Organization Overview: The Occupy Free Skule is a democratic space that offers free education for all. We are students, teachers, workers, family, and community members. We are creating a new education alternative that seeks to reconnect the community with self-actualized learning. We seek to create with communities the tools to own their education.
We practice democratic, popular education, in which discussion and action are our foremost tools for learning. Our course list so far includes: yoga, first aid training, equity and writing, human rights, economics, and gardening. Our course list is quickly expanding, and by July will also include at least: unpacking privilege, popular education models, democracy: what is it, 500 years of resistance: a history of Turtle Island, understanding the Canadian state, and much more.
Every Tuesday at 7pm, we hold a student union meeting; and, once a month, we host a skule-wide discussion to, as a group, be critical of ourselves, and improve. Please see our website for more specifics on our organizational and teaching models: torontofreeskule.blogspot.ca
Project overview:
The Occupy Free Skule is going to hold classes every Sunday (from 12-8pm) at St. James Park. We are also hoping to expand to Tuesday evening classes (from 3-9pm) as well.
Needs and Requests:
For all of this to happen successfully, we need resources. There are two ways that you could support the free skule:
- Space: we are looking for office space, spaces to use in case of rain on Sundays, space to use for classes on Tuesday evening, permanent space for a library, for a computer lab, and a permanent space for when the weather turns colder.
- Funding: here are the different areas in which we need funding monthly, assuming we have eight classes with 15 learners each:
| Resource | Estimated Price |
| The classroom | ------- |
| General supplies | $200 |
| Course-specific resources – more practical courses such as first aid, and urban gardening may need materials | - |
| Student Care | --- |
| Skule Lunch | $150 |
| TTC Re-imbursement for learners and teachers on a needs basis | $200 |
| Total per month | $550 |
| Outreach | --- |
| Chalk – a cheap, creative, and engaging way to advertise is to write your message on the sidewalk | $10 |
| Business Cards | $120 |
| Stickers | $100 |
| Posters | $50 |
| Outreach Total | $270 |
How we plan to subsidize our budget:
- Donation boxes at every free skule day
- Student-led fundraising – ‘busking for learning’, art-sales, etc.
- Ask specific businesses
Any amount you can donate to liberating education is greatly appreciated. The only way to a better world is through understanding and collaboration.
With utmost respect,
Occupy Free Skule
Torontofreeskule.blogspot.ca
occupyfreeskule@gmail.com
