This is a metaskill and used in nearly every human situation where people have to share resources. Some people treat human relations as a war and so negotiation is a war. For others, where ensuring the best possible outcome for everyone is at the heart of the negotiation process, a very different approach is used. You need to listen attentively to what the other person wants. In some negotiation approaches, teachers or trainers suggest you learn as much about the other person before you … Read more
Empowered Fundraising Raising funds through building relationships
See the need to fundraise as an opportunity to build community. In asking someone for money, we are actually offering them the opportunity to engage with a meaningful project and with us personally. Who is really giving here? The aim is to build diverse networks of support and ongoing engagement. We also see that even when we receive a ‘no’ there is an opportunity to gain new information and to build our networks. References: ● Twist,Lynne The Soul of Money: Reclaiming the Wealth of Our … Read more
Creating a Business Plan How to create a business plan
Create a Business Plan that is as simple or as complicated as desired. The main aim of a business plan is to create a clear view of the objectives of the business and how to attain them. This will ensure that everyone who is collaborating with its implementation has a clear view of the direction. There are many examples and templates of Business Plans online. Pick the one you feel is most appropriate for your organization. Social enterprises tend to be resourceconstrained organizations, … Read more
Cooperation Dynamics Promoting cooperation instead of competition between individuals, groups and organisations, and across sectors.
However, the idea of a Solidarity Economy and the cooperative movement generally challenges this logic and proposes an alternative. Instead, the idea and logic is that cooperation can help us to strengthen the organizations and projects although it is important and necessary to design appropriate structures and dynamics to help this unfold. Design of structures for intercooperation at different levels: Reproductive Cooperation: are the dynamics of support that require us to share … Read more
Social/Solidarity Finance Beyond Banks...
If traditional methods do not fit well with entrepreneurs who are in need of funding, what can we do? There are several ways to solve this need. We can use our network to request solidarity private loans at an interest rate of CPI or 0%. Or private loans at a market interest rate that is negotiated and which is sometimes organized as micro credits. Or we could become partners with a credit union that works with similar criteria to those of our organisation. This is a easier and faster … Read more
Social and Solidarity Economy When economy is at the service of the people and not vice versa
We can also experience the economy at smaller scales national, regional or local. And if we actually look at the etymological meaning of economy, from its ancient Greek origin “oikos” and “nomos”, we find it means “house” and “law or custom”. This leads us to an idea which roughly translates as "rules of the house”. We need an alternative vision of the economy based on people, whose wellbeing is the main purpose. At the same time, such an economy must be respectful of nature, … Read more
Feminist Economics & Economy of Care Putting care in the center of economy
A different way to look at the economy, in which the sustainability of life is at the center, and we think what jobs are necessary for lives of both people and other living things. An economy in which other welfare indicators exists that allows to decouple these from economic growth, and considers necessary a social transformation in which there is a redistribution of care tasks among all people and a consideration of the biophysical limits of the … Read more
Social Currencies A currency that stimulates local economy and strengthens organizations within a solidarity economy.
Social currency is used as a tool to develop the local and solidarity economy in an area. It helps to generate exchanges between individuals possible where a lack of “official currency” is a limiting factor. Social currency is created and destroyed based on real economic activity that occurs between entities and individuals. It is a local currency, which produces no interest and no motivation to accumulate it. This eliminates the possibility of speculation with it and this helps … Read more
The Ethics of Sustainable Thinking A framework for making moral and ethical choices
Some choices are “right versus wrong” and most people only take a moment of reflection to come to the proper decision. Some choices are more complex and might be viewed as “right versus right”. From a sustainability perspective, there are six suggested categories, that can help guide our decision making 1. Individual versus community. 2. Global versus local. 3. Law versus truth. 4. Short term versus long term. 5. Toxic versus non toxic. 6. Justice versus mercy . We can also … Read more
Cooperative Consortia Cooperative consortia are secondlevel coops, whose members are other coops.
Consortia are very flexible tools, which are more stable than networks. They can be used by enterprises of all types, to fulfil functions such as joint purchasing and marketing. However because they are controlled bottomup, they are particularly suitable for cooperatives. Different national legislations vary but, to take Italy as an example, a consortium can be founded by three or more primary cooperatives with a minimum capital of only €516. They are territorially based, and bring … Read more
