Project Overview
Fundacion Fibra was founded on the principles of practising participatory processes, with the six founders sharing executive decisions and responsibilities as a collective.
The practice exists to support effective engagement and co-design in a variety of projects, all operating within four territories in South America, including rural settings, city centre high streets, informal settlement areas, and social housing developments in local and challenging neighbourhoods.
Due to Chile’s current social crisis, ensuring projects create a tangible output in a short amount of time is a priority. Therefore all projects operate within a three-month cycle, allowing the outcomes and learnings from the previous project to be taken into the next.
Further information can be found here: www.fundacionfibra.org
Process
Fundacion Fibra (FF) supports projects through the provision of four components, which all operate under the driving theme of collaboration:
1. Local boards
Local boards in each area are created to decide on the priority of topics and issues to be addressed locally, such as early childhood education, entrepreneurship (local shops) and mental health & community activities.
2. Participatory funding
There is a local call to everyone in the neighbourhood to apply to be a part of the project, with the only requirement being that collaboration must be a part of the process. FF offers support to applicants throughout the process, with the Local Board selecting the successful applicants.
3. Capacity building
The Local Board decide on the specific skills the participatory funding should be spent on, such as public speaking, budget management etc. with FF offering capacity building through skills training.
4. Shared experiences
Wrapping up the process, FF works with a production company that specialises in creating environments where all participants feel comfortable to share their experience of the process. This feedback is then used to directly inform the next project cycle.
