Groups & Networks

How do groups & networks appear on, and interact with, the platform?

Background


Since the DEAL Community Platform launched in September 2020, there has been a lot of interest from people looking to connect around the ideas of Doughnut Economics with other DEAL Community members where they live, whether in their town, city, region, state or country.

In many instances, these initial local meet-ups have developed into self-organising groups, coalitions and networks, meeting regularly, deepening their learning together, developing visions for their place, and beginning to turn the ideas of Doughnut Economics into action.

By pioneering new methods, they are offering inspiration to others in the DEAL Community through tools and stories, but we recognise that there isn’t a dedicated place on the platform where you can find these groups, coalitions and networks, connect with, and learn more about them.

We also recognise that DEAL is part of a wider movement for change with many dynamic, evolving networks of organisations moving towards distributive and regenerative economies, and when we launched the platform, we didn't anticipate this level of interest in forming local groups.

So in the spirit of going where the energy is, we're keen to hear your thoughts and ideas on how the DEAL Community Platform could best support local groups and the DEAL Community members who are looking to connect with and learn from them.

Open Questions


  • Should a local group have its own page or space on the platform?
  • Would such a page have owners or moderators or facilitators?
  • Who would add new local groups to the platform? The DEAL Team?
  • Should local groups appear on the proposed DEAL Community Map?
  • What other platform features would be useful for local groups?
  • Should group-created tools & stories be attributed to that group, rather than the individual who posts it?

Related Suggestions & Ideas


8 comments
Jane Whild over 1 year ago

Hi I have joined a local group and I would like to see us on the community map, so we could post our upcoming events there.
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Moze Jacobs over 2 years ago

I do feel that 'localism' (as advocated by Vandana Shive, for example) should be taken into serious consideration and discussed and that local groups are essential to DE (doughnut economics) as it is where theory is translated into practice. Am also part of a local group*) where we benefit a lot from conversations and input from all sides so, yes, I feel that it is important that group-created tools & stories are attributed to that group. The commons idea! Also would like to see local groups appear on a map so that potential new members can find them and they have a 'presence' that speaks to local people. Other platform features would be a structured way to present information that local groups glean from their interactions with the local economy and community. In such a way that it transcends the anecdotal and the personal but is useful to other groups and overall insights. Requires a lot of thought. Could be a website as suggested by Roisin Markham (IDEN) and others. *) We are a local group (West Cork Doughnut Economy Network) within IDEN, the national Irish network.

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Brian Dowling over 2 years ago

Regards the open questions, each group should have the opportunity to have its own page or space on the Doughnut platform and that group should have its own moderators or facilitators similar to social entrepreneurs responsible for the site, not the Doughnut team. I would like to see a fractal form of organizational structure. Perhaps there could be a probationary period, where a group proposes a page based on a Doughnut template and is given an opportunity to test it out. If successful it then becomes a more permanent feature of the platform. Again, the primary responsibility falls on a group. Have already said that groups should be on the map. If we want this to be a dynamic platform rather than a passive container, it might make sense to look at Platform Design with organizations such as Boundaryless https://twitter.com/Boundaryless_?s=20 and the Platform Design Toolkit https://platformdesigntoolkit.com

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Jared Ruiz Bybee over 2 years ago

California group was just discussing this. It would take off a really big burden/hurdle if we could easily create a web presence at doughnuteconomics.org/california or something like that. Go where the excitement is! :)
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Roisin Markham over 2 years ago

Jared this came up in one of IDEN discussions also a local group needs a digital presence and wants to build a website but do to have the skills they need in their group. `The wondered if DEAL would build and provide templates but having it all within the DEAL community framework would support further connecting and learning in communities and with each other.
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Karn Bianco over 2 years ago

It may be that some local groups will always want/need more complexity or bespoke functionality than we could offer them here, but a basic online presence (that could optionally link to an external website) seems to be coming up, understandably, in most local groups!
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Raj Shah over 2 years ago

Local groups represent our philosophy in action.....change from within first.

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