Published 23rd November 2021

Organising Internationally

Community Organisers has friends and connections all over the world. We learn so much from seeing how others use community organising in their countries and contexts and are proud to be part of the European Community Organisers Network (ECON) with our very own CEO Nick Gardham a Director at ECON.

We own an office space with a flat above in Warminster and the Office has become a busy hub for our staff, volunteers and most recently our Kickstarters and we’re delighted to welcome a new addition to the team! Andrea is being hosted through the Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs programme.

She joins us for 6 months from Madrid and brings with her a wealth of experience in working in the social enterprise sector in Venezuela and Spain. We asked her to introduce herself.

I am passionate about community organising and communication as tools for social transformation.

I believe in the talents of each individual and the power to connect them to create and innovate at a higher level together.

I have had the experience of migrating and working in international contexts which gives me a multicultural and multidisciplinary approach.  

Last year, I co-founded We the Root, to help people and organisations to identify their purpose, to listen and connect with their community to reach their full potential. Also, we started together BCorp Spain, the first Community Builders Cluster in Madrid.  

My background

I have had the opportunity to learn about community organising in different environments:

  • Working as a volunteer and an employee for over 5 years (in Venezuela and Madrid),in an organisation that works to overcome poverty in Latin America, with the leaders of the most vulnerable communities, TECHO, with the opportunity to learn about contexts such as Venezuela, Chile, Perú, Brazil and Colombia.
  • Working as Project Manager, in a consultancy company in Venezuela, that connects entrepreneurs and experts to boost their business and help to change the Venezuelan society.
  • Leading and organising a digital community of over 100  mobility startups that work for sustainable mobility in Europe through Community Builder in Connected Mobility Hub, the biggest mobility sector community of south Europe.
  • Working as a volunteer in the Host Volunteers Programme of Impact Hub Madrid focused on the Art of Hosting methodology.  

About Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs 

I would like to improve our focus on Community Organising with the support of Community Organisers Company and National Academy of Community Organising, in the framework of Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs (EYE). 

Some of the key points of the collaboration are learning by doing:

  • Creating and leading a business with social impact
  • Learning about Community Organisers Network and Trainings in Community Organising
  • Designing together a digital training of Community Organisers for the Spanish market
  • Expanding my knowledge about European markets to promote European projects that have an impact on the region