The Homeworks project is now seeking pilot groups to test an innovative new climate action toolkit in their communities. 

Pilot projects will receive a fully-funded 5 day residency at Common Knowledge, with €500 seed funding and incubation support from the Common Knowledge team. Once complete, the HomeWorks toolkit will be available for communities to pool their strengths to take practical climate action.

A prototype Homeworks toolkit was created at a recent summer residency where a group of LGBTQ+ people interested in climate change and sustainability spent five days co-designing the toolkit whilst learning practical skills related to housing, energy, food, and waste.

The second HomeWorks residency is open to representatives from all community groups and will take place from October 9 - 13th 2023.

What will pilot group participants receive?

  • A 5 day fully-funded residency at The Common Knowledge Centre for 1-2 people from each group with skill sharing workshops, transport, accommodation and all meals provided

  • €500 seed funding for materials for each pilot project

  • Project incubation support from Common Knowledge 

What will pilot group participants learn?

During the residency, participants will test the toolkit whilst developing skills that will support them to catalyse change in their community. Participants will learn:

  • How to use tools to mend, build and fix

  • The principles of permaculture, before practicing these skills on site

  • Basic principles of energy efficiency in buildings

  • Affordable and creative ways to decrease consumption and waste

  • How to create shared resources like community gardens and sustainable projects in our communities.

    Who can take part in the Homeworks Winter Residency?

Anyone representing an active community group can apply. Community groups representing the interests of marginalised and disadvantaged people are especially encouraged to apply.

Accessibility

This is a fully funded residency and all accommodation and travel costs in Ireland are covered. We are currently renovating our new home in the Burren Co. Clare and aim to make our site fully accessible to all.

Project Coordinator for HomeWorks Aoife Hammond has spent over 15 years working in the social enterprise and community sectors in Ireland and says: “Projects like HomeWorks have a knock-on effect for communities, and we see a positive impact as people from the residency takes skills and knowledge they learn at the Common Knowledge Centre home to their own communities.”

Winter residency applications are now closed but our Toolkit will soon be ready for testing by communities groups and organisations.

Contact aoife@ourcommonknowledge.org if you’d like to test the Toolkit or for more information

“At the Homeworks residency I learned so many great skills and that when we work together you can have so much more impact”

Danny, Homeworks Participant

What I’m taking home to my community is more awareness around energy use, waste disposal and reusing materials we have. Even if I can’t change the political economy of this world, to make a little space in my life for climate action and see what grows from that” 

Summer, Homeworks Participant

“Building community is climate action. We need each other to be resilient. It’s beautiful to know that there are different people in different places continuing the struggle, and we’re not alone”

Emma, Homeworks Participant

Project Team

  • Aoife Hammond

    Aoife Hammond has spent over 15 years working in the social enterprise and community sectors in Ireland most recently co-founding Fulacht Fia Café – a community café in County Leitrim and previously as manager of The Dublin Food Coop in Dublin 8. Aoife also works as a musician, community activist and independent events organiser, facilitating and promoting events in solidarity with grassroots organisations.

    Instagram | LinkedIn

  • Fionn Kidney

    Fionn is co-founder and co-CEO of Common Knowledge. He has spent his career creating momentum for new projects across the public, private and non-profit sectors. As a queer man, Fionn is passionate about the role that HOMEWORKS can play in supporting LGBT+ and other marginalised groups to take practical climate action at home. He is Chair or Inishturk Community Club CLG and a member of the board of Anu Productions. For Fionn, Common Knowledge is a place we can all play a small part in addressing the housing and climate emergencies whilst building deeper community.

    Instagram | LinkedIn

Supporters

HOMEWORKS has received funding from the Community Climate Action Programme, which is aimed at facilitating community climate action through education, capacity building and learning by doing. The programme is administered by Pobal and has been funded by the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications.