Open Knowledge Blog

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  Organisational structure:

As a non-profit organisation with the aim of founding and running ecovillages and organising events to reacquaint people worldwide with their inner selves and life in communities as an alternative way of life, we will organise ourselves in various departments. 

In doing so, we will dispense with hierarchies and official structures. 

The organisation is based on Full Members, the residents of the ecovillage or those who actively participate before the foundation. 

And Part Members which support the organisation in various ways, including temporary work in certain departments, as well as guests who visit the ecovillages on a short-term basis.

These departments or working groups are set up by people who feel drawn to a particular theme. As the number of members grows, a team leader can be formed, but can be voted out of office by the group at any time.Joining a team or department requires the agreement of the existing members. 

Each member decides for themselves how much they can contribute, but is fully trusted to do their best and take responsibility.

The most important departments to be filled quickly:

• Administration, Finance and Legal Department

• Marketing and website

• Co-creators of the event programme

• Kitchen

• Childcare and education

In addition to these departments, specific departments will be established as soon as the first village is founded:

• Growing fruit and vegetables

• Water and landscape design

• Development (house building etc.)

• Retreats and training courses

• Cultural centre, bar and cafeteria

• Global peace work & cooperation with other projects and communities

• Tea and herbal medicine

• Our community shop

• Guest centre and accommodation

• Political ashram for our own spiritual development and community building

• Culture, creative work, pottery, painting, singing, making music, dancing, etc.

• Plant medicine shamanism

• Work-Study or Volunteer Care Team

Each member can be active in more than one department.

Introduction:

In the founding phase, we encourage all interested parties to register. Once a group of 8-20 people form a co-operative (see Legal Structure and Formation Process section) to buy the land, they become the first inhabitants of the village and full members of the co-operative.The overriding principle is that the land belongs to the people who live on it, and people are more important than capital.

Member types of the organisation:

a. Full Members:

• Have the right to inhabit the land.

• Are owners of the co-operative and the land.

• Each have one vote in all decisions.

a.1 How do I become a Full Member with the option to live on the land?

• A motion is submitted, on which all full members vote with one consent.

a.2 What and how do I contribute to the community?

There is no entry fee, but a request to the community to provide capital and/or a loan to the extent possible. Furthermore, everyone can decide for themselves whether they want to build their own home (yurt, mobile home, tiny house, house etc.) or arrange something in co-operation with the community so that the community builds accommodation together with the new resident. This could be through a contribution to the development fund of money or a commitment to get involved in areas that the community feels are of particular need, provided there is spare money in the fund to build such a dwelling or perhaps spare, unoccupied accommodation that, if thecommunity agrees, can be offered to the new resident.

a.3 A full member and community resident wishes to leave the community.

• Voluntary withdrawal possible at any time. The member receives their loan back, or if this is not possible immediately, within 3-5 years in monthly instalments. The house can be taken away (if the member has financed 100% of it themselves) or left to the community.

a.4 Can a community member be excluded?

This is an absolute last resort if the community comes to the conclusion that it can no longer help the person concerned and is suffering from this person's behaviour. According to our previous research in other communities, we need such a safety valve, even if this has only happened once in Tamera, for example, in a community with over 40 years and 200 members. If, after several attempts, we come to the conclusion that we as a community cannot help this person, for example in the case of aggressive behaviour, we will ask this person to seek help outside. The person must then leave the community. Such a decision must be made with 90% of all votes, whereby the vote of the person concerned is not taken into account. In the event of expulsion, the same conditions apply as described in point a.3 above for the repayment of funds. Such a person may also apply for reinstatement after adjusting their behaviour.

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b. Part Members

• live in the ecovillage for up to 6 months per year or a maximum of 2 years at a time.

• These part members can be part of the work-study groups or volunteers. 

• You can also be part of the Support Circle, which provides labour or financial support on a monthly basis 

• or one-off donations on a larger scale.

• b.1 How do I become a member with the possibility to partially occupy the land?

• Work-Study Group with a commitment of at least 6 weeks.

• Donations or labour services, combined with the need for a host from the Full Member group for integration.

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• b.2 Can a Part Member be excluded from the Community?

• Yes, under the same conditions as for Full Members.

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• c. Part Short time Members:

• Guests visiting the village or attending our festivals and events. Pay a temporary membership fee.

We want to make all decisions by consent so that all members agree.

However, if someone exercises their veto right, this person is obliged to temporarily join the working group that needs this decision in order to work out a solution that is acceptable to everyone. 

All decisions are made during the regular community meetings. 

When the community grows to around 30 full members, we will also discuss which decisions can be made in the departments alone.

All emotions are real. 

We do not judge emotions, but accept them, whatever they are, and share them with society. 

That's why we have the weekly forum, where everyone can come into the circle and share whatever they feel. 

In total, we want to meet 5 times a week for 3 hours each time. 

We would like to use this for: 

- Forum 

- to discuss topics and make decisions. 

- Community time, i.e. time together without any kind of programme (dancing, singing, chilling out, whatever).

We rely on the shared and gift economy. 

This means that we want to support each other in the community without providing a specific service in return. . 

We grow our own food and prepare it in our kitchen. Children can attend our own kindergartens and schools. Other members contribute their skills to the community, such as massages, haircuts or medical check-ups. . 

As all residents own the land, they live on it free of charge. . 

All this is done without direct payment or service in return. . 

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We trust that everyone takes as much as they need and gives as much as they can. Our aim is for everyone to be able to meet their needs, taking into account the organisation's ability to function.

In the early days, however, there will also be the commodity economy model, which we aim to reduce further and further over time. . 

For example, the Community Tamera, which covers 2/3 of its costs via the Shared and Gift Economy and 1/3 via the Commodity Economy Model, serves as an orientation. Examples of costs in the Commodity . Economy Model are . 

-the repayment of loans

-Health insurance,

- Advertising costs

-Travelling expenses for community members

-the purchase of goods that we cannot produce ourselves 

This means that we also have to create added value and exchange this for money and generate additional sources of income.

These could include:

• The organisation of events and courses, 

• The production of jewellery, clothing and art by residents or in cooperation with other organisations, which are marketed.

• The provision of services by residents such as counselling, massages, naturopathy, etc.

• The sale of home-grown fruit and vegetables.

• The introduction of a field-to-table concept at regular intervals, for example once a week, which can develop into a concept that works on a daily basis.

• Applying for public funding for non-profit activities such as reforestation, permaculture, agrotourism, etc.

• Donations.

• Loans from our full members, members and external supporters of the project.

In general, we will offer all products and services with a scaling price so that participants or purchasers of products with higher financial means can also co-finance the participation of people with a lower budget.

How much will the residents or full members work and do we get paid for it?

As a standard model, we dedicate our work to the community and the community covers all costs. We encourage people to contribute 80-120 hours of labour per month. It should be noted that if no volunteers are found for certain tasks, the community as a whole must find a solution, such as during our discussion times.

Our aim is to offer residents who are fully committed to this model an allowance of €500 per month. In addition, they receive a further €500 per month for each child who does not live in the community (e.g. funding for studies up to the age of 25 or maintenance costs). The prerequisite for this is that sufficient money is available in the relevant funds. Residents who wish to travel or train to pursue the shared mission and vision can apply for a travel grant, which is voted on by the community.

The second option is that residents who only contribute to the community in part, i.e. 50% of their normal working hours, and at the same time have another self-employed occupation, are not entitled to pocket money. Instead, they should pay 10-30% of their income into the community. However, if this person contributes more than 50% of their income to the community, they are again entitled to pocket money.

What is our economic relationship with our part members? 

Non-full members all receive a place to sleep in the communal tent or a free place to pitch their tent, or a parking space for their van. In addition, like full members, they also receive three free meals and can use the toilets and showers free of charge. At the same time, these Work-Study Members contribute with work, about 20-25 hours per week, and also receive 6-10 hours of education from the Community Members in various areas.

We will set up several funds:

• A budget fund that will cover the running costs.

• A development or infrastructure fund that enables the financing of long-term projects and can also grant loans to community members.

• A humanitarian fund that finances the external education of our Full Members, private health costs that are not covered by health insurance and international humanitarian projects, for example in crisis regions.

All operating income goes into the budget fund. This fund can also receive loans and donations. The other funds receive their money from public subsidies, donations and loans or from the budget fund if it has generated sufficient income.

Whether and how much the budget fund transfers to the other funds, on what terms and the exact utilisation of all budgets of the individual funds are left 20% to the department itself in trust, while 80% requires the approval of all full members. The Finance and Administration team manages and submits proposals. For this vote and also to summarise the previous month, there is a monthly meeting

  According to current knowledge, the formation of a co-operative (under Portuguese law "Cooperative") is the most suitable model. This has the advantage that each full member has one vote, regardless of the number of shares they hold. This is in line with our principle that people are worth more than capital. This co-operative will own the land and will also be able to reflect all economic activities. Guests will also become part-time members and will pay a membership fee, but not a fee calculated on a discretionary basis. However, only full members will have voting rights.

Before the cooperative is formally founded, we act as private individuals who come together to implement certain activities. Some people from our community will soon start organising different events, especially the Community Camp 2024 in September/October 2024 in Portugal.

As soon as a group of 8-12 people come together who are determined to found the first ecovillage together, we will look for land and found the co-operative. The founding members will contribute the same amount of share capital and provide loans on the same terms but in different amounts, as not all founders are likely to have the same amount of capital available. 

If the founders' money is not enough to buy the land and create a minimal infrastructure to live and work on it, we will also launch crowdfunding campaigns to raise the missing money.

 The criteria for the land aim to enable an intentional, diverse and sustainable community. 

Size and location:

• The size of 10-20 hectares offers sufficient space for various activities and infrastructures.

• In nature, ideally with a river in the countryside and gentle hills or valleys.

• Maximum 60 minutes by car to the beach.

• A maximum of 30 minutes to the nearest hospital.

• Maximum 2 hours to the nearest international airport.

Water resources :

• A private river on the land and the possibility of damming a lake.

• Or at least one spring with groundwater no deeper than 10 metres.

Agricultural opportunities:

• The conditions should allow at least 1 hectare of fruit and vegetable cultivation in order to ensure sustainable agriculture and diversity in the diet.

Infrastructure:

• The possibility of building various structures, including living spaces for 50-100 people

• concrete buildings with at least 800 m², 

• Fixed large tents for the accommodation of 30 guests

• Car park for up to 30 campers and 50 cars

• and the erection of dome tents for:

• Retreats

• Kindergarten and school

• Herb house

• Kitchens

• Offices

• Sewing room, 

• Cultural centre with bar and café

• a community shop 

• other necessary facilities