We’re already getting a load of interesting suggestions and tips from early Peer Learning Guide readers… and if I’m honest, my favourite part of writing has been researching unfamiliar communities and areas and finding a compelling story to write up.
Kitty Wooley in Washington D.C. recommended we check out @ATDResearch, @JaneBozarth, and @C4LPT.
Anjali Ramachandean n London recommended a few different events over different chapters:
Mozilla’s MozFest. It’s a great example of an unconference with open spaces, plus talks, plus discussion rooms, plus exhibits. https://mozillafestival.org/
(Side note - I remember when Mozilla was working on a manifesto, they chose to write it in different languages, so that each principle could be described in the most appropriate language for the idea. I love how this kind of thinking permeates everything they do.)
XOXO Fest in Portland is also a good example of something that has various different kinds of programming, including one for tabletop games, one with talks including live recordings of podcasts, regular keynotes, concerts, social events the day before so people can just hang out. https://2019.xoxofest.com/
Sugata Mitra - The Child-Driven Education https://www.ted.com/talks/sugata_mitra_the_child_driven_education
She Leads Change: https://sheleadschange.org/
And look into the Amani Institute in Nairobi, which also now operates in Bangalore and Sao Paolo. They prepare social entrepreneurs to become leaders. https://amaniinstitute.org/
And very helpful suggestions since this draft has almost no stories about women (something we knew we needed to address, and intend to rectify before the next draft):
Inna Braverman is an Israeli Entrepreneur who set up Eco Wave Power, a startup that harnesses waves energy but leases the generators from government. In your chapter about African entrepreneurs (solar energy etc.) you must include more women like her. https://w4c.org/profile/inna-braverman. In the hardware startup section, Doppel is a startup that makes people feel less stress through a wearable wristband, run by a woman. https://feeldoppel.co.uk/
Bart and I also have a bunch of starting points from the original list we made when starting the book:
- The development of electronic music (also the origins of hip hop culture)
- DJ Q-Bert and how DJs learned from each other in the 90s
- Engineers in oil & gas refineries
- Pharma and medicine development, particularly Sangeeta Bhatia and her cancer-detecting yoghurt which she developed with doctors
- How World Bank shares knowledge about their projects around the world
- Documentary film makers and how they explore topics
- Various political movements, how they form and communities form from/of them
- Paramilitary organizations, ranging from organised crime to quasi-governmental groups (CROs in Kibera for example) and variations
- Organisations that structure themselves on local chapters, like the Kiwanis Club - and how they adapt to local culture
- BDSM communities
- Illegal trades such as sex workers
- Various long-standing guilds, particularly the Livery Companies in City of London (effectively a guild of guilds of trades). And then extending to modern ideas of guilds that emerge in squad-based organisations like Spotify.
- ISO, W3C and other professional standards organisations, looking at how they exchange knowledge and emerge standards
- Magicians
- The Ashoka Foundation
Would love to hear other ideas, specifics and pointers are great, but we’ll also research into general ideas…