Complementary Currencies
THE MISSION
To provide a platform for collaboration between community members interested in developing and promoting economic models involving the use of means of exchange based on personal and community relationships rather than debt creation and non-transparent government and semi government policy.
THE WORKING GROUP
We are exploring ways to come together to support different local initiatives. Currencies can be complementary to national fiat currencies as well as other local currencies.
PARTNERS
Phoenixville Area has two complementary currencies being worked with by members of the PAT community: Phoenixville Area Time Bank Dollars, in use since 2004 and Soltanes a new community supported currency.
Phoenixville area time bank
Timebanking is a time-based currency. Give one hour of service to another, and receive one time credit. You can use the credits in turn to receive services — or you can donate them to others.
An hour of service is always one time credit regardless of the nature of the service performed.
One Hour = One Credit
It helps to remember that the one=one rule is rooted deep in the idea that regardless of whether we value what we do in different ways, we share a fundamental equality as human beings.
The focus of Timebanking is on our value as human beings. It seeks to connect us through the relationships we create through giving and receiving. It operates in this way as a complement to the money-dominated world we inhabit.
Designed to increase our individual and community well-being, Timebanking takes place through exchanges by members as they give and receive services to each other, or through group and community activities and projects. Members can include individuals, groups and organizations.
Soltanes community supported currency
Together we are developing an intentional economic community around a new complementary community currency in addition to time credits from the Phoenixville Area Time Bank. The currency “Soltanes”, named after a place of nurturing and growth in a medieval legend called Parzival, is a “complementary currency” because it is not intended to replace existing currencies - just be a tool to help people work together in community.
People can give things and do things and they can get Soltanes. People can then give Soltanes and get other things.
If you have more Soltanes than you need you can easily give them away to friends or donate them to non-profit basic need agencies or other supports providers to community residents in particular need.
We hope that many vendors will one day accept Soltanes as payment as well. This would depend on people at first wanting to get things and give things using the currency but once this happens it could take on a life of its own - if enough people want to build community through this means of exchange.
contact
For information about the working group contact Adrian Bowden adrian.bowden@gmail.com