Community Ownership Manifesto
Inspired by the work of People in Commons CIC, SEWN, and Education Reimagined
Our Vision
We envision a future where community, solidarity, reciprocity, and kinship are the foundations of social and economic life. In response to ecological breakdown, social fragmentation, and the failures of extractive, profit-driven models, we commit to building regenerative, community-owned systems that nurture both people and planet.
Our Principles
1. Regenerative Community Ownership
Assets-land, housing, workspaces, and services-are held in trust for the community, not for private profit. Ownership is collective, with stewardship responsibilities shared among all members, ensuring resources flow to where they are needed most, as in healthy ecosystems. 2. Participatory, Distributed Governance
All members have a voice in decision-making, with governance structures that are transparent, inclusive, and adaptive. Community Interest Companies (CICs) and other social enterprises are used to embed mission and lock in community benefit. 3. Circular and Local Economies
We prioritise local, not-for-profit, and circular economic models that keep value circulating within the community, supporting local livelihoods and reducing environmental impact. Surplus is reinvested to expand services, employment, and wellbeing, not extracted as profit for shareholders. 4. Education for Life and Place
Education is reimagined as a lifelong, place-based, and community-embedded process, not confined to institutions or measured solely by academic outcomes. Learning is holistic, intergenerational, and rooted in the needs of our ecosystem and community wellbeing. 5. Social and Environmental Justice
We address poverty, inequity, and exclusion by ensuring all have access to affordable, secure homes, meaningful work, and participatory learning. Our actions are aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, especially those relating to education, sustainable cities, responsible consumption, and climate action. 6. Care, Kinship, and Mutual Aid
We value care work, both within and beyond organisations, recognising the invisible labour that sustains communities. Our economy is relational, grounded in trust, reciprocity, and the ethic of supporting one another as family and friends do. Our Commitments
Transforming Institutions: We will work with schools, councils, and local organisations to transition public assets and services into community stewardship, ending the drain of public wealth into private hands. Building Ecosystems: We will foster interconnected networks of organisations, sharing knowledge, resources, and value in a distributed, resilient system. Embedding Regeneration: All projects will be designed to restore ecosystems, support biodiversity, and build resilience to climate crisis, moving from extractive to life-affirming practices. Ensuring Affordability: Housing and essential services will be permanently affordable, with values linked to local incomes and community needs, not speculative markets. Reimagining Education: We will create spaces for holistic, community-led learning that foster agency, critical thinking, and ecological consciousness. Practicing Radical Inclusion: Our spaces, services, and governance will be open and accessible to all, with proactive measures to ensure equity and justice. A Call to Action
We invite all who share these values to join us in co-creating a new story-one where communities reclaim agency, nurture the land, and build systems of care, learning, and mutual support. Together, we can dance a new future into being-one step, one project, one relationship at a time.
This manifesto is a living document, evolving with the needs and insights of our community. Join us in shaping the future of Lewes and beyond.
