Orientation

This is a page to develop ideas for an induction programme for new members and a re-orientation programme for old members

What the London Hackspace is/isn't

The hackspace is a social group first : it can't exist without a number of people working together to finance and maintain it. If the community doesn't prosper, neither will the hackspace.

You can't benefit from a community without contributing to it. Not just financially, but in creating goodwill, pooling your skills and knowledge and doing your bit in maintenance and repair.

IS

• A place for people to work on projects they're interested in - We provide a space for members to work on almost any project that interests them and provide the tools to help them do so.
• A place to socialize with like-minded people - We have open evenings which also provide a social venue for members to meet up and discuss what they're working on.
• A place to repair, improve or re-purpose things - We keep an extensive collection of tools that can be used to repair and hack equipment to make it last longer or be more useful and our members often help each other with repairs.
• A group to share knowledge and experience - We can find an expert on almost anything technical (and a lot of other things) within our membership, and most of them are very willing to share and teach
• A way to learn and teach new skills - Our members provide inductions and other training on most of our equipment, as well as workshops to demonstrate and teach new skills we dont have technicians etc
• A place to work collaboratively on projects with friends - We provide a venue for groups of members to meet up and work on projects that would otherwise be hard to arrange.
• You need to be a current paid up member to use Hackspace resources this includes tools, internet and materials.

Is Not

This is the fifth building used by the hackspace. Only a tiny fraction of members can be present at a time : the real hackspace community is composed of everyone helping pay and organise it. The people online have just as much right to an opinion as those in the physical workshop.

• A pay-as-you-go workshop - Although we're very flexible on membership contributions and require no long-term commitments, we do expect that being an London Hackspace member is an ongoing process of contributing to the hackspace. Contributing only when you want to make use of the hackspace facilities is discouraged.
• A co-working space – whilst you may be able to sit down and do some work on a small scale you will very quickly find it is not suited to having meetings, conference calls etc the network may drop out, there will be noise and interruptions
• A laser cutting/CNC machining/etc service - We do not provide commercial services to the public, and we have a shared machine that many members will want to use
• A charity - Although we very much welcome donations and assistance, we are not a registered charity and are structured more like a social club.
• A storage area - We have a small amount of space to store ongoing member projects and we're happy to have tools that are being regularly used, however we are very space limited and do not provide long-term storage.
• A business incubator - We're happy to support local businesses where we can
• A tool hire centre - Our tools are kept at the hackspace and are not loaned out to members.
• The Repair Shop wanting to repair stuff are very welcome to become members and get full access to our facilities. If you join up, we may help you fix it, if someone is around and they have time but we won't fix it for you.
• A source of free materials – You should bring your own materials if people have useable materials left over they can leave them for other member and other members should make a donation to the space to the value of the materials – it is one of the ways we support our selves
• A waste disposal service – Because it does not fit in your bin at home does not mean the space will find it valuable or useful

Other people with different levels of comfort, cleanliness, and decorum are using the space alongside you. This isn't your home, this is a community you are a part of.

Rules and Expected Behaviour

https://wiki.london.hackspace.org.uk/view/Rules

The Workshop

• Basic safety
• Tool use and care