Bergþórugata 20, 101, Reykjavik andrymi@riseup.net

How can I join?

Would you like to get involved with Andrými?

Our general assemblies are on the first Sundays of the months, at 1 PM. You can join this meetings and get involved in organising the space. We also do safer space trainings based on demand, for people who want to host events or generally use the space. If you want to get to know the space more informally, come to the Free Supermarket on Fridays.

You can also send us an email if interested to get involved in Andrými, at andrymi@andrymi.org

Below you can find more information on how Andrými operates and where your skills could be useful. But don’t worry, any skill can be learned, so interest is the only requirement.

Those who participate in Andrými are Andrými.

This is why all the work around and inside Andrými is done horizontally. It means that everyone who is involved in some kind of work in Andrými has the right to make decisions and is encouraged to take initiative. No one is “at the top“ and there is no board of executives.

How are decisions made?

To make decisions, we use a method called formal consensus decision-making. The idea behind it is that conflict is not necessarily a bad thing; rather, criticism, teamwork and diverse voices play an indispensable role in the fight against violence and aggression.

“We must learn to live together cooperatively, resolving our conflicts nonviolently and making our decisions consensually. We must learn to value diversity and respect all life, not just on a physical level, but emotionally, intellectually, and spiritually. We are all in this together.”
(On Conflict and Consensus: A Handbook for Formal Decision-Making.)

Working in consensus is not a skill you are born with, but something you learn.

You can learn by attending meetings where these methods are used and see for yourself how they function. You can also browse handbooks like the one quoted above. Andrými is currently working on a workshop program about formal consensus decision-making. More information about the workshop will be up soon on our blog.

Does everyone have to be involved in everything?

To be more efficient, create more flexible procedures, and avoid anyone overextending themself, Andrými has recently organized a system built on working groups. The working groups take care of different projects and you can sign up for a group either once a month or once every two months.

We encourage people to participate in different groups each time.
This way we can all gain as much knowledge in as many areas as possible without having to be involved in everything at once.

Below you can find a list of all the current working groups.
The list is not final and will change according to the work which needs to be done.

Communications.
Check notifications on Facebook and on the website along with reading e-mails. This working group is also responsible for getting across information about the time of meetings, etc.

Grants and fundraising.
Find appropriate grants or other possibilities for fundraising and apply for them on time.

Solidarity and inclusion.
Define what a safer space means, create a standard that can be worked towards and explain to people what the ideas of a safer space and solidarity mean. Make sure that all groups who come to Andrými are active in decision making if they are interested.

Kitchen.
Participate in and take care of the weekly open kitchen.

Media.
Responsible for media coverage, dealings with the press, and oversee Andrými’s communication with outsiders.

Schedule.
Organize the schedule of the month and make sure that meetings, events and other things that take place in Andrými are published on the website.

Tech/Website.
Work on the website and fix any technical difficulties that may arise in Andrými.

Each group has a bottom-liner: this is a person who makes sure things get done by reminding others of tasks, and reviews what has already been done. The bottom-liner of each working group rotates every month.

Once a month, we hold a large assembly where the working groups meet (at least one person from each working group) and exchange information.

Major decisions about the space are made in these assemblies, but the working groups are responsible for organizing their own meetings on minor topics. Everyone who is interested in Andrými, but is unsure about getting involved is very welcome to attend the assembly and get a better idea of how things work.