We offer a detailed development process to support you to create a sustainable system.
It guides you through all the key aspects of a community currency in six distinct development phases: Start, Ownership, Research, Design, Testing, Launch.
Community currencies have many different starting points.
People may wish to solve their problems:
- economic crisis
- unemployment
- youth crime
- community breakdown
- lack of business
They may wish to meet personal or community needs:
- access to food
- local transport
- support for daily tasks
- people to help with community groups and events
They may wish to achieve personal or community goals:
- get new skills
- get a qualification
- find a new job
- build a new community centre.
The development process identifies local assets and matches them to problems, needs and goals.
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Development Phase
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Key People/Tasks
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Start Phase
(1 month)
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People
- individual, group or organisation identifies a problem, need or goal that a community currency could help with.
Tasks
- community meetings to discuss problems, needs and goals.
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Ownership Phase
(3 months)
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People
- lead organisation
- group or individual emerges to take ownership of the community currency development process
Tasks
- appoint development team
- appoint working groups
- agree development tasks and timetable
- identify allies: individuals and organisations who can help you with advice, staff or funding.
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Research Phase
(3-6 months)
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People
- development team
- working groups
- researchers
Tasks
- community meetings to clarify problems, needs and goals.
- interview potential participants
- review existing community currency models
- identify under-used individual and communal assets
- identify other social economy institutions for collaboration
- analyse start-up and running costs and potential revenue sources
- identify supportive local or national government policies
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Design Phase
(3-6 months)
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People
- development team
- working groups
Tasks
- analyse data from research phase.
- interview potential participants
- agree boundaries: geographical, community of interest, internet, membership-based or open to all
- agree key beneficiaries: businesses, young people, retired etc.
- agree vision and mission
- agree timescale for life of currency units
- design or adapt software/website/smart cards/notes etc.
- agree governance structure:
- integrate into existing organisation OR
- create a new organisation
- agree management systems, policies and procedures:
- integrate into existing systems OR
- create new systems
- design monitoring and evaluation systems.
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Testing Phase
(3-6 months)
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People
- development team
- pilot participants.
Tasks
- test management systems
- test software
- test exchanges
- monitor, evaluate and adapt.
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Launch Phase
(1 month)
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People
- development team
- participants
Tasks
- PR & marketing
- monitor, evaluate and adapt.
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Ongoing
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People
- governance board
- management team
Tasks
- PR & marketing
- support and training for staff and participants
- monitor, evaluate and adapt.
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