Coordination Groups
Picture courtesy of NOPPES
KEY FACTS
- Holding organisation: NOPPES
- Status: Independent Association
- Financing: Membership fees
- People involved in the project: Volunteers and members of NOPPES
- Public Partners: none
- Private partners: Other LETS networks
- Creation Date: 1993
- Contact Persons: Marjan Borsjes, info à noppes.nl
- Main project links: http://www.noppes.nl/npps/index.php
The idea
- Sharing for mutual benefit- (“Ruil je rijk”). A LETS system is essentially a local, interest-free network where accumulating a currency is not considered a merit or achievement. The best trade is when give and take in trading are in an equilibrium for the participants.
Social and economic activities are interwoven: a balanced exchange between people who are both consumer and producer makes a happy and healthy community in both mind and body!
NOPPES therefore softens the economic recession for its members by increasing their spending capacity since goods bought with ‘noppes’ saves people having to take from the euro purse.
The local context
NOPPES is a community of 500 members in Amsterdam. Across the Netherlands there are about 125 systems located in both towns and villages; in local community environments essentially. Look for the list of exchange circles in the Netherlands @ www.letscontact.nl.
Three main motivations for the establishment of LETS systems can be distinguished: economic, social and idealistic.
- a. Economic - to improve members’position in the conventional economy (e.g. work experience through LETS).
- b. Social - to be able to take part in LETS activities through which members can get to know others living in the same town or neighbourhood.
- c. Idealistic - to use LETS as a tool through which a fairer economy can be created.
Moreover, LETS have the following functions: personal development, repair and re-use of goods, more conscious consumption, and exchange of knowledge.
The starting point
NOPPES was formed by a group of friends in 1993 and received support from Strohalm Foundation in Utrecht. This support lasted until May 2009; since then, the Association has been entirely independent.
How does it work today?
Within NOPPES, members exchange or “barter” goods and services with each other while always negotiating services and prices. The offers are diverse: chores,babysitting, transportation, writing, computer services, etc. On the website (www.noppes.nl ), 1000 advertisements are visible with services and goods either on offer or requested.
Members have a fluctuating interdependence: we do each other a favour and we do it with pleasure; give and get services. Instead of one-to-one exchange we have multiple direction exchanges facilitated by the Cyclos (Open Source) book-keeping system.
The services are provided with points, which we call ‘noppes’. The value of 1 'noppes' is in principle variable (settled in negotiation). Only in two case scenarios is it equal to a 1 euro coin, 1. for the purpose of tax, and 2: to buy off if one wants to leave the system with a debt. (If the 'nop' or 'noppes' would have been a mere copy of the euro, the system would have lost part of its charm).
Transactions, both the earned and the paid points, are registered in an electronic transfer system (Cyclos). Spare or unused goods as well as a diversity of talents are also brought into the network by its members.
We don’t have interest and members can have a marginal debt to stimulate trading. Members contribute both in euro and in points.
Main activities: ► monthly meeting and dinners ► meeting and help, 3 afternoons weekly ► exchange markets ► IT consultations ► newsletter ► art exhibitions
Participation and Governance
NOPPES is a local network: at least 90 % of our members live in Amsterdam.
Among its members are neither the richest nor the poorest of Amsterdam. There is a majority of women; members are 30-70 years old. Many groups also participate in NOPPES such as people who are new in town; those who want to start an enterprise; who look for social contacts; who are rethinking their lives; people with little money; practical reasons; who want to try something new, and/or develop their skills; those who are socially committed.
In the past we had 10 employees, which subsequently decreased to just one and, since two years ago, none. We are all volunteers now. A group of about 40 volunteers runs the organisation (they get noppes in return). On the board are 2-6 persons; we also have an advisory council (4 persons). Since 2011 everything is financed with membership fees.
Added value of the project and making resources available
Being part of NOPPES can add to a member’s quality of life through social and economic support from others. It is a sort of mutual exchange between people and the community.
The system enriches many people who actively take steps to participate in a social environment, interacting and engaging with others. In this way, a complementary economy such as LETS provides extra wealth in itself, aside from money, and helps people to see opportunities in spite of scarcity.
Avoiding waste is part of NOPPES: people repair things instead of throwing away; they multi-use goods, for instance clothes; old furniture goes to new owners; people take (better) care of the environment.
NOPPES makes use of resources by bringing them into the network: skills, products, and sometimes even houses for rent in other countries. These are all spare products and skills people are willing to “share” with others, e.g. tax advice, singing lessons, language classes, taxi services, IT assistence, and more. In this way, people are also expanding their knowledge/skills.
Challenges
- In the twenty years of NOPPES's existence, the average age of the members has shifted from about 36 to 56 years of age. Our biggest challenge therefore will be to attract the 'second generation LETS-people';
- Inspire and guide people who think that they can do nothing;
- Reignite the inactive members; and
- Attract more members in order to have more variety in our market, especially groups and small and medium companies.
Future perspective
TBC
Proposals for change
TBC
Sources and links
For a directory of LETS systems across Europe, go to LETS-link up to Europe.