hello!
On Wednesday June 25, 4-6pm we held Builders Workshop #16 on how Mutual Aid Networks can redesign work and build a regenerative economy. I had the pleasure of co-presenting with new Time For the World/Mutual Aid Networks Co-Coordinator Chris Petit, who wrote these notes:
Our June builder’s workshop was focused on Mutual Aid Networks and how mutual aid networks can redesign work and build a regenerative economy.
We had an excellent mixture of people in attendance in-person from Madison and via teleconference from across the country. Stephanie and I presented about the concept and the tools and processes within Mutual Aid Networks. While Timebanking is great at building our core economy of caregiving, creativity, civic engagement and community building, we engaged in the exploration of other tools of mutual aid – cooperative saving and investment pools, price-based mutual credit, and shared resources – synergistically working together under a cooperative ownership umbrella.
We discussed the possibility of using member dues and patronage rebates to fund projects and work for the betterment of our communities. We explained how patronage points based on local project outcomes could be utilized to distribute funds from the community savings and lending pool. We learned about this concept from Janelle Orsi from the Sustainable Economies Law Center at the CommonBound Conference in Boston.
The presentation can be viewed here.
The handouts can be viewed here.
After the presentation, we discussed different ways that the Mutual Aid Network structure could be utilized in our different communities. In Madison, there was interest in creating a healing center using the MAN framework. We also discussed possibilities for providing support for co-housing, students, renewable energy production, and health care.
Below you can see the different ideas that arose during our discussion.
We are continuing to move forward with pilot site selection and the momentum and enthusiasm for redesigning our work lives to serve our communities is ever increasing.
–Chris Petit, Co-Coordinator, Time For the World/Mutual Aid Networks
We did record this meeting, and connect with some far-flung people online for it, but the video file is enormous. I’ll shrink it and find a way to share a smaller version on request.
As always, thanks for reading. Stay tuned, there’s a lot happening!
Take care,
Stephanie