Education

Occupy members discuss their duty to care for the vulnerable, provide an alternative to university and educate on legal systems

Alison Playford, welfare: ‘Some homeless members of the camp are crucially involved in its infrastructure’

When I arrived at St Paul’s on 15 October, the issues of London’s homeless population and the wider mental health and social concerns of the potential Occupy London camp members were not on my agenda. My foremost concerns lay with Palestine, from where I returned this time last year, and with Egypt, where I had been the Christmas before. My intentions were to contribute to any movement that might deflect our imperialist culture from its seemingly unstoppable trajectory – the pillaging of the oil states that feed our gas-guzzling society.

I tentatively put up my tent – the fifth one up, I think, and put my energy into helping to set up the Tent City University. It was there that we first had a hint that homeless people were heading to the camp to sleep, as the marquee gradually became an ad hoc hostel at night. As word got round on the grapevine, some homeless people even started asking if they could reserve their places to sleep for the night.

Another indication of a pressing need came in the form of complaints from St Paul’s Cathedral regarding drinking and antisocial behaviour on site. We soon identified the perpetrators and realised that many had an issue with alcohol abuse. It dawned on us that others who came to us were suffering from mental health problems and other substance-abuse issues.

These are problems from the wider community, but by offering a ready-made community and free meals for everyone we had brought them to St Paul’s doorstep. We were unprepared. Some pastoral care from St Paul’s Cathedral would be hugely welcome – and we do understand that some small support from the cathedral may soon be on its way.

As a Samaritan volunteer, I was already aware of the troubles many people face. Confronted by these problems in the camp, I felt drawn to leave Tent City University, and set about establishing a welfare centre in the heart of Occupy London.

It is often said we can judge a society by how it treats its most vulnerable members and I believe that for us here at Occupy London, this is has to be central to our community practices. We are not only seeking greater equality and inclusiveness in wider society, but also “being the change”; as we campaign against economic and social injustice we must also cater compassionately for the casualties of a system we abhor. As a direct democracy, we seek to have all voices in camp represented. Some permanent homeless members of the camp are crucially involved in its activities and infrastructure: James, who slept on the steps of St Paul’s for 10 years is now a valuable member of the kitchen team.

Providing for the vulnerable is an issue that all the Occupy camps continue to face as we strive to create a kinder and more inclusive society. I hear that Occupy LA, particularly, operates a very successful and large welfare service. I am concerned as to the fate of our homeless members when the camp, as it eventually must, disperses. We hope to address this as effectively as possible.

We put a call-out for volunteers over a week ago and hope that our newly erected welfare tent will shortly offer a full 24-hour service, dealing not only with the issues facing vulnerable people, but also with activist “burn out”. We appeal to all those with relevant skills and experience in social work, counselling, drug and alcohol services, welfare, housing and mental health issues to donate whatever time they can. Also, if you have some time available but perhaps no specialist skills, please contact us – we would love to hear from you!

To get involved, email: welfareolsx@gmail.com or leave a message for Welfare in our info Tent at Occupy London, or attend our working group meetings: 6pm every Monday evening, downstairs at Ye Olde London, Ludgate Hill.

Neil Howard, education: ‘We are a direct challenge to the contemporary structure of mainstream universities’

Over the past month, Tent City University has hosted speakers ranging from world-renowned academics to migrant cleaners fighting for the right to organise. We have attracted huge crowds to our events and steadily had almost eight hours programmed every single day since we set up. Guest speakers have included John Hilary, the director of War on Want, Essex University’s Aoife Daly talking about prejudice against young people in the media, and former investment banker Simon Dixon. One distinguished guest told us recently the sessions we’d scheduled were more interesting than anything he’d come across at his college.

Many have described us as an alternative to university, often positioning us in opposition to the limited range of ideas and exorbitant fees that characterise much contemporary higher education. Indeed, we do see ourselves as part of a growing field of alternative educational projects that also includes the Social Science Centre in Lincoln, the Free University of Liverpool and the Really Open University’s Space Project.

But we are not merely an alternative; we are a direct challenge to the contemporary structure of mainstream universities. In the neoliberal era, the role of the university has been clear: to reproduce society with all it’s injustices, disenfranchisements and grievances. Universities have found themselves tied to the market and unable to move beyond it. As the government has cut funding, universities have been forced increasingly to rely on private investment for research; therefore, what research output there is, is determined by those who pay.

Mechanisms within universities keep academics on the straight and narrow – they get points for publishing in more commercial journals, and if they fail to get enough points, their jobs are likely to come under threat. Academics are thus forced to publish certain types of research, and, more often than not, this has meant supporting the political-economic status quo. This is not to hint at conspiracy, but merely to acknowledge that he who pays the piper calls the tune. The contemporary university has drifted from being a place of constant questioning to one in which the answer is predetermined.

We reject this. Though a lack of answers has been the chief criticism of Occupy London, we think this is our very power. What we are creating in the occupation and at Tent City University in particular is a space in which we people can share their grievances about the system within which we live, learn how to understand what creates it and develop in the process an answer for what to do about it.

Our motto is “anyone can teach, everyone can learn”, and this means that we have people speaking from all walks of society. It also means that all our events are free and that we strive to include time for discussion and questioning. Information is not passed down as unquestionable truth here. And we take pains to engage the voices that are marginalised within our society, since we understand that to be vital to the creation of a more equal world. In our understanding, and with our methodology, education is both a means and end for radical change.

‘commonly known as dom’, law: ‘The prison without bars is made by bits of paper’

When the occupation started, I happened to be nearby. I was attending a “lawful rebellion” meeting in Hackney, and I realised the time was right, it was happening, I had to be there.

Most days I walk around the site teaching people about the legal system, about the law, about how they’re being enslaved by a body of rules and statutory instruments. The prison without bars is made by bits of paper.

Bits of paper like your birth certificate. All registered names are Crown copyright. The legal definition of registration is transfer of title ownership, so anything that’s registered is handed over to the governing body; the thing itself is no longer yours. When you register a car, you’re agreeing to it not being yours – they send you back a form saying you’re the “registered keeper”. It’s a con. That’s why I say I’ve never had a name.

We are all taught to be a name, the name on our birth certificate. But if you don’t consent to be that “person”, you step outside the system. According to the law books, a “natural person” (or human being) is distinct from the “person” as a legal entity. All the statutes and acts are acting up on the “person”, and if you’re admitting to being a person, you are admitting to be a corporation that can be acted upon for commerce.

I might be a danger to corporate control of humanity, but what’s the worst they’re going to do? Lock me up? The last place they want me to be teaching is in prison. I’ve been in jail: I talk to the inmates, I talk to the screws. I take every opportunity to speak to the police, to educate them. Don’t forget, the police are part of the solution. I’ll talk to anyone: laymen, lawyers, magistrates, judges.

I say to people: educate yourself. Google “lawful rebellion”. Google “freeman on the land”. Google the difference between “legal” and “lawful”. Understand the rules that are keeping you enslaved.

• Alison Playford’s article was amended at 14.10 on 15 November for legal reasons

Occupy LondonLondonProtestOccupy movementWelfareUniversity fundingHigher educationNeil HowardAlison Playfordguardian.co.uk