A VOYAGE of discovery is to set sail into the future of Barrow borough – will you join its trailblazing crew?
Barrow’s New Constellation is an experiential journey to explore what the Barrow area could become if it fully reflected the potential of its incredible residents.
A search has been launched to find a group of up to 15 people, representing all walks of life across Barrow and its communities, to be part of this exciting adventure.
Participants will be given the space and tools to co-create a new vision for Barrow’s future, inspired by cutting-edge community projects and innovation already happening in the area, as well as elsewhere.
The powerful project will create a place that offers the group safety and courage to dream and to give expression to the deeper voice within us all that too rarely influences the plans that shape our lives.
The aim is to hear the experiences and hopes from the group members, then collectively they will map a new story for the Barrow borough. The outcomes will be shared so that they can help inform the strategy processes for the area.
The journey will be led by creative incubator The New Constellation, working in close collaboration with Barrow Borough Council and local community groups, as well as acclaimed innovators Hilary Cottam, author of ‘Radical Help’, and Rob Hopkins, author of ‘From What Is to What If’.
The vision will be articulated through the creative content made alongside local artists and shared with the community. It is intended that this collaborative community project will evolve to provide a context and guiding principles that can assist Barrow borough for the future and the important decisions ahead.
The process, designed to work around Covid-19 restrictions and provide a hopeful, future-focused moment in what is expected to be a challenging winter, is supported by The National Lottery’s Emerging Futures Fund. Hosted remotely, it will combine group and one-to-one conversations, audio recordings, individual work and reflective exercises, creative workshops and tasks, and a few surprises.
The invitation to participate is open to all in the Barrow borough, including all ages. Those who have never been involved with projects like this are strongly encouraged to apply, and community organisations are being asked to nominate potential candidates.
Barrow’s New Constellation will take place from Sunday December 6 to Friday December 11, 2020. Participants will be carefully selected by a panel of local representatives in collaboration with The New Constellation, to ensure the group is composed of a wide range of different backgrounds and experiences. The group will be asked to commit to a full ‘kick off’ day on Sunday December 6 and then a few hours on each of the subsequent days of the project.
Councillor Derek Brook, Barrow Borough Council’s lead member for community, said: “Barrow is an incredible borough with a proud heritage and even prouder people. 2020 has been a tough year on many levels, but if there was ever a good time to imagine a brighter future it is now – we’re hoping local people will be keen to help us shape the next part of our journey.”
Iris Andrews, of The New Constellation, said: “We are honoured and humbled to work with the amazing people of Barrow borough on this exciting experiment. This is no ordinary moment for Barrow or our wider world – it feels more important than ever that we cultivate hope and possibility, for ourselves and each other. We hope this project will offer participants and the wider Barrow community the space, tools and courage to dream big and give expression to the wisdom within them that too rarely influences the plans that shape their lives.
“Our dream is that this cohort will truly represent every walk of life in Barrow. Even if you’ve never done anything like this before please consider signing up – our team will be here to support and guide participants through every step, and we can help put in place anything you need to join us, whether childcare, permission to take time out of work or tech support. We can’t wait to meet the ‘crew’.”
For more information and/or to nominate a participant, visit https://thenewconstellation.earth/barrow
Nominations close on Sunday November 8, 2020.
