The term freeranging has nothing to do with chickens and eggs. It’s one I use to describe the practice of working in different ways on many and varied projects. The name the Art of Freeranging was suggested by the fine folks at CIBAS (the business support service at the University of Portsmouth) in 2011 who invited me to talk about the idea at their Future Skills Festival. The workshop I ran was a great success and I’ve been determined to turn my ideas into something more concrete as a result of the feedback.
Freeranger: James Byford
The three-pronged basis of my perspective of the here and now (and the future) is one where play, learning and work are a blend and feed each other. With awareness and clarity of all three we can make informed choices that help us identify and feed our passions. One of my passions is camping with my partner and daughters in our old VW Campervan. This year we’re going to hire the van out to friends and see if we can keep the van in tip-top shape through rental income. I’m also committed to education and work with schools and arts organisations on a range of projects. I’m also creating a social enterprise that engages children, teens and their parents through gaming events. I continue to work with global companies on digital strategy, design and production projects.
Other friends of mine have inspired this project too. They make good money and enjoy trading on eBay, gigging at night and doing day jobs. A former colleague once suggested that perhaps we could be designers in the winter and painters in the summer..
This website is open for conversation about the topic of living a plural, freerange existence. There are very few if any jobs for life any more. I enjoy starting things, adapting, blending, reflecting and above all making an impact and enjoying myself. Even better when others are inspired to build on and move forward activities and projects we nurture together.
If you’re starting out, at a cross-roads or already living a good life through a range of different activities feel free to share your ideas and experiences here.