Exclusion of certain groups from social life weakens community relationships overall. Specially designed currencies can be used to oil the wheels of social participation, ensuring that all groups are given realistic, relevant and meaningful opportunities to get involved in their communities.
It is important to clarify that community currencies cannot single-handedly overcome the deep social, economic and political inequalities that exist within societies.
These are structural issues requiring structural change. Nonetheless, well-designed currencies offer a unique tool for addressing some of the drivers and effects of social exclusion.
Involvement in voluntary and community work offers many benefits to the socially excluded and economically marginalised: a chance to develop new relationships, valuable skills and a feeling of self-worth. The work of such projects is also of great worth to the wider community, mobilising local residents’ latent assets and skills. For example, credit-earning sessions allowing qualified but unemployed hairdressers to practise their skills and build up their haircutting experience also facilitate socialising.
In this way, currency transactions can catalyse further community activity, as people think up new earning and spending opportunities for the currency system and form new relationships with local facilities, both private and public.
The most exciting thing about time-credits is their diversity of applications. They can work with schools, social care, community connection, building social capacity. It can work whether you’re a small or big organisation. They really allow us to improve our interventions.
- Claire Mattison, Lancashire County Council, discussing Spice Time Credits
Moreover, the activities created through currency schemes give people extra incentives to engage with others in their area. If well designed, they can bring together a diverse range of groups: people from different generations, cultures, religions or social classes whose paths might not otherwise cross.
Exclusion of certain groups from social life weakens community relationships overall. Specially designed currencies can be used to oil the wheels of social participation, ensuring that all groups are given realistic, relevant and meaningful opportunities to get involved in their communities.
- Spice Time Credits
It is important to clarify that community currencies cannot single-handedly overcome the deep social, economic and political inequalities that exist within societies.
These are structural issues requiring structural change. Nonetheless, well-designed currencies offer a unique tool for addressing some of the drivers and effects of social exclusion.
Involvement in voluntary and community work offers many benefits to the socially excluded and economically marginalised: a chance to develop new relationships, valuable skills and a feeling of self-worth. The work of such projects is also of great worth to the wider community, mobilising local residents’ latent assets and skills. For example, credit-earning sessions allowing qualified but unemployed hairdressers to practise their skills and build up their haircutting experience also facilitate socialising.
In this way, currency transactions can catalyse further community activity, as people think up new earning and spending opportunities for the currency system and form new relationships with local facilities, both private and public.
Moreover, the activities created through currency schemes give people extra incentives to engage with others in their area. If well designed, they can bring together a diverse range of groups: people from different generations, cultures, religions or social classes whose paths might not otherwise cross.
- Makkie case study
# See also - Contents - People Powered Money