#102: Spider Hickman - Common Knowledge - Using What We Have

It’s easy to forget that we once had the skills, resources and sense of community to feel confident in addressing these kinds of challenges – perhaps easier to believe that we have lost them forever. Common Knowledge is a non-profit organisation, based in Co. Clare committed to helping people familiarise themselves with such skills while empowering the community to play a more hands-on role in their living arrangements. Spider Hickman is a Co-founder of Common Knowledge and programme director. Originally thinking that architecture was her path, she diverted to contemporary art, then residential development before finding her happy place back on site, this time with tools in hand. As well as teaching as part of our core crew, Spider manages course development and communications. This conversation covers Spider's journey (which is a real journey) to ending up with Common Knowledge, what exactly Common Knowledge do, to Tiny houses - I'm confident I'm not the only one that has considered a Tiny Home over the last few years. We also spend some time reflecting on the collective shift towards wanting a sustainable living situation that we can contribute towards. As someone who is far from handy, this served as an uplifting and inspiring discussion which reshaped my belief on what I could do, in the midst of a cost of living and housing crisis to aid my living situation. I truly hope it does the same for you. Common Knowledge is running courses almost non-stop over the next 5 months or so. Please see the link below for more information about their courses and dates etc also, if you are somewhat handy interested in volunteering with the guys, please drop them an email which you'll find through the link below. Thanks a mill!

https://www.ourcommonknowledge.org/volunteering