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Checklist
for Starting up a LETS Group
There are five main sections: • PREVIEW
• PLAN •
ORGANISE •
EXPAND • REVIEW
PREVIEW
1. Check for Local Groups
LETS is usually run on a voluntary basis without external
funding, and running a LETS group is not something to do on
your own unless you are very multi-skilled and have a lot
of time to spare, as it usually requires much co-operative
effort. So first of all look
on this website to see if there is already a group near
you, and if there is, consider joining them - they might well
benefit from the extra energy you can contribute. To be referred
to a local group use
this form.
2. Is a New Group Needed?
If there is a contact nearby but when you follow up you find
the group is not able to respond satisfactorily, please tell
us. It may be that they have run out of energy and need extra
support. We can approach them direct and find out what their
needs are. Or, perhaps the group serves a particular section
of the community that you do not belong to - LETS comes in
all shapes and sizes, and if this is not the group for you,
then, yes you can consider starting a new one.
3. Know your Theory
You can get the basics elsewhere on this
website. Make sure you understand that LETS is not just
an exchange or barter system in which people do direct swaps,
but is more sophisticated because "points" from one transaction
can be stored for use in another transaction and can also
be used to value goods. You have lots of different options
in developing the character and purposes of your group. The
LETS infopack provides
background information on LETS, legal forms, templates, and
lots of ideas.
4. Join LETSlink UK
When you are ready, please register your new or intended group
with LETSlink UK, by sending a £25 subscription fee
(with
this form) so that we can support you in the early stages
- the sooner you join, the sooner you let us know about your
project and will take advantage of what we have to offer -
the registration process is your first step in getting our
help towards launching your LETS project.
5. Participate Fully
Groups and individuals who are LETSlink UK members can obtain:-
(i) publications and events attendance at a reduced rate (ii)
access to our members' area, which has advice and practical
tools, saving a lot of administrative effort. As well as document
templates and other literature, we can offer website hosting
and systems if you need it (iii) participation in our discussion
forums and our ongoing research project about what works and
what doesn't work in running a LETS, so that you can benefit
from the advice of experienced LETS organisers and don't have
to reinvent the wheel.
6. Gather your Core-Group
Whilst you are learning how to run a LETS, get in touch with
others who might want to help set it up. You may already have
a group of friends who are interested. Likewise, LETSlink
may have contacts for people in the area looking for a LETS
and just waiting for someone to take a lead. Hold regular
discussion and planning meetings, and make sure there is sufficient
consensus to be able to work together so that you are on a
firm footing before advertising widely for members to join.
During this process you will need to:
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PLAN
7. Identify Your Mission
LETS is more than a person to person trading scheme
- its real value is as a means to build community. In
your planning meetings, try and get a sense of what
the style of your LETS group will be. Is it mostly for
people running small businesses, eg crafts, therapy,
gardening? Is it mostly voluntary or "friend to friend"
in nature? Are there particular projects in your community
that you might want to use the LETS to support? Is there
a community centre or organisation that is behind the
initiative and will provide material and/or moral support?
8. Define Your Catchment Area
What is the community your group will serve. Eg a village,
a church congregation, a school, or tenants association?
Do you see it serving a number of villages in a particular
valley? Are you thinking county-wide or city-wide? Or
is it to facilitate co-operation between the members
of a particular interest group, maybe people who are
working on an arts project, a political campaign, a
charitable project, or sharing resources that are expensive
to buy individually.
9. Name your Group and your Currency
Ideas for naming your group and your currency will probably
emerge in the process of these discussions. Choose a
name that is meaningful in your area, that will give
your members a sense of ownership, and will generate
a feeling of loyalty. Names that are snappy, easy to
pronounce, and have a sense of humour work best. If
there are competing ideas, you might have to defer the
decision until you are ready to hold a public meeting
and have a vote on it, proponents of competing names
making speeches in support of their choice.
10. Form Your Organisation
Groups who meet mostly "online" tend to avoid
heavy-duty "governance" - social forums even
call themselves a "space"! These groups won't
have a bank account, and may not need one, but neither
will they be accessible to people who do not have access
to a computer. A community bank account in the name
of your organisation with several signatures will prevent
backlogs in claiming expenses. A well thought-out constitution
and set of rules can save many problems later. Sample
formats are included in the LETS info-pack. Any desirable
changes can be made at Annual General Meetings, and
committee members can then take up or resign from posts
- so set a date in advance for your first AGM.
11. Value Your Time
Having a rule that members' time is valued equally might
discourage people with easily marketable skills but
could be the best approach for particular groups. A
workable compromise is to decide on a rate per hour
for members to use when they want to trade equal, but
to allow members to vary their charges where appropriate.
Importantly, a standard rate per hour gives your group
a baseline to use when exporting or importing accounts
if members move to another area, or for occasional "intertrading"
- ie when a service is obtained from a member in another
LETS group. Some groups prefer to use Gifting, especially
when dealing with goods, as they move faster, and a
no-charge option is a good one to incorporate in any
scheme, as it still allows number of trades either way,
and "satisfaction" scores to be recorded.
12. Find Meeting Places
Look about your neighbourhood for organisations and
centres who may wish to be involved by providing meeting
space - such centres might need more "volunteers"
to help them run their activities, and a mutually beneficial
relationship can be forged. A regularly monthly "Talk
& Trade" meeting in a public place can work
well. Alternatively, some LETS groups like to hold meetings
"round the houses" of the members in turn, which makes
for a friendly informal group. You can experiment with
any of these approaches - some groups may be happy just
to meet "online".
13. Agree Your Methods
Most LETS groups use paper-based methods, eg printed
newsletters and cheques, even though they might use
computers to help produce them. However, people enquiring
about LETS often say "can't we just log on?"
and in response to this, we are now providing web-based
systems to support LETS administration. But be prepared
to be flexible and run a number of different styles
in parallel, for example, vouchers are fun on market-days,
and hand-written lists are useful when running auctions!
Systems that allow members to update their own information
online will enable the group to scale up and allow the
core group to concentrate on what really matters in
the neighbourhood. You can plan an organised "buddy"
system from the start to ensure that those who can't
get online are partnered up with other members who help
them run their account.
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ORGANISE
14. Think about Finances
The amount you will need to charge in joining fees depends
on the style of your scheme, and what other support you can
call on. For example if a community centre or organisation
is willing to print your newsletters for free, you can charge
a lower fee, likewise if members are going to pick up information
from one place, you won't need to incur postage costs. The
lower your fees the more inclusive your group is, but having
your own funds, however, minimal, does give your group a sense
of independence. A sliding scale is one way, or even better
have a set fee, some of which can be charged in your local
currency. Don't forget you will need to cover an annual subscription
fee to LETSlink UK.
15. Set Up an Interim System
Whilst all these discussions are taking place, the early members
may want to do some practical trading, not least by recording
the plannng work they are doing. You can set up short-term
systems, just to get things started. These might include a
card index, a log book, a directory on a word document, addresses
on a database, a spreadsheet (see
these templates), and even a holding page - we will set
one up for you. Divide up jobs between members and get a feel
for what's needed, and who is good at what. Develop a Wish-List
of the kind of features you would like a more long-term system
to include.
16. Check in with LETSlink
Report to LETSlink UK on what you have done so far. You may
be able to give us an idea of your resources, such as ITl,
design, and organisational skills. Do potential members have
computers at home, or can access be arranged at a local community
centre, library, or internet cafe? Answers to suchlike questions
will enable you to describe to us the kind of support you
think you need: some groups prefer to be independent, whilst
others will be glad to tap into ready-made systems that help
them to support their group locally. We may need to meet up
with you for some issues to be worked through, and/or you
may be able to get advice and moral support from accessing
our online members' area.
17. Install a System
Whatever type of system your group decides to adopt, you will
need to transfer existing data into it, so that there is continuity.
Key members of your group will need to ensure that they know
how to run it. This is the time when you are most likely to
need intensive support from LETSlink. Feedback offered during
this process will be used to improve systems for the benefit
of new groups. Depending on who you have available, we can
either train local members to run the system, or you may wish
us to assist you on a continuing basis. We will provide training
until members of your group have the confidence to run the
system independently.
18. Test Your System
We recommend a period of working quietly, as a first stage
of expansion from your core group. Try to get other friends
involved, before going public, so that any mistakes can be
put right while things are small. During this period you will
get experience, iron out bugs in the system, and make sure
your core group are comfortable running the system, and can
identify and sort out problems as they arise, as this will
be an ongoing process. Keep a log of this process, and share
it with LETSlink. It will help you, and it will also help
us give a better service to other new groups getting started.
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EXPAND
19. Expand your Membership
Once you have built up confidence, you can begin outreaching
to likely organisations, who can benefit from joining
you, getting them involved one at a time, eg a mother
& toddler group, a school, a group for the elderly,
a group for the disabled and their carers. You need
to be clear whether you are inviting them to encourage
their members to join the LETS individually, or you
are inviting them to join as an organisation.
Either or both approaches are valid.
20. Access Local Support
Use all means available to make your group known. Leaflets
can be placed in libraries, and local shops, and on
noticeboards. In some areas, the Local Authority or
Council for Voluntary Organisations run free listing
services. They sometimes have paid support workers to
help voluntary groups: find out out they can help you.
They will have lists of other voluntary groups that
you will wish to tell about your forthcoming lauch.
They may have access to funding to get projects started.
Such funding may enable you to commission extra help
from LETSlink UK. If necessary, we can help you write
any funding applications.
21. Network with nearby LETS
Get in touch with nearby LETS groups if you have not
already done so. Let them know that you are planning
a public launch, and ask for their advice. A representative
of your group can attend their meetings and/or invite
them to attend yours. If they have public events, turn
up and make yourself known. Discuss with them if there
any joint ventures you could co-operate with them on,
for example if there is a county fair, could several
LETS groups share a stand and tell the public about
the different LETS groups in their area. Perhaps an
individual can take a lead in facilitating the networking
between neighbouring LETS groups.
22. Hold a Public Launch
When you have gained confidence, you can plan a public launch,
which will be your main opportunity to enrol members of the
public enmasse, and really build up volume. It will require
your systems to be functioning, attractive literature with
your logo on it to be designed and printed,, local newspapers
and radio to be briefed, catering to provided by your members,
a local personality, or official, perhaps even the mayor,
to make an opening speech, someone to conduct a sponsored
auction, computer training, stalls, amusements and entertainments,
perhaps a creche, and photographs to be taken recording the
event.
23. Contact Local Businesses
Once you have had a successful public launch, local
business will have heard of you, and you will be in
a position to approach them. The practicalities of membership
need to be made crystal clear. Prioritise those whose
philosophy is compatible with a green lifestyle, such
as organic farmers running box-schemes, wholefood shops,
vegetarian cafes, and complementary health centres.
Tell them they can use their LETS credits, for example
in getting "volunteer" help to run their enterprise.
Explain that they can accept your currency in part-payment,
and that they can use it to expand their customer-base.
24. Continue Outreaching
Follow up on the publicity created by the launch. Make
contact again with local community groups, and discuss
how LETS can help them. If there are insufficient practical
skills on offer, you can systematically headhunt the
trades you need by answering newspaper adverts. You
could invite them to a meeting, and explain that joining
the LETS can enable them to offer their services to
people who would not otherwise be able to afford them
- and become part of a very friendly network.
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REVIEW
25.
Stay Tuned - There's a lot more to learn, so stay in touch
with LETSlink.
PH/MF/mf • First Draft: June 20th 2007 - Comments
and Feedback Welcome - what did we forget?
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