Ian (he/him)
Associate MemberTell us a bit about yourself and your connection to Braziers Park?
I first came to Braziers Park in summer 2021 as one of the first ACRE residents and spent a year organising the first UK Communities Conference. I ended up staying on for another two years. I no longer live at Braziers, but I continue to support the community as secretary of the board of trustees. I see extreme individualism as the cause of many of the world’s problems and I am passionate about building and growing communities.
Tell us about your work outside of Braziers Park?
I came to Braziers Park after a period in academia working on philosophy of mental health and illness. When I lived at Braziers, I enjoyed coordinating and negotiating community processes (e.g., conflict management, decision making, recruitment). I eventually decided I wanted to design processes on a larger scale and I now work for the UK government on national policy for waste management and recycling.
How would you describe Braziers Park to someone who has never heard of us before?
Since 1950, Braziers Park has been imagining new ways for people to live together and collaborate, with an emphasis on bringing together diverse perspectives. In our often-divided world, it unites people from diverse backgrounds to work on a shared educational project. There is always something new happening and it is often challenging, but always rewarding.