THE GREAT RESKILLING-Vancouver Evolver Spore

Tonight Evolver Vancouver Spore landed at a new space and broke it in with our signature energy for the Great Reskilling. After 2 years of doing Spores at a range of spaces it really felt like this is a space we can begin to deepen the effects of the Spores with more ongoing related events in a welcoming community space fresh and waiting for our offerings. Vancouver Cultural Arts Media Association (VCAMA) started off as a desire to see more after-hours venues for parties in No-Fun City. When the opportunity arose to make it happen it expanded into a grander vision of being an educational space that would meld with celebratory events. Thus tonights Spore was a prime opportunity to start off on the right food with the ground basics of what a good society should have as its skill sets.

To start the night we reviewed past Spores and what the Evolver Social Movement does. We watched the preview for the doc " The End of Suburbia" and then introduced our guests. Special guests to stir the pot and lend their ingredients to the discussion were Village Vancouver (affiliated with the global Transition Town movement), Kelly Ann Woods and her mother via video, Karlis the freestyling beekeeper, and Helen, founder of Windsor House Alternative School which has been doing non-coercive respectful forms of learning for 40 years.

We then moved into a go around the circle to hear what people had as skills that they could share and that they sought and made lists on chart paper with e-mail contacts added afterwards to be compiled. A volunteer named Jocelyn with skills in working with visioning and fundraising offered to help formulate the contributed ideas into something tangible that could be furthered.

For the remainder of the evening we had an Evolver Social with kava kava drinks and wine and chill music. People were really into chatting with each other and connecting. Only wish I could have lingered but I had to get ready for departure to Colorado early the next morning.

Very excited about what further directions can unfold with this new space and Evolver Vancouver in the mix.