District-Currency-Game

A commons-based currency for cooperatives and neighbourhoods

Can specially designed alternative currencies in housing cooperatives or neighbourhoods activate local resources and promote social relationships and good living? These questions were scientifically investigated in two practical research projects. A completely new local currency was then developed, which is generally suitable for supporting the cooperative idea: “Achieving something together that is not possible individually!

2012-2014: Research and development project “Quartierwährung”(district currency) (FHNW, Fachhochschule Nordwestschweiz, Brugg and FleXibles Wirtschaftsforschung, Zurich). This resulted in a first brochure with the basic model of the currency and then the corresponding game was developed.

2016-2017: Further development within the framework of the international research project “netCommons”, Horizon2020, EU-Commission (NetHood, Zurich). For this purpose, two scientific reports were prepared, which also describe the further development of the district currency and the game:

Deliverable 2.4: Economic Sustainability of CNs (v1), Introducing Community Currencies

Deliverable 2.6: Economic Sustainability of CNs (v2) Community Currencies for Community Networks

The “distrct currency game” allows the newly developed district currency as an example to observe and experience the functioning of such a modern alternative currency in a cooperative. With the easily understandable, dynamic simulation and practical game, the participants make money cycles and functions visible and it becomes clear that freedoms and obligations could belong together.

Workshops with introduction, play and discussion

Introductory workshop (short version)
Group size: 9-30 people
Duration: 2 to 2.5 hours

Full workshop
Group size: 9-30 people
Duration: One half day (4 to 6 hours)

Report from an introductory workshop in Amsterdam  Link