Orientation Workshops

Volunteers Wanted

• To run workshops
• To help with creating content/materials

Introduction

For freshly joined members, the space can be seem a little daunting. There's a lot to learn about where things are, how our systems work and what is expected of members in terms of behaviour, interacting with other members and so on.

Specific goals of the workshop:

1. To help new members get oriented and learn about how the hackspace works
2. To help instil the membership with values congruent with a a positive, useful culture
3. To make the space a pleasant place to be for everyone by encouraging members to behave excellently

Format

• One Sunday a month, a few hours
• With one or two seasoned members of the space
• Workshop for a group of recently joined members - or any members who's like to know more about how the space works

Content

• Extended tour of facilities - like the tour, but with more details of where to find things
• How to use the computing facilities - wifi, shared computers, printing, shared drive
• Quick fire safety thing (where fire exits are and such)
• How the vending machine works / how to pay your snackspace bill
• How to use HMS
• How to get inductions on various tools
• How to run an event at the space
• What to do if something is broken (e.g. broken tools)
• Introduction to teams - what they do, how to communicate with them, how to join one. Recruit!
• Q & A about the contents of the handbook / safe spaces policy
• Getting suggestions from new members about how they'd like to improve the space and even implementing them!
• Taking out the trash / recycling (finding the dumpsters, using the lift). Use this as an example/reinforcement of the idea that everyone is responsible for helping out. Everyone should find themselves doing chores from time to time
• Perhaps doing a bit of hack-the-space type work
• Local information: parking, nearest cash machines, food places, local shops of interest (e.g. little hardware/plumbing store on Carlton Road), good local pub