Countering inequality and social exclusion

The networks and relationships of trust within a community form the basis of social life and nurture the ground from which the formal economy of money and markets grows.

This symbol highlights the community currencies designed to bolster this ‘core economy’ - aiming to tackle some of the drivers and effects of social exclusion and inequality, and improve individual wellbeing.

This may be, for example, by recognising and encouraging people’s participation in local projects, supporting people with the necessary infrastructure to become active leaders in their community, or creating vocational or educational opportunities with those who might not otherwise have access.

The day-to-day costs of active involvement in local voluntary or leisure activities are often overlooked. On top of major household costs like rent, bills or mortgage payments, the cost of, for example, taking a bus to another part of town, or paying a child minder, often prohibits people on low incomes from participation in local events.

Volunteering at a primary school or helping to run a coffee morning involves time and money that not everyone has. By redistributing resources more equally, community currencies can help to overcome these inequalities of free time and money.