The laid off and unemployed now have somewhere to turn other than the bottle. LaidOffCamp. Unlike summer-camp for kids where they’re all forced into the woods by their parents to be eaten alive by animals, LaidOffCamp brings together unemployed adults to share ideas about their career trajectories. The 24-year-old founder Chris Hutchins, a one-time management consultant who knows from being downsized, explains, “Getting laid off is an opportunity to find what you’re passionate about. And not only what you’re passionate about, but how you can leverage that passion to sustain yourself.” He started workshops in San Francisco, but they’ve spread to other major cities.
Here are some areas the workshops focus on:
+ building a personal brand
+ changing industries
+ an intro to the legal and accounting demands of launching a new business
+ how to find affordable health insurance
+ alternative work spaces
+ even more important, alternative income sources
+ living on what is described as an “extreme budget.” extremely low, we’re guessing
+ and how to become a freelancer – more relevant when companies lay off staff and want to outsource the extra work
Think of them as wiki-workshops — you can organize one yourself. Or attend some already planned in Ottawa and Toronto. Want to know more? Check out their newsletter and wiki or find them on Twitter and Facebook.
[photos by Steve Rhodes]
