Dit evenement is in het Engels, omdat dat is hoe Cohousing The Reef het liefst de Brussels-Belgische taalpotpourri navigeert. Doordat we onze tweede taal spreken, landen we allemaal min of meer op hetzelfde niveau, wat meer vrijheid creëert voor iedereen. Wij hebben de gewoonte om handen en voeten te gebruiken wanneer we een woord missen, dus laat dit je vooral niet afschrikken :-)

Building The Reef isn't just something we're doing for ourselves. We see our cohousing as a vehicle for the change we'd like to see in the world. With the building permit nearly in our hands, we realise we've learned a lot along the way — things we'd be happy to share.

If you've ever dreamed of building your own cohousing, this one might be for you. Nine out of ten starting groups dissolve before they ever find a site. It's really hard — we can tell you from experience! But it's not impossible, and we'd love to share some of what we've learned.

On 18 November we're gathering in the common room of Brutopia in Forest (Brussels), the cohousing that has inspired us massively. We kick off the evening with an optional speed-dating round, for anyone who wants to meet fellow aspiring builders. Then comes a 30-minute presentation on the essentials: writing a vision document, setting up your organisational infrastructure, scouting for a site, recruitment and onboarding, conflict management, and more.

After that, the space is yours: you can chat with Reeflings about whatever topics interest you — and get another chance to meet like-minded people along the way. We can also showcase our so-called “Fiche Factory”: a database with the 170 sites we spotted in Brussels, and two unused feasibility studies. Maybe one of these might be fit for your group?

Sounds like fun? Register here: https://framaforms.org/build-your-own-cohousing-1791804627

Practicalities:

• 📍 Where: Miro, rue de Mérode 449 in Forest (10 minutes by tram from Brussels-Midi)
• 🚪 Doors open – have a drink at the bar: 19:00
• 🤝 Speeddating: 19:10
• 🎤 Presentation: 19:30 sharp
• 💶 Price: free contribution between 5 and 20 euro