I got you. How we got started:
https://makerspaceurbana.org/2025/10/25/origins-of-repair-cafe-urbana/
How we operate:
https://makerspaceurbana.org/2025/11/12/how-the-repair-cafe-works/
I was the primary instigator, but I wouldn't have done so without other people who stepped up to help.
Mentors and clients come from spreading the word. Some people are both (e.g. get help fixing some mechanical things, help someone else sew some things).
Spreading the word is hard, especially for someone who has large enough moral qualms with Facebook that we don't have an account on any Meta service. I've been using Nextdoor because that's what people around here use and they're not as evil as Meta. Also going to community block parties, recycling events, trying to partner with various groups, posting fliers on physical bulletin boards, private Matrix channels to remind the regular hackers & makers, and most of all: asking people to tell their friends.
No time banking. No scheduling coordination either. People show up if and when they feel like it. If they enjoy the challenge of fixing some random object, they'll usually come back, at least ocassionally if not regularly. So far we've had 4-8 mentors at every event.
Dr. Hax
npub16v…meqha
2026-01-17 17:35:47 CET
in reply to nevent1q…j39d
Author Public Key
npub16v82nr4xt62nlydtj0mtxr49r6enc5r0sl2f7cq2zwdw7q92j5gs8meqhaSeen on
wss://nostr.momPublished at
2026-01-17 17:35:47 CETEvent JSON
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"content": "I got you. How we got started:\nhttps://makerspaceurbana.org/2025/10/25/origins-of-repair-cafe-urbana/\n\nHow we operate:\nhttps://makerspaceurbana.org/2025/11/12/how-the-repair-cafe-works/\n\nI was the primary instigator, but I wouldn't have done so without other people who stepped up to help.\n\nMentors and clients come from spreading the word. Some people are both (e.g. get help fixing some mechanical things, help someone else sew some things).\n\nSpreading the word is hard, especially for someone who has large enough moral qualms with Facebook that we don't have an account on any Meta service. I've been using Nextdoor because that's what people around here use and they're not as evil as Meta. Also going to community block parties, recycling events, trying to partner with various groups, posting fliers on physical bulletin boards, private Matrix channels to remind the regular hackers \u0026 makers, and most of all: asking people to tell their friends.\n\nNo time banking. No scheduling coordination either. People show up if and when they feel like it. If they enjoy the challenge of fixing some random object, they'll usually come back, at least ocassionally if not regularly. So far we've had 4-8 mentors at every event.",
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