Open Collective
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Basic Income Collaboration update
Published on December 1, 2021 by Hannah

 
Dear neighbours,

THIS MONTH IS SPECIAL! 

We have some really exciting news. We are receiving £250 from a project that we have been working on with a campaign group called the Basic Income Conversation. That means that we can distribute this money very soon and grants in December will be funded by supporters for a basic income!

For anyone curious to know a little more about the project, we’ve shared some more details below:

The Basic Income Conversation believe everyone has a right to financial security so they campaign for something called a basic income.

A basic income would guarantee financial security for all. It has five core characteristics:
  • Cash: it’s money you can spend on whatever you want.
  • Regular: so you know the next payment is coming.
  • Individual: Each person gets their own basic income, paid to the individual not the household.
  • Unconditional: You don’t have to work or make any promises to get your basic income, there are no strings attached
  • Universal: everyone gets it.
As you may have read in our previous announcement about the project earlier this year, we decided to team up with the Basic Income Conversation and several other London solidarity funds because there are many overlaps between what we do in our solidarity fund and a basic income. For example, we give neighbours cash so they can spend it on whatever they need to - no questions asked. Our cash payments are also unconditional, it’s a core value of what we do in the solidarity fund to ensure our funding has no strings attached. Our only criteria for funding is proof of address in SE16.

Key differences are that we can’t make regular payments to absolutely everyone, and Basic Income payments would be a lot bigger than the £50 we are able to give. But we think that financial security for everyone should be the future! So that’s why we wanted to team up with the Basic Income Conversation.

Together the Basic Income Conversation and London solidarity funds have raised £3590 from supporters of a basic income! This money has now been shared amongst the London solidarity funds so we can share this money with neighbours in need.

To say thank you for this support, throughout December we’ll be sharing some information about the campaign for a basic income. Please help us spread the word about the need for a basic income so we can help make it a reality!

We’ll also be asking neighbours who receive money from the fund to help by filling in a short survey to gather feedback on using the solidarity fund. Those neighbours will also be invited to join a small paid focus group. Participants in the focus group will be paid £45 plus any travel expenses as we really want to make it worth neighbours’ time and energy to help evaluate the project.

We hope that answers any questions you might have, but please do email us at [email protected] if not!

SE16 Community Fund Admins
 

Abbie conroy

Posted on December 1, 2021

Good news. 
I would like to know how I take part in the focus group.?! 
Thank you 
Abbie

Hannah

Posted on December 1, 2021

Hi Abby,
 
Great that you want to be involved! You can either fill out this survey about your experiences with the fund and there's a bit at the end where you can sign up. Or if you don't want to do the survey I can pass on your name to the organisers of the focus groups. 

Hannah
SE16 Community Fund Admin