LaidOffCamp

I attended my first LaidOffCamp here in Fort Collins this morning. I participated both to learn how a LaidOffCamp functions, and to get my brain around how a concept such as an Unconference can actually accomplish anything.

I could tell pretty fast that an "Unconference" concept was a paradigm shift for many in the room (including me)—you mean we don’t just sit here and be lectured to? You, you up front, you mean you don’t instruct me on my next step in life, job, home, etc., expecting me to treat you like a guru. I suppose many (most) of the attendees were over 45, and we’ve spent our lives being lectured to. LaidOffCamp doesn’t lecture.

This is how LaidOffCamp works:

LaidOffCamp is considered an Unconference. It’s about the participants, about the community. If you decide to attend, you become a participant, not an attendee. You come prepared to share what you know, to list what you want to know, to facilitate what others want to learn.

1. The first half-hour is spent learning what an Unconference is.
2. Participants walk up to the white boards and write down what they want to learn and/or what they can offer as a session.
3. Lead participants take 15 minutes to organize the sessions based on what the participants want to learn, name a facilitator for each session, and time the sessions.
4. Sessions take place--usually 30 minutes each--either in the session room(s), or a discussion between 2 participants can take place in the hallway.

Participating is as simple as asking a question, taking notes and sharing them, or sharing a specialty. Everyone in that room this morning had something to share—an expertise, a specialty, an experience, a career-changing tidbit. The responsibility for sharing this or learning from another participant is up to each person. For example, I suggested a session on researching new opportunities. My session was about career and job change, and business start-up resources available at the local library.

During the morning, I ran into two women (separately) who both happened to have worked in theater. I wanted to get them together, talk local theater—both had experience in costuming and theater design (what's the chance of that in such a gathering?). There's a void in Northern Colorado for a costume/theater prop rental business. Unfortunately, the atmosphere was not conducive to this sort of networking, or in the end, was it conducive to sharing such experiences. For the next LaidOffCamp, I'll suggest (write down) a session where everyone just talks about what they’ve done as jobs and what they’ve done as a passion, then facilitate connections for freelance business opportunities.

LaidOffCamp started in San Francisco when 400 “creatively employed” or unemployed people came together for an open Unconference to share their experience, expertise, and stories, with the goal of helping each other through the tough times. Kevin Beucher and Nick Armstrong, two local entrepreneurs, brought LaidOffCamp to Fort Collins a year ago. The sessions take place in the Larimer County building and are sponsored by the Larimer County Workforce Center, and various local businesses.

If you want (need) to connect with creative, friendly and helpful people; if you’re seeking employment or are recently laid off; if you’re looking for creative ways to supplement your income or change your career; if you’re running your own business, a freelancer, solo entrepreneur or startup company, LaidOffCamp will be a welcome respite for you.

I’ll be oarticipating in as many LaidOffCamps I can in the next year. I found the experience/concept interesting, new, different--refreshing, a breath of fresh air. In fact, it will be very difficult to sit through my five regular-style conferences this year—two writers conferences, two Irish Studies conferences and one Library conference. Lots of daydreaming and brain-writing ahead.