This Weekend: LaidOffCampNY - May 1-2, 2009
Peter Chislett
Planning for the first LaidOffCamp began in San Francisco in January. Since then, volunteer groups have jumped into action in 25 cities across the country to self-organize and create their own conferences to support and energize people during the downturn. Here in NYC, a small band of volunteers has organized a 1.5 day conference with up to 40 talks for an expected 250 registrants each day (we're on pace to reach capacity).
Over the last six weeks, LaidOffCampNY attracted a group of 40 part-time volunteers, with an active core of about 10, who have produced a full event at two venues from scratch and with no formal budget. It's an old-fashioned Runway Project style barn raising in Manhattan using a Wiki, Google Groups, Google Apps, and Twitter as tools.
Friday (5/1/09) night's program is shaping up nicely, it begins with a Keynote by the COO of the NYC Economic Development Corp., followed by our "Hacking The Job Search" panel, and ending with a 90 minute "Transition Networking" reception. All at http://newworldstages.com, a wonderful space.
We expect Saturday's (5/2/09) sessions, at Pace University, to explore a variety of topics, including building your personal brand, transitioning to a new industry, alternative income sources, strategies for successful interviewing, finding affordable health insurance, alternative working spaces, and how to become a freelancer.
The is a no-fee event (donation suggested) and there are still tickets available, however, we're going to reach capacity any day now. Even if don't want to spend your Saturday at Pace, there's an open casual-networking event on Saturday evening at John-Street Bar & Grill, a few blocks down Nassau St. on John St. (of course;)
More details on the site/wiki, GarysGuide, and Facebook.
**Some of this week's press coverage**
Page 37 in Monday's New York Post (cover of the @work section)
http://www.nypost.com/seven/04272009/jobs/slowdown_support_166396.htm
boingboing
http://www.boingboing.net/2009/04/28/laidoffcamp-ny-may-1.html
Thrive
http://blog.justthrive.com/2009/04/laidoffcampny-supporting-the-jobless-the-lightweight-way
Special thanks to the Mayor of New Work City, and Runway Project founder - Tony Bacigalupo for helping us out, and for his outstanding attitude and approach to making NYC a better place to work-live-celebrate.
These two days of "Transition Networking" are made possible by a myriad of dedicated volunteers, terrific sponsors for their resources, attentive partners for helping us spread the word, and finally by NYC's ever gracious tech communities like runwayproject.org.
I look forward to seeing some of you this weekend providing sage advice to those in transition.
--peter
http://li.chislett.com
@chislett
http://ny.laidoffcamp.org
@laidoffcampny