3. INTRODUCTION
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Introduction
ABOUT THE CCIA PROJECT
Community Currencies in Action (CCIA) was a transnational partnership (2011-2015) helping to
lay the ground for cross-sectorial currency innovations designed for the common good.
By offering a package of support structures to develop initiatives across North West of Europe, it
promotes community currencies as a credible conduit for achieving positive social, environmental and local
economic outcomes.
With 6 pilot currencies from 5 different nations linked to this project, CCIA has offered support and
expertise across borders to lay a strong foundation from which future community currencies can be
launched. By providing models, frameworks and toolkits for the future implementation of community
currencies by businesses, local governments as well as community groups, CCIA primarily serves
community currencies practitioners and those wanting to learn more about similar schemes that could
work in their communities.
This project connects the public and non-profit sectors through the biggest transnational
collaboration in the field of community currency design and implementation to date.
ABOUT COMMUNITY CURRENCIES
Community currencies has created new ways to exchange time and goods as an addition to
conventional money and it allows people to build connections across communities as a complementary
currencies to Euros or Pounds.
Co-funded by the European Regional Development Program Interreg IVb, CCIA brings together six
currency pilots; SoNantes (Nantes, France), Makkie (Amsterdam, Netherlands), E-Portmonnee (Limburg,
Belgium), TradeQoin (Amsterdam, Netherlands), Spice Time Credit (South Wales, UK) & Brixton Pound
(Lambeth, London, UK).
Complementary currencies have been utilised as an answer to local problems in communities all
over the world, and thanks to advances in technology and a big increase in the awareness of the need to
form sustainable communities, the practice of currency design is now entering mainstream policy debates.
This collaborative effort is hoped to have prompted further responses to the challenge of how
money can be redesigned to better serve society’s needs.
4. PROJECT BACKGROUND
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Project Background
Through Management Consulting module, it has been a tradition for Cardiff Business School MBA
students to collaborate with local charity bodies to put our theoretical knowledge to use by driving this
consulting project. Our team has been assigned to work with Spice! Organisation.
Spice! Organisation, one of the six pilot community currencies linked to CCIA, was a product of
succession of Wales Institute for Community Currencies (WICC) that was initiated in 2003 to study the use
of community currencies for supporting social regeneration in South Wales. Using the time-based currency
concept, Spice! was established to further develop the time credit systems that enables members of
community to give their free time and skills instead of money, to serve the community they livedin. For
each time credit earned through charity or community work, one will receive a voucher that can be spent at
Spice! participating partners.
By working with Spice! representative, Mr. Ben Dineen, we were introduced to CCIA Project and
ultimately was assigned to propose a solution that can ensure the continuation of CCIA’s current efforts.
The aim is to find the best model for a future institute to succeed CCIA upon completion of the current
project.
Of all the areas of concern within CCIA’s purview highlighted by Mr.Dineen, we have decided to
zoom in to work on membership management given these few considerations:
1) The nature of the six pilot currencies that have different value exchange system which is
challenging to tackle within the stipulated timeframe.
2) The commonality of the element in all six practitioners, which is members and memberships.
3) The current volume of existing members of partners and volunteers for each pilot
practitioners that it will be best to make it as a priority to tackle in order to ensure seamless
transition from CCIA to the initiation of this succeeding institute.
5. SCOPE & DELIVERABLES
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Scope & Deliverables
INITIAL PROJECT SCOPE
• Comparative analysis of models of similar types of institutes
• Recommendations to be formulated either on physical structure, governance or types of service
provided (membership benefit)
• Duration assigned - from May 14th until June 18th, 2015.
PRIORITY DELIVERABLES
• To propose a structure that manages membership across partners, based on the current pilot
currencies.
• To recommend key elements in membership management.
• To offer framework that can be adopted to manage those key elements.
• To suggest potential opportunities that can help achieve sustainable development of this governing
institute in the long run.
GLOSSARY
TERMS DEFINITION
The Organisation(s) Community currencies practitioners that are linked to The Institute.
Funding Partners Any entity that contributes or pledges any kind of donations or
funds to The Institute.
E.g. Local government, state service providers, social enterprises etc.
Earn Partners Any bodies that link to The Organisation(s) that offer charity or
community work for the volunteers in exchange of community
currency.
E.g. Other charity organisations, local community or neighbourhood
councils, local SMEs etc.
Spend Partners Any corporations that link to The Organisation(s) that accept
community currency in exchange of products or services to the
volunteers.
Volunteers Individuals who offer their free time & skills to charity or
community work through The Organisation(s) to earn credit in
community currency.
6. RECOMMENDATIONS
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Recommendations
OVERVIEW OF PROPOSED ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE
Proposed Organisation Structure for The Community Currencies Council
The Institute, which will be called The Community Currencies Council (CCC) will act as a governing
body to affiliating organisations and has ultimate responsibility for directing the affairs of the Institute, and
ensuring that it is solvent, well-run, and delivering the charitable outcomes for the benefit of the public for
which it has been set up.
Community Currencies
Council (CCC)
2. Funds & Programme
Management
2a. Remuneration &
Payment
2b. Awards & Events Office
3. Human Resource& IT
Management
3a. Training& Education
3b. Information
Management
3c. Technology
Development
4. Membership
Management
4a. Registry & Benefits
4b. Members Support &
Feedback
4c. Diversity &
International Committee
1. ExecutiveSteering
Committee
Audit & Risk Committee
Disciplinary Committee
(Ad Hoc)
7. RECOMMENDATIONS
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The role of The CCC can be summarised as follows:
• Ensuring that the institute complies with its governing documents, charity law, and other relevant
legislation or regulations.
• Giving firm strategic direction to the organisation, setting overall policy, defining goals and targets as
well as evaluating performance against the set benchmark.
• Ensuring proper and effective use of the Institute’s resources, and maintaining and enhancing the
reputation and profile of the Institute
• Ensuring effective representation of and participation with all its affiliating members.
The CCC can generally delegate certain powers, but will and must always retain the ultimate
responsibility for running the Institute. Given the size of the Institute and its many activities, The CCC
has delegated some powers to standing committees, thus ensuring that the required time and attention
is applied to overseeing specific areas of interest. These specific delegations are set out in the relevant
committee terms of references.
Figure 3 is taken from Seyfang (2013) in his paper Grassroots Innovations and Niche Development in the
Community Currency Field.
8. RECOMMENDATIONS
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JOB ROLES AND FUNCTIONS
1. EXECUTIVE STEERING COMMITTEE
The Senior Officers’ Committee has the following delegated responsibilities from The CCC to:
• Drive formulation, implementation and enforcement of policies pertaining to community currencies
through control and monitoring.
• Consider urgent and important matters that may arise between Council meetings and advise the Chief
Executive on actions including advising or consulting Council.
1a. AUDIT & RISK COMMITTEE
The purpose of this committee is to:
• Identify major areas of risk for The Institute and its subsidiary companies and to ensure processes
exist to manage risk in these areas.
• Ensure risk management, internal audit and external audit processes are administered effectively
• Bring to the attention of The Council any areas of high risk and/or any anomalies brought to light
through the audit process.
1b. DISCIPLINARY COMMITTEE (Ad Hoc)
The full terms of reference of the Disciplinary Committee are set out in the Regulations. The
Disciplinary Committee examines cases where a member of the Institute or other person or body has laid a
complaint against a member or has alleged that such member has acted in contravention of the Bylaws.
The Council delegates to The Disciplinary Committee the following powers:
• To expel or suspend any member from membership.
• To remove any member from this institute.
• To reprimand any member as and when needed.
• To call for a written undertaking from any member as to their future conduct.
9. RECOMMENDATIONS
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• To issue a written warning
• To dismiss a complaint and refund any reasonable direct costs incurred by the member in defending
themselves.
2. FUNDS & PROGRAMME MANAGEMENT
The Fund & Programme Management Division advises The Council on the core support affairs of the
Institute’s financials, including responsibility for finance management and investment. Responsibilities
include:
• Review and oversee the overall financial strategies of the Institute.
• Review the financial performance and management accounts of the Institute and the Institute’s other
trading subsidiaries, and monitoring against the Strategic Implementation Plan.
• Consider and make recommendations to Council on matters relating to finance, human resources, staff
remuneration, and ICT development.
• Outlining initiatives programmes and events based on the allocated budget on periodical basis.
2a. REMUNERATION & PAYMENT
The Remuneration Committee agrees the remuneration and related matters for the Executive Directors
of the Institute and its subsidiaries. Its responsibilities and powers are:
• To determine, on behalf of Council, the salaries, bonuses, remuneration packages and all other matters
concerning remuneration of the Chief Executive of the Institute of Physics and the Executive Directors
of the Institute and its subsidiaries.
• To ensure that any decisions around remuneration are delivering the Institute’s policy on Diversity and
Inclusion.
3. HUMAN RESOURCE & IT DEPARTMENT
The Human Resource & IT Department is further divided into 3 namely 3a. Training & Education, 3b.
Information Management and 3c. Technology Development. It has the following delegated responsibilities
from Council, to:
10. RECOMMENDATIONS
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Inform and advise the Vice-President, Education on policy concerning education.
Set, monitor and report to Council on the education programme and activities.
Oversee governance of externally funded education and outreach projects
Monitor the use of IT in the institute
Advise the institute on how technology development can help the institute
Aware of the advancement of technology so the institute doesn’t get left behind
11. RECOMMENDATIONS
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ABOUT THE MEMBERSHIP
The institute is governed by the council which consists of at least 17 members elected from, and
by, the corporate membership, and up to 3 co-opted members who are appointed by council itself .the
membership of council, along with the terms of office of members, is set out in the bylaws.
Position Term of office
ThePresident Two years, not eligible for re-election
ThePresident-elect Two years, then takes office as President
At leastthree Vice-Presidents Four years, not eligible for re-election for one year
after retirement
TheHonorarySecretary Four years, eligible for re-election for second term
TheHonoraryTreasurer Four years, eligible for re-election for second term
Tenordinarymembers Four years, not eligible for re-election for one year
after retirement
Up to threeCo-optedMembers One year, eligible to be renewed annually for up to
three years
TERMS OF REFERENCE & MEMBERSHIP
The terms of reference and memberships of the standing committees are set by Council and
reviewed annually. The terms of reference and memberships of the sub-committees are normally
set by the committee to which they report. On exception to this general rule is that the chairs of
the Groups Committee and Branch Committees are appointed by Council.
MEMBER-BASED COMMITTEE
The majority of standing committees are chaired by Honorary Officers or Vice-Presidents. In the
absence of the chair at a meeting, a committee may elect any member to act as chair for that
meeting. Unless stated otherwise, the quorum for a committee is 50% of members.
REPORTING
Regular reports should be made to Council after each meeting on all matters within their powers.
Committees should keep minutes which record those present, the date and any decisions, action
points or recommendations of each meeting.
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FREQUENCY OF MEETINGS
Committees should meet at such times as required by Council and/or the chair. An annual
committee meeting framework has been introduced to ensure that the committees and company
boards meet in line with the annual cycle of business.
DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION
In carrying out their work, Council and its committees will take into account the Institute’s vision
for diversity and inclusion, working towards an inclusive, sustainable, diverse and vibrant physics
community; and enabling all members to participate fully in our activities.
DECLARATION OF INTEREST
Should a committee member note an actual or potential conflict of interest on the agenda, or
should one arise during the meeting, this should be declared at the earliest opportunity and
recorded in the meeting minutes.
MEMBERSHIP MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE
The Membership Committee has the following delegated responsibilities from Council, to:
Set, monitor and report to Council on the membership programme of activities
Develop, implement and monitor membership recruitment and retention strategy
Develop and monitor the portfolio of member services and benefits
Develop and implement standards and procedures for application and election to all grades of
membership
Develop and maintain standards and procedures for registration as Chartered Physicist
Act on behalf of the Institute with external qualification and licensing bodies
Oversee all matters relating to the Institute’s Branches in England
13. RECOMMENDATIONS
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MEMBERSHIP MATRIX
To identify and reward founding and newly-joined members in accordance to their membership
types:
Membership Type
Funding Partners Platinum
Founding Earn & Spend Partners Gold
Newly-joined Earn & Spend Partners Silver
Volunteers
(with cumulative 500 credit earned)
Gold
Volunteers
(with cumulative 250 credit earned)
Silver
Volunteers
(with 249 and less credit earned)
Standard
REGISTRY & BENEFITS
Retain and maintain database on memberships and affiliating partners.
Manage end-to-end member-related process including new signups, renewal of membership etc.
Work together with the IT department to streamline processes to ensure data integrity of
membership record.
Identify eligible benefits and add-on privileges for each members based on the said membership
matrix.
Responsible for the validation, disbursement and development of benefits.
Progressively develop benefits and privileges to increase appeal of affiliation.
MEMBERS SUPPORT & FEEDBACKMANAGEMENT
SERVICE& SUPPORT EXPERIENCE
Provide straight-through resolution to simple enquiries and non-complicated feedback.
Ensure each feedback is acknowledged, resolved or escalated to the correct party.
FEEDBACKMANAGEMENT UNIT
Tabulate type of cases received and manage resolution turnaround time.
Escalate correctly cases that need Dispute Resolution & Mediation attention.
Advise the Disciplinary Committee on matters pertaining membership based on feedback findings
Provide periodical summary of feedback handling performance.
14. RECOMMENDATIONS
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Ensure closed loop of each feedback received.
DISPUTE RESOLUTION & MEDIATION UNIT
To reinvestigate unresolved cases escalated by Feedback Management Unit
To facilitate negotiation between two disputing parties to work mutually in achieving resolution.
To mediate conflicting parties reach a viable solution - without the need for taking matters to
court.
Acts as a neutral arbitrator to guide the disputing parties through the negotiation process and help
broaden the range of possible solutions.
15. POTENTIAL OPPORTUNITIES
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PotentialOpportunities
1. Membership
1.1 Should Spice start to do commercial advertisement to attract new spending & earning
partners?
1.2 Can the volunteer of Spice use their credit at community currency B spending partner?
1.3 Can the volunteer of Spice earn credit at community currency B earning partner?
1.4 Should the spending & earning partner membership management being managed by one
entity such as CCIA?
1.5 Should the volunteer membership being centralised instead of they register to a specific body
like spice, they register to a central entity likeCCIA?
1.6 Should all the feedback management be managed by a centralised entity?
1.7 Should the spending & earning partner membership be classified into few classes likenormal,
silver, gold, & platinum which has different annual fees amount and get different kind of
benefit likehaving more priority in event or ads done by Spice.
1.8 Should Spice create a platform or social network where it can connect volunteers so that they
can communicate?
1.9 Should Spice have a platform where spending partner can advertise their discount and
promotion to Spice volunteer?
1.10 Should Spice introduce new volunteer membership classes similarto airline membership and
member can get basic and add-ons privilege?
1.11 Should Spice introduce one off volunteer membership fees for each class of membership
(basic, silver, gold & platinum members).
1.12 Should Spice introduce membership card to replace voucher as it can be used to store data of
a specific members such as credit left, credit balance, spending history and member detail.
2. Sustainability
2.1 How to sustain of CCIA as the legal entity to monitor all the community currency body under
them when there is no longer EU funding?
2.2 Do community currency body under CCIA start paying a certain amount as a member?
2.3 Should CCIA start doing commercial activity like internal and external advertisement so that
they can gain income to self-operating?
16. POTENTIAL OPPORTUNITIES
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3. Integration
3.1 Integration of community currencies (CC) where a community currency can be converted to
other community currency.
3.2 Should the CCIA take a role to monitor and regulate all of the community currency body to an
international standard similar to ISO standard?
3.3 Should there be another entity like CCIA where only community currency with similar or not
competing objective is under it.
3.4 Should the central entity act as information services centre if there is new community
currency going to be created.
3.5 Should the central entity authority (power) to grow step by step like how European Union
grow by taking authority from each body to be centralised a little at a time.
