Makersville is Moving...

When you run a social enterprise, it's hard. A mix of for-profit and non-profit, you have to find your place in that value line that connects them. Makerspaces are just such spaces. You often find them upstairs, down long corridors, in basements. Sometimes they are pop-up makerspaces.

Makerspaces don't have to be expensive, but they do provide resources. Each Makerspace is defined by the Makers who frequent the space. It's often the personal interests of the Makerspace founders, but a good Makerspace will adapt to include the interests of the changing community.

People look for Makerspaces. It's not a large group of individuals, but it's there. When they come, they are often looking for technology. The Arduino, the Raspberry Pi, the 3D printer, a laser cutter and vacu-former... Programming, game design, robotics, Artificial Intelligence.

Sometimes they are looking for alternative learning environments for their families. It is these visitors that truly make the space thriving. Whether you call it interest-based or discovery-based learning, the participants have many options, and the freedom to explore the space which is deliberately messy. They participate in the mess, with their own creations visible in the space. They navigate around the creations of others. There is a sense of ownership.

We talk. We explore ideas, sometimes very sophisticated ideas for people so young. We take the position that they, too, are contributors and their voices matter.

This maker works in various media and with various equipment and projects. I work in LEGO, with fabric and the sewing machine, I research history so I can visualize myself in a place. For need of a technology focus, I chose the Microbit Microcontroller.

Our Makerspace home of 6 years is changing. In that home, we hosted International visitors from China, Trinidad, French Polynesia, Canada, Mexico and other countries. Even Denmark came to visit. He laughed when I announced loudly "Denmark is in the house!" because in Denmark is Billund, a town where the first LEGOLAND was built, and home of The LEGO Group. A lot of International visitors come to Shoreline Village. But the village too, is changing as they work to modernize, grow the parking lot and do much needed maintenance.

Where will we go next? We have some good leads, but let's see where they go.

Makersville Services, which supports Makersville, is a 501c3 listed on Benevity. As you seek out non-profits for your workplace donations, please choose us!