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cc college - opening community


The first cc college in Japan attracted 20 people for 3 long and very full days at the open money project office in Kanda, Tokyo. A few visitors came for a day or a few hours, including Makoto Nishibe, professor of economics at Hokkaido University.

Most were from Tokyo and surrounding prefectures - two from Kyoto and Nigata. They represented a cross-section of Japanese society - university students, office workers, business people, and community activists.

Some came because their networks, such as NAM, CODE, and Rainbow Ring, are interested in using community currencies. Some came to learn how cc could help their business. Many read about the open money project in Kohkoku and some already knew about LETS.

They told us the issues with which they struggle - globalization, rural-city connections, genetic manipulation of seeds, environmental damage, community development, poverty. They wanted to know how cc could help them deal with these problems.

The college fee of Y8,000 was paid as a refundable deposit. They could leave at any time and get their money back. If they stayed, the money was a contribution to the cc college fund to be used by the group for college expenses.

Presentations were for the most part in English and very ably translated into Japanese by Ikuma Saga.

People came with many questions, and at the end of 3 days, they left with others. Many of the questions and answers can be found in these pages. An email conference/mailing list has been created to continue the process of asking and answering questions. It will enable communication and information exchange to better design further training events for initiating and developing cc systems.


Some of the comments from cc college participants - I understand that it is a simpler model than I haveever thought. It is not necessary for it to be complicated. - I want to engage in the realization of community way by allmeans. - I want you to tell us about some concrete case-studies. - It is wonderful to attend this college.

- I can feel big possibilities from the green, blue and red network diagram. It depends on us. Thank you. - LETSPLAY game is really understandable. It is money from us.

- I understand the convenience of smart cards. - It is a good opportunity to concentrate on thinking about cc. It is also good that the lecture fee is cheap. - Michael's teaching style is really understandable. But people in the college see things in different ways, so sometimes I am in a mess.

- I do not have a clear image because there is no explanation about cost and timing. - It is good to learn about Michael's vison. I have not yet enough confidence about cc to tell other people, but I want to continue to engage in the project. - I want to translate the LETSystem manual and organize LETSplay workshop. - I respect this first trial in Japan. There are a lot of details that I cannot understand. So, it is better to follow the answers on the web. I want to have materials in Japanese. I suggest that we create a mailing list (ML) and exchange information with each other.

- I settled some doubts about cc. I think the first thing that I must to do is to act practically. - I am very interested in cc project, so I want to engage in activity of ccp. - I think it is very hard to tell people in Japan about this project. I will rethink this in 33 days from the position of NPO, business and individuals (who have many different aspects). - I want to have a guide to understand this project. - 1. I had a very solid time. 2. I want to turn the vison into reality through the technology. 3. It would be better if there was a case-study. - It is a very fascinating, interesting and high advantaged project, so I want to commit to it. But I have some doubts about how to do it. - I feel the possibility of diversity and openness. Now, starting!


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