This article was submitted to My Story by Wil Heidt
ONE SOLUTION – COMMUNITY BARTER!
There are more than 1500 community barter groups in more than 40 countries. You can check this at www.complementarycurrency.org These community barter groups are different from business barter groups such as Bartercard and other business barter organizations in that the members of these groups barter with people in their own community using an alternative currency with no or limited financial cost.
Barter, of course, is not a new phenomena. For thousands of years people have bartered goods and services long before printed money or coins were invented. The modern form of community barter started in the 1980’s in Canada, known as LETS – Local Exchange Trading System and has since spread to many other countries. In Australia there are more than 50 LETS groups (www.lets.org.au)
Thousands of years before European people occupied Australia the aboriginal people exchanged “goods and services” all over the continent. They functioned perfectly well without modern currencies such as dollars and cents, cheques, money orders, or credit cards.
Presently many countries find themselves on the edge of financial collapse.
Tax payers’ money is being used to shore up the various financial interests responsible for the worst economic crisis since the Depression in the 1920’s.
As a result many people have lost or are about to lose their jobs or savings. Financial hardship is being faced by millions of people all over the world. Even the experts are in disagreement as to how this economic crisis can be overcome. The consensus is that it could take many years.
In the mean time many people are concerned with providing themselves and their families with basic necessities such as housing, food, clothes, transport and childcare. This is where COMMUNITY BARTER can assist in providing a solution. Even businesses can benefit from bartering their goods and services.
So, you may ask, where can I go from here? How can I become involved or organise a community barter group in my own local area? There is a lot of information available by checking the above websites as well from a book written by James Taris
(www.lets.org.au)
There will be regular instalments on this website concerned with community barter organizations or activities, including articles from people who have initiated a community barter group in their own local area.
(This article was written by Wil Heidt, a member of LETS South, a community barter group involving over 100 families or households in the southern metropolitan area in Adelaide, South Australia)
About the author
I have been involved with community barter systems for over 15 years. I feel strongly that barter helps to re-create communities while being supportive of small business and individual people in need.
I run a small business in the building industry, employing long term unemployed people as well as young workers who want to learn a trade. I have also been involved with city farms, community groups, housing associations and resident groups. Wil Heidt wilheidt@adam.com.au
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Way back in 1992 I joined a Barter system I think it was called Bartercard. I was able to provide my service to other members in return for them providing me with other services I did not need to pay for with cash.
Whether it is a commercial Barter system or your local Barter group, Bartering instead of cash purchasing is a fantastic way to swap services between 2 individuals.
Great article Wil
LETS South, as mentioned in Wil’s article, has just celebrated it’s 18th birthday. It is a successful barter system running right here in South Australia for the benefit of Members who pay $25 p.a. to cover postage,Website and other costs that still can’t be paid for in $B.There is a regularly updated Resource Guide, a Newsletter and Markets held 4 times a year at the Aldinga Institute.This year the group hopes there will be an extra Market in March outdoors in Willunga.
To become a successful Member of a barter community you need to be flexible,community-minded, reliable and able to offer services,goods or skills needed by the community, so that you can earn the $B you will need to pay for the things you need.There is no room for people who are interesting in exploiting others, dishonesty or the accumulation of wealth.The system works best when the $B are recycled and not horded/saved.
In these unsteady financial times which are a product of globalisation, greed and exploitation, a successful barter system is hope for the future.In these times the climate is right for barter systems to increase and flourish. Of course they require hard work to set up and maintain. Knowing that the effort is put in to build an ethical system which takes account of real people and their needs and requirements is profoundly satisfying and rewarding.
You can email the group at letssouth@comstech.com or visit the Website for more information.