Events
Jellyweek - bringing in the new year
Like the coworking movement, Jellies also existed before they got branded with its current term. The first ‘Jelly’ meet up was in 2006, and they are now a worldwide phenomenon. This year the first European Jellyweek took place in almost 40 cities. Next year it will become a global event – Worldwide Jellyweek, which runs from 16-22 January 2012.
There are some obvious connections between coworking and jellies. Humans are social beings, and although they may find themselves working independently and happy to be away from the traditional office structures, with a boss and a cubicle, they may thrive more with some parts of those old structures, the water-cooler factor, the lunches together, morning coffees.
Both coworking and jellies fulfill these needs by providing the space for people to work on their own projects, with the opportunity to share what they are doing, bounce ideas off of others, get constructive criticism, problem solving, and maybe even collaboration.
In the end, jellies are just more informal coworking events and take place more irregularly, once or twice a month not every day. It can be a first step to get introduced to the style of coworking, a first step to establish a permanent coworking space, but it also can become a long term solution for people who look for a place to work together with others without being a member of a more permanent location, something which has gained particular popularity in smaller cities in the UK.
During the European Jellyweek in January, Anni Roolf, the event's founder, saw the potential effect of Jellyweek demonstrated in her home town of Wuppertal, where a temporary coworking space existed for five days hosting events: “Our test users expressed a wish that the Jelly collaboration could continue permanently. The opportunity to try out this new shared working style has great potential to further expand the already growing coworking movement."
This year we can expect Jellyweek worldwide to be much more than what even Roolf had expected from the last. First of all it is a truly worldwide event, with spaces on every continent already signed up to participate. To get the ball rolling even faster, she has engaged the use of local and global ambassador's to spread the word and combine skills where necessary. To get in touch with the Ambassador nearest you simply look here.
Although single Jellies are less organized by nature, after the last Jellyweek Roolf said, 'The experience showed that better quality tools and structures are needed if we are to develop continuous communication and cooperation at a European or even international level.' She has already worked to fill some of these gaps through the organization of continental groups on Facebook, as well as by connecting one to one with different representatives of coworking stakeholders around the world.
What can I do during the Jellyweek?
The concept is a completely open platform. Anyone can organize, from a coworking space operator to a coworker, to a student or researcher, anyone who is interested. The event specifications are equally as open, and can be as casual or as highly technical as the particular organizer wishes. All that is asked is that the event is shared on the Worldwide Jellyweek map:
Here are just a few of the ideas:
- Work in a park or someones home
- Exchanges with different coworking spaces
- Set up a bar camp
- Organize an exhibition
- Create a partnership in another city, or on a different continent
- Schedule a meet-up, live or online, google hangout, livestream, Skype chat, Twitter events
The list can go on and on, and it should. The basic quality should include a collaborative atmosphere. The spirit and support of the event is growing fast, and all who are involved are very excited to see what may happen at the dawn of 2012; to see how the evolution from one living room to a global event takes shape.
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If you have any questions in general about JELLYWEEK or how to be more involved simply ask Anni or myself.
