Community Allowence

Project Inspiration


Background Story
Inspired by "Community Allowance" proposed by UK based Non- Profit Organization, CREATE, the following two proposals reflect to the phenomenon of Benefit Trap/ Benefit Cheat in UK. The Community Allowance is a proposal to enable community organizations to be able to pay local unemployed people to do part time work which strengthens their local community and for those people to be able to keep their benefits and keep what they earn on top of their benefits.

Present Benefit System


Objective
In order to assist people into work rather than into Benefit Trap, the proposals aims to design innovative local jobs which enable people to:
  • Earn up to an extra £4,469 (the equivalent of up to 15 hours a week on the minimum wage) through works which strengthens their communities
  • Gain access to personalised/ tailored training from their local community
  • Increase their confidence, skills, knowledge and experience
  • Build new connections with people and groups based in their neighbourhood

Reformed Benefit System


Proposal 1: Good Morning, Neighbors!
Based on the improvement of relationship and the small economy within a regional community, " Good Morning, Neighbor! " aims to create a new business and service for local economy. Through arranging local people who have a spared morning to prepare breakfast for neighbors who need this service, we may see opportunities within this system.
We divide inhabitants into "Service Provider" and " Receiver", two groups. Through local council, private interviews and advertising interface, the system subsidizes a few service providers to prepare breakfast on the basis of their own food, and then what they need to do is ring the bell or knock the door at the appointed time. Receivers then pay the service fee monthly.

Scenario Prototyping


Proposal 2: Local Expert Panel
Through training people with specific skills and knowledge depending on their own preferences, local communities are able to create a Expert Panel Centre consisted by those who have specialties to support local needs. These jobs are paid not only by benefit but also neighbors.