Social Design Entrepreneur

MakerLab is a workshop; a physical space designed to catalyse the innovation process at a small scale.  There are tools, machines for making, there are the raw materials, wood, metal, plastics, a discarded washing machine, physical objects that have outlived their functionality and serve now as the seeds for new projects.  There are people, some who have lived and worked in workshops for most of their lives, wearing boiler suits and prescription safety glasses, some who are taking their first steps into the world of making. But these people aren’t working in isolation, knowledge and experience is flowing in both directions, people are learning tips, techniques, rules of thumb, old knowledge and new ideas.

There are no barriers here, new members are introduced into the community and encouraged to share and learn.  Different time slots have different themes, so between 10am until 2pm is ‘quiet time’, where makers are encouraged to work on projects independently, whereas after 6pm we actively encourage cross-participation and the workshop comes alive with banter.

Some people build projects individually, but the really interesting projects are collaborative ventures, with small teams of people working together.  These larger projects are often part funded by grants, competitions or investment and often result in spinout companies.  Projects are developed openly within the community, but without public disclosure so that IP protection is maintained.  This enables other companies to outsource their R&D process to MakerLab members, funding joint projects that can then be commercialised.

During the week we run outreach sessions in schools with a portable workshop, we teach kids how to explore their products around them, to think about how they are made, and how they can be fixed.  We give them something that doesn’t work and we get them to remake it, teaching through real world problem solving.  We then invite them to our workshop where we run supervised sessions specifically for under 18s.  They can also attend starter sessions, learning the basics of making alongside adults who have the same experience level.

In one room there is a seminar on Intellectual Property, we also have skills workshops on topics like welding, lathework and CADCAM.  Mostly it is the members themselves who give their time to teach others about their area of expertise, in return they receive credits that may be used to pay for membership fees or seats at other seminars.  The number of credits is worked out in relation to the number of people who join the seminar, so the onus is on the organiser to drum up support.  Credits can also be earned by working for the community, staying late to clean up the workshop, tending to the equipment, or donating materials.  The credit system is worked out such that it is possible to get free use of the workshop if members are willing to work instead of paying cash.

Sometimes external speakers are brought in to cover specific topics, and we have access to a range of advisors who are able to provide specialist assistance to specific projects.

A number of members also work repairing equipment that is brought in by the public.  The repaired (remade?) equipment is either then collected paid for by the owner, or sold on.

Each member pays a joining fee, which pays for the day to day running of the workshop.  Different membership levels are available; depending on the space required ranging from a ‘hot desk’ to a dedicated desk space, secure storage and tool set.  Once the membership fee is paid use of tools and basic raw materials are free, more expensive materials and use of specialist equipment (eg laser cutter, 3d printer) are charged for at time of use.

The initial capital expense is covered by a social enterprise startup grant and additional equipment is provided by sponsorship agreements with tool manufactures, and relevant service providers.  The management of the space is partially democratic, with the membership consulted before the purchase of new equipment or changing policy, rules etc.

MakerLabs are more than just collaborative spaces, they represent a viable and sustainable community resource, they enable people to learn how to negate their dependency on products by allowing them to make and remake objects which have physical, rather than just functional value.