The stuff we're building

Social Systems Lab's main mission is to assist open source civic tech go from idea to prototype to Minimal Viable Product, but we also assist with curating adjacent projects. Find out what we are currently up to below!

The
Circles
Project

Circles is the name of the open-source social networking platform designed to be hosted and curated by its users that we are building together with a number of contributors across the globe.

Its goal is to be a full-spectrum pro-social networking tool that can be used by individuals, organisations and networks alike, across a number of federated servers.

The soon to be released MVP allows users access to the standard social network tools with the more unique feature of a map-based interface that showcases local social activity more efficiently. You can read more about Circles in this PDF, visit our GitHub or reach out if you are keen to get involved.

The Connectathon

The Connectathon is a joint project with a growing number of partners.

A biannual gathering planned to take place on each equinox in order to align with planetary rhythms and patterns. The purpose is to explore the Ecocivilisation as a concept, and arrive at commonly shared understanding of what we want our civilisation to be, and what practical steps we might take to get there.

As we move between the spring and autumn equinoxes, one might imagine the passing of a torch between hemispheres, reminding us all that we are part of a greater cycle.

We would love for you and your network to add your light to this shared flame.

Find out more

The
Altruistic
Wallet

Put simply, the Altruistic Wallet is a wallet that works like any other wallet, except that you can't use it on yourself, you can only use it on someone else. In this case, that means using it on projects verified and supported by the members of the network.

The Altruistic Wallet also differs from a traditional wallet in other ways. Because there are more ways than one to support a project The Altruistic Wallet can contain various types of volunteering offers, from general labour to specialised skills, whatever you are comfortable sharing.

It will also be able to contain material offers, such physical resources that you might have to contribute, either by lending out free of charge, or by donating them to causes and projects that are aligned with your values and goals.

The Altruistic Wallet is designed to be a stand-alone app, but is also integrated with the Circles platform, for ease of deployment.

To dive deeper into the concept, this article will provide a broad overview and to get involved, drop us a message!

Tell me more!

The
co:do
Community

The co:do community is, well, us. The network of people involved in these different projects and other projects and movements that seek to improve the world as we know it. From designers and developers in the software space to project owners and activists in the field, all of us change makers in one way or another.

Circles was born out of the need to build a software platform that served this purposes, the Altruistic Wallet was birthed from a need to finance and facilitiate change making in a sustainable and democratic way. Social Systems Laboratory itself was brought into being as a space to explore and develop these ideas into working prototypes for others to continue to build on.

In that sense, co:do is a community that curates and nurtures these ideas, from the embryo to the independent child. A place to meet, to weave, to explore and to build the better world we know is possible. To dive deeper into the bigger picture and broader vision, please read this blog post, and if it resonates with you, please join us to make all this happen sooner!

We are happy to announce that the co:do platform is now live for test pilots, individuals and organisations alike, and you are most welcome to sign up! Just click the button below.

Sign me up

Make
Circles

Make Circles is a concept aiming to unite NGOs, community networks and individuals activists with with businesses serious about their Corporate Social Responsibility targets.

Make Circles intends incorporates aspects of all our projects in one single app designated to support local initiatives that address one or more of the UN's Sustainable Development Goals in a verifiable and measurable way.

The concept is pretty straight forward. If you have a project you want to run that has a defined budget, measurable targets and matches one of the SDGs, you can submit it on the app.

If you want to support a specific SDG, you can search for suitable projects and fund them directly through the app.

Our goal is that the Make Circles app will be entirely funded by the business community, which means every penny you spend will go directly to the project.

If you are running a suitable project or an aligned NGO or would like to join our corporate sponsors or just want to get involved in some other capacity, please read more here, or visit the website by clicking the button below.

Tell me more!