Commons ToC

🌱 Building community wealth through shared time, space, and relationships

The Commons dimension of our co-operative model is all about how care is collectively stewarded and supported by the wider community - not just paid professionals. It recognises and weaves in the many hidden threads of care that already exist: neighbours, friends, volunteers, shared spaces, and informal networks.

This Theory of Change view shows how commons-based activities and outputs connect to meaningful outcomes around belonging, equity, trust, and abundant care.

Commons Outputs

These are the key contributions made through commons-based care activities:

• Commons resource circles with volunteers

• People gift time, skills and resources to teams and circles

• Commons connects circles to local resources and community networks that can enrich the quality of lives of team members

• Local circles have diverse and representative memberships, including other organisations with common values

• Circles establish partnerships with local community hubs and anchor organisations to expand service offerings

• Service evaluation measures cooperative connections between teams, circles and local community networks

Commons Outcomes

These outcomes reflect the social richness and relational depth the commons helps to build:

• People have the freedom to decide upon and co-produce the care together

• More people feel the power balance is right

• Stronger community networks and partnerships are fostered

• Peer support is widespread and normalized amongst all groups

• More trusting, equitable relationships

• People giving and receiving support make use of local community spaces to meet peers, hold gatherings, and self-organise

• Local circles reflect diverse membership and collaborate with aligned organisations

• Community kindness and connection grow

• People benefit from gifted care, time and assets

• Meal times are more social experiences

• Care and support exists in greater abundance

• People getting support are more connected to the people, places and things they care about

• Care & support meets more of people's quality of life needs

• People require less paid care and support over the long term

• People getting support and family members have more trust in their care workers and Equal Care