LATEST MOVES

Current status: First Village FORMING

Steps For 2024 
 

1. A Time for Research: Join us on our Instagram and Facebook as starting April, some of the team are embarking on a tour of eco-villages in various beautiful countries. We plan to see Damanhur, Italy, Auroville, India, Traditional Dream Factory, Portugal, Pourgues, France, Angsbacke, Sweden  and others. We want to see and feel all the beauty and challenge of living together and building modern villages.  
    

2. NeighbourNomics: This year we aim to flesh out our internal and external financial structures  with the goal that good people looking to be part of a regenerative future will be able to join the NeighbourGood regardless of financial resources.  Part of our plan is to develop businesses for villagers to grow and work in and to architect affordable, healthy homes called NeighbourSuites and allow people to bring their own homes.  
    

3. NeighbourSuites: Our NeighbourSuites Circle is on track to begin building our first prototype NeighbourSuite in Spring 2024. It is a design for our 10, 20 & 30 square metre hempcrete homes built to provide beauty, health and space for sleeping, working and having guests. Their aim is to craft living spaces that redefine minimalism, inviting you into a world of unparalleled simplicity and comfort. Shared kitchens and bathroom blocks built of natural materials beautifully decorated will provide the rest of what is needed for comfort and community living that is truly sustainable for humans and land. 
    

4. Our First Social Enterprise: Working with Ngarie Scartozzi of Chirstchurch based eClean, we launch our Drinking Water Test in the second quarter of this year.  Funds raised will go to build the team for the first NeighbourGood and to Drinkable Rivers to continue raising awareness and taking action to clean up NZ waterways.  
    

5. Thriving Partnerships: We're open to dialogues with existing businesses wanting to join our NeighbourGood and benefit from our community shared resources.  
    

6. Locating Suitable Land & Securing Funding: we aim to land on the land in 2025 in Golden Bay.
    

7. Legal Foundations: As we set the cornerstone, we're in the final stages of ratifying the society constitution.  Currently we are perusing our draft constitution with a fine tooth comb and plan to register it in the coming months.  
    

8. Digital Presence: Our social media platforms are developing and soon will hum with life and news about our water test and our ecovillage learnings. Our newsletter will launch later this year. 
    

9. Partnering With Like Minds & Souls: We are inviting like-minded souls, entrepreneurs, visionaries, designers, growers, builders, architects, companies and trusts who resonate with our values and vision and love helping to co-create flourishing villages.  If interested in volunteering to build the first NeighbourGood, please fill out our Expressions of Interest form linked on the home page. 
    

10. Empowering Youth: Children are at our core, and business is the structure that supports our vision. We recognize the importance of involving the younger generation in every facet of our creative journey. Young minds, please join us by filling out our Expression of Interest form on our homepage, and be a part of shaping the NeighbourGood of tomorrow.

 

Our Roots, Our Story

Years ago Michael Mayell, serial entrepreneur, activist and father, became aware of the terrible and worsening state of New Zealand’s rivers.  He decided  to start new communities across New Zealand aligned with nature's principles. Luckily for him, many extraordinary beings share this vision he calls,  "A move from the Matrix to the Natrix."  

Steps Completed So Far: ​

1. Right now, our Neighbours - around 12 passionate individuals - are writing  the foundational documents of the NeighbourGood. 
    

2. Onboarding: We have launched our onboarding for potential Neighbours to join the conversation, join the club, then join our sociocracy circles and help design the first onland NeighbourGood.  
    

3. NeighbourGood has been trademarked to ensure the authenticity of the vision. And this greenprint for harmonious living will be shared generously under a commons license.  It' will be a gift to the world. 
    

4. Our Living Manifesto is nearing the end of its first full review by current villagers. Our principles, values, and agreements for living and working harmoniously are carefully captured. It's more than words; it's a commitment. Read it here. 
    

5. We've enlisted the wisdom of Robina McCurdy, a world-renowned expert in community and land design, to ensure our future physical space aligns seamlessly with the parameters set forth in our Living Manifesto. 
    

6. Our sociocratic governance echoes the rhythm of nature. It's not just a process; it's a practice. In our weekly circle  meetings, we're fine-tuning our consent-based, governance and decision-making processes, ensuring everyone's voice is heard through the decisions we make. Learn about sociocracy here.
    

7. We've faced challenges too, and we've met them head-on and heart-on.  Our conflict transformation process and dietary policy have been molded and consented to be good enough for now and safe enough to try and are linked in the Living Manifesto for transparency.
    

8. Membership Levels: We have completed our first draft of entry levels for joining the NeighbourGood outlining all our rights and responsibilities. 

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Join Us: Embrace Nature, Foster Community, Ignite Change

At NeighbourGood, we're not just creating a community; we're fostering a way of life, a harmonious dance between humanity and nature. To build our vibrant village, we seek individuals who resonate deeply with our Living Manifesto, embodying the essence of our shared vision.

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Join us at NeighbourGood, where your unique essence is not just welcomed but celebrated. Together, we'll write a story of belonging, sustainability, and shared abundance. Let’s co-create a haven where humanity and nature thrive hand in hand. Welcome home! 

 

If you resonate with our visionary ideals and wish to contribute to this groundbreaking and exhilarating project as a villager or contributor, we invite you to connect with us via our Expression of Interest form on our homepage.  
 

We would love to hear from you.