EarthMother
Younger boomer (60-70)
Female
Victoria, BC Canada
Speed of commitment:
Fast: Open to a situation that takes everyone being all-in from the start (with contracts & clarity), Slow: Open to a situation where trust can build over time
IC types I would live in or am forming:
Artist collective & live work space, Ecovillage or agrihood, Farm or ranch, Housing or shelter for a vulnerable group, Life partner also into community, Multi-family shared house, Retreat or event hosting as community, Van life co-travelers
Food production:
Working toward producing all or nearly all of our own food
IC seeker or founder/resident:
IC founder: I am seeking members to join a core group in founding a new IC. We already have a clear vision and established norms.
Residential proximity:
Multi-house collective (shared resources, but IC houses might be scattered within a traditional neighborhood), Separate units (separate apartments but some shared common areas with shared resources), Shared land (separate houses possibly with some shared buildings)
Ownership types:
Co-operative (collectively owned separate houses or apartments), Joint land purchase to subdivide, hold shares, or hold "tenancy in common", Multi-house collective (shared resources, but houses have separate ownership or are separate rentals), Rent-to-own with shared housing or shared land
Reasons for shared housing:
Ecological sustainability to reduce carbon footprint, Friendship and sharing activities, Having social interaction while limiting the amount of influence or interaction with society, Helping each other with childcare, Lower cost of living, Sharing meals and chores, Sharing resources (spaces, equipment, tools, vehicles, gardens)
Décor of shared areas:
A consistent aesthetic theme is important, Decisions based on practical utility and durability
Clutter level of shared living areas or work space:
Tidy in shared spaces, with a designated place for things
Cleanliness level (germs & crumbs):
All food counters & tables wiped down after each use, All food counters & tables wiped down daily to not attract pests, Disinfectants must be ecologically safe products (chemical sensitivity), Disinfecting is not important
Yard or landscaping:
Covered space for storage, Gardens and edible landscaping, Mowed, trimmed, manicured outdoor space, Space for kids and/or dogs to run, Tidy and clutter-free outdoors with storage out of sight, Xeriscape
Neighborhood or scenery:
Clean well maintained urban or suburban surroundings are a priority worth paying extra for, Not applicable
Current city, town, or county:
Victoria
Nation(s) of current residence:
Canada
Preferred regions:
Canada BC
Population density:
Remote, Rural, Small town
Ideal location(s):
Vancouver Island in British Columbia
Commitment to my current location:
Want to eventually commit to a permanent location if it goes well, Would relocate if group decides to try another location together
Relocation capacity:
Ready to move from my current residence now or in the near future, Ready to move from my general area now or in the near future
State, province, or region:
British Columbia (BC)
Resource sharing:
Car share, Emergency preparedness efforts, Farm or food forest (share work and produce), Garden (share work and produce), Joint business (share work and profits)
My socioeconomic status:
Substantial assets and higher income
Leisure and lifestyle:
Current work or personal demands leave little time for leisure
Common practical skills:
Carpentry & repair, Childcare, Cleaning, Cooking for groups, Farm animal care, Gardening or crop cultivation, Grant-writing, Group facilitation, Organizing & labeling, Permaculture
Experience or schooling:
Animal training or care, Architecture, Biological sciences, Carpentry & construction, Certification for teaching children, Ecological science, Event planning & management, Experience teaching adults, Food preservation (e.g., cheesemaking, home canning, drying, smoking), Group therapy or processing, Horticulture or permaculture, Humanitarian work, Long term rentals and maintenance, Marketing, Mediation or dispute resolution, Medicine - western, Musical performance, Natural building, Nutrition, Outdoor survival skills (e.g., hunting, foraging, fire starting), Psychology, Short term rentals and hospitality, Sociocracy or holocracy, Sociology, Theater, Travel, Visual art, Waterworks, plumbing, sanitation
Years lived in an IC:
Lived with roommate(s) or housemate(s), Lived with sibling(s) or other non-parent relatives, Over 20 years in IC
Experience in community:
Lived in intentional community most of my life. Lived intentional farming community
Professional certifications or degrees:
MA counsellor MA somatic therapy MA ecology certificates in permaculture and much experience in a variety of occupation and community events.
Generation:
Younger boomer (60-70)
Generations intended in IC:
Millennial (born 1981 – 1996)
Number of working adults:
6
Alcohol (tolerable rules):
Should not be allowed on the premises
Tobacco smoking (tolerable rules):
Should be allowed in designated indoor areas, Should not be allowed on the premises
Cannabis (tolerable rules):
Should be regulated by group decision only if it becomes problematic, Should not be allowed on the premises, even if its legal in our location
Psychedelics (tolerable rules):
Should not be allowed on the premises
Illegal recreational drugs (tolerable rules):
Should not be allowed on the premises, Should not be policed by the community, as long as no minors are involved and others are not negatively impacted
Overnite guests (tolerable rules):
Should be allowed in designated guest areas, Should be permitted in limited circumstances as decided by the governance process, Should be subject to group decision only if it becomes problematic
Daytime visitor access (tolerable rules):
Should be discussed and limited by the IC agreements, Should require that community is informed of planned visits
Nudity (tolerable rules):
Should be limited to private rooms or private residences (as is the norm outside the IC)
Required disclosures:
On sex offender registry
Religious or spiritual practice-based IC:
No mandate of adherence to shared religious beliefs and practices
My religious beliefs or practices:
Buddhist, Christian (fundamentalist), Christian (universalist), Pagan, Spiritual but not religious
Ecological preservation ethics:
Commitment to reduce, re-use, recycle, Composting toilet, Eating vegan, vegetarian, or certified humane animal products, Gray water recycling where permitted, Local food commitment for low carbon footprint, Use of alternative power such as solar or wind
Belief-related practices:
Respectfully spiritual relationship to all human and all other than human including all nature spirits and beings
Size of community:
21 to 50, 51 to 150
Sense of togetherness:
An IC should foster close interpersonal relationships, An IC should have regular mandated “group work” to resolve conflicts as they arise, An IC should have regular opportunities to encourage all to share their feelings
Gender + number:
Female
Genders welcome in IC:
Female
My current couple situation:
I'm single or divorced
Couple situations welcome in IC:
Not applicable
My sexual orientation:
Monogamous
Sexual identities welcome in IC:
Cisgender (gender aligns with natal sex), Heterosexual (straight), Monogamous (committed to a single sexual partner)
Sex & intimacy norms in IC:
Primarily left to the individual to determine, with the understanding that personal choices can impact community culture
Physical affection:
I am a big hugger; I’m affectionate even with people I don't know well, I enjoy hugs and lean toward the easily affectionate side, It depends
My availability for physical intimacy:
Want to take it really slow to be sure a commitment can last
Children in IC:
Children are welcome but not a necessity (not a dealbreaker issue)
Other people’s children:
I am open to sharing child-care responsibilities such as carpooling or swapping child-care, I want to be in a setting in which all feel a responsibility for well-being of children in the community
Behavior correction:
Parents shouldn't have to micro-manage their child(ren) for the benefit of adults around them
Dogs:
Indoor dog(s) not okay, Outdoor dog(s) okay
Cats:
Indoor cat(s) okay, Outdoor cat(s) okay
Farm animals or pets I have or want:
Dog and cat awareness around farm animals and wildlife
Special food needs:
Strongly prefer a high quality of food preparation, Strongly prefer home-processed foods, Strongly prefer raw foods
Plant-based or not:
Cage-free eggs okay, Certified-humane meat okay, Fish okay, Mostly vegan, Mostly vegetarian
Organic:
Commitment to all organic, Commitment to local-grown as much as possible, Commitment to non-GMO
Shared meals (acceptable norms):
Prefer shared meals daily, Prefer shared meals weekly or monthly, Shared meals are necessary community glue, Shared meals should be optional
Medical risk bubbles:
I can commit to taking extra precautions for others in a high-risk category
Pandemic norms:
Keep good health practices for good immune function, Masks only when in public and mandated, Sanitize hands frequently in public, Sanitize hands frequently in the IC, Unvaccinated, Whatever results from group decision-making process
Health conditions:
N/A
Noise level:
A quiet serene living space should be the norm, Different noise tolerance can be managed by having designated times for noise and quiet, One quiet space should be reserved for those who need to focus on work, One space should be available for those who like to have videos or games on frequently
Sleep:
I keep an early bedtime, I’m an early riser
Comfort & convenience:
I can participate in a rugged life and hard physical work, I can participate with others who do not tolerate rugged life or extreme temperatures, I enjoy a rugged life and hard physical work
Tech savvy:
I’m in need of help for troubleshooting or figuring out new tech
Internet connection & phone signal:
I can work without consistent internet connection, I need to be consistently connected to wifi during work hours, I'm concerned about the effects of constant wifi exposure
Off-grid:
Is a workable favored option, Is the definite only plan, Is workable for a part time location
Leisure time:
Music, art, crafts, hand work, outdoor activities, farming, celebrations, initiations, wholesome activities
Films, books, music, podcasts, shows:
Music, art, crafts, hand work, outdoor activities, farming, celebrations, initiations, wholesome activities
Culture influencers:
Cultural activities, folk art and music
Civic, political, or activist groups or movements:
Ecological Activist