Would you like to see a more sharing society?
Would you like to be part of the change?
The freelender community are those of us who want to do something beyond registering on freelender.org in order that lending and borrowing is supported and developed in ways that work better for people.
This website provides information about the development groups which you are welcome to join:
- Networking Group (A particularly recommended meeting to join if you are new to the freelender community)
-next meeting 9.30am Wednesday 25th November 2009
-next meeting (9.30am) Monday 25th January 2010
-next meeting (11.30am) Wednesday 9th December 2009
-next meeting (11am) Thursday 26th November 2009
-next meeting (9.30am) Wednesday 6th January 2010
-next meeting {9.30am) Friday 22nd January 2009
This freelender community website (a wiki site, like wikipedia) is run by the Freelending CIC (Community Interest Company) which promotes borrowing and lending, and provides the freelender.org website as one way of doing this.
Just click on 'edit' at the top of any page to ask for permission to start editing these pages.
We want to make these pages as useful as possible to anyone who is concerned about the use of resources and who believes in the value of finding ways to increase sharing.
Open Source Community Development Ethos & Aims
We have developed freelender.org with the intention of providing both a website and a set of code (for further development by a community interested in taking further the sharing of resources).
We set the following aims which are guiding our next steps at the end of 2009 / beginning of 2010:
First Aim
We are working to enable the sharing of resources and resourcefulness specifically by establishing in 2009 a website that enables people to find and lend items that otherwise would not have been so accessible to them. The working title of this website is freelender.org
Second Aim
We are seeking to work with others who share values of generosity and trust-building in sharing community resources; in 2009 to establish clarity with justfortheloveofit.org about our working relationship, and later with other providers e.g. freecycle / freegle groups.
Third Aim
We are committed to establishing in 2010 ways for the work of freelender.org to be self-sustaining or amalgamated with an organisation that is self-sustaining.
(We define self-sustaining in this context as having the wherewithal:
- to continue to develop the look, feel and functionality of freelender.org
- to "market" the benefits of (and address the concerns related to) lending both to people you know and to those you don't
- to respond individually to enquiries within 5 working days.)
Individual Vision & Mission Statements
People involved in Freelending CIC may support the above aims and work effectively together whilst having different value systems, personal visions and missions. One supporter of the above aims may have a personal vision of building the essentials of community - fellowship, security and meaningful participation in a totality greater than one's self and be engaged with freelender for that reason. Another supporter of these aims might simply want to borrow and lend rather than spend.
Contents of this page:
Freelending CIC - technological and cultural change in service of sustainability
Freelending Community Interest Company has been set up by Paul Crosland and Edmund Johnson to promote the many benefits of borrowing and lending - benefits to individuals, communities and the biosphere - and to provide people with tools which will enable us all to borrow and lend more easily.
We are using this wiki to plan ahead and to be open and accountable in relation to our plans, with which you are again invited to join in.
Two types of changes complement each other to create more sharing (and sustainable) communities:
- cultural change; within Freelending CIC, the cultural change responsibility is led by Paul Crosland.
- technological change; within Freelending CIC, the technological change responsibility is led by Edmund Johnson.
We are keen to connect you with others who want a more sharing society and believe that freelending is an important and timely cultural transition, enabling us to extend our lending and borrowing beyond those we know.
Navigating this site via the Side Bar
Please see the side bar to the right (and up a bit) as the main way in which to navigate this site.
There are approximately 150 pages on this site.
These pages are arranged under the headings of the Development Groups.
Ways you can get involved with the exciting development of freelending
- from which others can learn the benefits of sensible lending and/or reckless lending?
(You can also put your story on the freelenders blog)
Photos from the launch of freelender.org
- at the Buddhafield Festival (16th July 2009 launch)
- see also the market research pages
If you contact us and ask for a copy of our latest version of the borrowing and lending tips we have some notes not yet on this wiki site which might further increase the success of your borrowing and lending, even to your close friends and family!
Things you can do now to improve humanity's sharing of resources
- give something back that you've borrowed longer than you agreed.
- contact someone who's borrowed something to extend their agreed lending.
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make a list of things you've currently lent/borrowed.
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make a list of things you don't use every day (and think about how you could get the benefits of lending out some of them).
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put a wishlist of DVDs, books, music, tools, bikes, tandems or whatever onto freelender.org (or pass the list around neighbours).
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hold a freelender event in your house or community centre and invite neighbours (more information on-line about how to do this to maximum satisfaction).
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arrange to co-ordinate a short or longer freelender training.
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print out this web page and hand copies to friends.
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write your own leaflet.
- chat to someone about what your both think helps you get what you want by borrowing and lending.
- join one of our Development Groups (which might also boost your CV as well as connect you to others with energy for the change you want.)
If you want to suggest improvements (or add relevant information) to our plans on this website just click 'Edit' at the top of any page and a message will pop up that you need to be approved by us. You can then send us your email address and we will add you to the list of those who can edit. (We will never share your email address with any third party without your approval.)
PLEASE PRINT AND CIRCULATE THIS PAGE TO INVOLVE OTHERS IN THIS PROJECT OF GENEROSITY & COMMUNITY RESILIENCE. freeelender.org
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