Enterprise Nation

Ask for a peanut butter and jelly sandwich in the UK and you'll get something that wobbles onto your plate. Here, of course, we call it jam. But in America it's taking on a whole new meaning - and it's coming to Blighty. To borrow a phrase from Destiny's Child, "are you ready for this jelly?" Here's the lowdown on 'Jelly' co-working and what it means for homeworkers.

What is Jelly?

A Jelly is a casual co-working event and there's loads happening in over a hundred cities around the world. They usually take place in someone's house, a coffee shop or office, and they're great for homeworkers, like us. The host provides somewhere to sit, wireless internet and - all being well - interesting people to talk to, collaborate with, and bounce ideas off.

And all you need to bring, according to the Jelly website, is a laptop (or whatever you need to get your work done) and a "friendly disposition."

Here's a video about Jelly. Don't be put off by the young and trendies of New York!

What is Jelly? from Amit Gupta on Vimeo.

Origins

As you can see from the video, Jelly started off as a New York thing, like yellow cabs, pretzels, Sex and the City, etc.. But, like those things, it's gone global.

At the beginning it was just two guys, Amit and Luke, who worked from home, but missed the creative brainstorming and camaraderie of a traditional office.

They started inviting friends to work from their place one day a week, and the proximity led to some good ideas - like making this practice a regular thing. Hence, Jelly was born.

From New York to Yorkshire

And now Jelly is coming to your town. We're hearing loads from our members and our followers on Twitter - some that are attending, some that are hosting.

Judy Heminsley (@judyheminsley), who's written this awesome guide to starting a Jelly, is helping host one in Frome in Somerset (find out more). And we've already mentioned co-working facility, IndyCube, who are hosting Jelly events in the run up to their official launch in May.

Closer to home - or to Emma, at least - is Jan Minihane (@JanMinihane), who's setting one up in Shropshire.

"Jelly co-working events allow homeworkers, freelancers, even office folk the chance to work in a more collaborative environment," says Jan. "Especially for those who work at home alone, it can be an isolating experience, so the chance to be in the same room as like-minded business people and to be able to look up from your laptop and ask 'Does anyone know how to..' or 'Does anyone have a client who..' is invaluable."

Follow Jan on Twitter for updates or let her know if you're up for a Jelly in Shropshire.

Jelly + Enterprise Nation

We'll be at that Shropshire Jelly once it's up and running. In the meantime, we'll keep you in the loop, as they spring up across the UK. We're working on a Google Maps mashup too - so you'll be able to see Jellys near you soon.

Jelly + You

And if you want to start your own Jelly, this aforementioned guide from Judy Heminsley (@judyheminsley) is excellent.

• How to start your own Jelly - Work From Home Wisdom

Find one near you and find out all about Jelly on the links below:

• Jelly wiki / Jelly website

San Sharma
Social Media Consultant and Web Designer, Author, Moonwalker, etc.

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