. The question, then, is: How big do we dare dream?

We at Co-CreationLab are convinced that the bearers of innovations in our world are and will be those who in their unique way and through visionary spirit dare imagine and create new and different things. And the world is abundant with unique spirits – every single human has a potential to create global change. This, we belive, is what we need to see in the world! We need to see and work with this abundance of human potential! AND WE NEED TO BEGIN SEEING THE EDUCATION OF YOUNG PEOPLE AS ABOSLUTELY CENTRAL TO THIS!

For this reason, Co-CreationLab has made it its mission to facilitate new co-creative approach in the work with young people around the world on developing their unique, personal capabilities, on bringing forth their visionary potential and on partnering with them on manifesting change in the world.

In our traditional educational to ”get things right” according to some preconcieved formulas, we miss and even restrict the biggest resource of all. In the attempts to implement programmatic solutions, we do not engage with the human potential to imagine and to create something new, unseen and unique. So how about talking this potential seriously? How about seeing developing countries as places from which new ideas and solutions for the entire world can originate? What if we partnered to imagine and co-create a different world? What if we enagaged curiously and authentically with each others? What if we enquired what the dreams and the visions of youth are? What if allowed them to create spaces that foster innovation and novel way of thinking? What if we valued their original and different view of the world?

About: Wish to Co-Create?

2007-09-15T13:37:00.000+02:00

At Co-CreationLab we are always looking for new people to play with. The greatest innovations happen because they want to. It is our job to support and facilitate what ever wants to come forth.
That is why we invite you to share with us your ideas, and visions. Maybe you have suggestions about how to enrich some of the ongoing projects, maybe you want to share your knowledge or recourses. Maybe you have ideas of new engagements.
We wish to attract to us people that are passionate about life. We want to create with you, who are driven by curiosity and love adventure. You who are courageous and dare to see beyond limiting beliefs, and into the world of unbounded potential and possibilities.

About: Co-CreationLab: The project platform

2007-09-14T21:27:00.000+02:00

The heart and the soul of Co-CreationLab is its vision about social transformation for the benefit of the people and the planet through the development of youth potential. This vision is what breaths life into each projects and what binds all our activities and engagements together: it is the very fundament upon which the Lab is built, providing the ground for everything that is created here.

The projects are always going to differ in nature, even if they are carried by the same vision. They must do so, if we are remain faithful and sensitive to the uniquness and the singularity of each context, of the partisipants, of the needs and of the ideas.

Co-CreationLab as a Project Room is a place of innovation and manifestation, where the dream about a better world is given life and concrete shapes through co-operation and co-creation with the world´s youth. It is a room with the doors wide open to anyone, anywhere in the world inspired by a dream like ours and who believes in the endless potential of the future. This space is not pre-determined - it is continuously being shaped and changed by different encounters and creations, thus creating an openness towards what the future may bring. The only limits to what can happen and be created in such a space where play, uniqueness, diversity, courage and creativity are encouraged are set by our imagination.