Summer School 2014 - The place of the Citizen in Banking Green banking – Social banking – Community banking – Ethical banking

From early afternoon on Saturday 5 July until lunchtime on Thursday 10 July, 2014

Location: le Domaine de Lyon Saint Joseph, Sainte-Foy-les-Lyon, France

Language: English with some French translation

In July 2014 we will meet in the outskirts of the beautiful city of Lyon to explore how Social Banking works and how it can encourage, support and respond to the needs of civil society. Recently, there has been a renewed focus on the essential contribution of civil society to resilient economies at a local as well as global level alongside government and business.

Through plenaries, workshops, home groups, and by drawing upon action research, open space and time for personal reflection, we will consider:

• How social banking works. The role, functions and values of social banks and other socially responsible finance organisations
• The critical driving forces shaping civil society over the next 15 years
• The question of scale in civil society action and how the newest, the smallest, the most innovative can be encouraged
• How knowing the price of everything and the value of nothing impedes societal development
• Where are the gaps in meeting the needs of civil society
• What is needed to meet these and to what extent can they harness new technology

Focussing on two aspects of the real economy: land and culture, we will draw upon real-life examples from social banks and other social finance organisations and their customers, from citizens and from commentators.

Together, we will offer an opportunity to meet and share experiences with practitioners, academics and activists.

The Summer School will be a timely review of this important issue, to inform how social banks and citizens’ organisations can work together better for the benefit of society overall. How we can truly deliver banking for the common good.

More information on http://www.social-banking.org/summer-school/summer-school-2014/