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Click & Collect
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Santa Cruz Shakespeare
Inspired by Shakespeare, we create and strengthen community by bringing audiences and theatre artists together to celebrate stories about our collective humanity.
The 2016 season, the first in the company's new outdoor venue in DeLaveaga Park, will produce "A Midsummer Night's Dream" and "Hamlet", by William Shakespeare, and Virginia Woolf's "Orlando" adapted by Sarah Ruhl as our intern "fringe" production.
In addition to the performances, Santa Cruz Shakespeare will offer special events throughout the summer, including a First Friday Season Kick-off Celebration on May 6, a Season Preview at Bookshop Santa Cruz on June 7, post-show discussions throughout the month of August, a Weekend With Shakespeare, August 12-14, where participants will hear leading Shakespeare scholars and theatre artists share their insights into the season's plays through lectures and discussions.
SCS was funded by theatre-lovers in Santa Cruz and beyond after its predecessor, a 32-year old Shakespeare Festival affiliated with the University of California at Santa Cruz, closed in December 2013. The theatre company is working to raise $1 million to fund the construction of the new outdoor theater at DeLaveaga Park. From a combination of pledges and cash donations, we have already raised $781,000 for the project, and a #BuildTheGrove campaign is underway with a public appeal to raise the additional funds. Detailed information about the campaign can found online at santacruzshakespeare.org/buildthegrove.
"We'll be breaking ground shortly on this exciting and ambitious project," says Board President Rick Wright. "The Grove will provide the literal foundation for Santa Cruz Shakespeare as our permanent home for many years to come. This is an opportunity to invest in Santa Cruz Shakespeare and our community. To raise the remaining $219,000, I invite those who have not yet pledged to join our board members and the many others who have already donated to become part of the future of Santa Cruz Shakespeare."
Year round festival staff include: Mike Ryan (Artistic Director), Aimee Zygmonski (Managing Director) and Alexis Rossini (Development Associate).
Contact Information
Learn more about this Member Organization!

subset: commoncrawl


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Dear Irene,
It was 2013. I was couchsurfing SF and you were one of the many hosts Steve had connected me with to welcome me into your home. I didn't know much about you then. Clean apartment, baller startup job, cute, and intimidatingly intelligent and self-aware.
Flash forward to February 2016. I found out through Facebook that Zoraida and you are moving from SF to NY. I find out that you quit startup/tech life and are now on this self-exploration/healing/artist journey, writing poetry, following feelings, and making new friends along the way. I had a deep yearning to reconnect. I knew deep down I wanted to learn the why and the how. I let my intention be known. Shout-out to Caryn for providing her home for all 3 of us to hold space, to live, and to bond.
There was one moment that I'll never forget. You mentioned to me that your mission is to empower women to feel free. At that time, I felt what you had said was a very ambiguous statement. It was a shitty feeling when I discovered later that night how deep my insecurities of not feeling equal was. And then there was the "oh shit, was she talking about me?"
You may not have known this, but your words "I will try my hardest to never sell my soul for easy money or an easier way to exist" gave my subconscious the strength to break free from the chains that I, myself, had intricately woven into my soul. Being oppressed in China and stuck under the identity crisis of "boss's daughter" was like being in a dark bag and not knowing what's what. You poked a hole in that dark bag and I suddenly saw light.
Meeting you and seeing you progress in your journey gave me hope.
We had a breakthrough moment in our friendship when we found out that we were both Asian-American, Capricorn-Dragons, ENFP-Enneagram 7w6's. By default, we had to be cut from the same cloth right? Conversation grew deeper and we felt safe to admit things to each other without fear of judgment; painful hard truths, fears, impulsive-escapist notions and defense mechanisms towards life, love, and the messiness in between. Our depth of understanding allowed for fears, insecurities, dreams and aspirations to surface without shame.
Flash forward to July 2016 - the month where I broke free from my chains and resigned from my family business. I have been reborn and I'm on a fast track towards healing mind-body-soul.
Flash forward to early August 2016. You are traveling solo around Latin America, letting your truth guide you, saying yes to heart-opening opportunities especially when it's uncomfortable - and I am doing the same in San Fran. We are skyping once a week to catch up about our traveling, passion projects, sex lives, and the people we've met on our journey. This is when I begin to feel that I am your equal. And that you truly are my soul sister.
Present day. We are both back in NYC. We are rejoicing at the change we both currently see, the new stride in our step. Our minds and bodies feel infinite as we have removed ourselves from the "matrix" and have given ourselves permission to dissect of our value systems.
You boldly agree to do a Q&A interview with me, knowing that it will bring up or trigger moments of your past. You bravely tell me, "I give you permission to take pictures of me crying" knowing very well that your vulnerability is your truth, that this is one of the many gifts that you have to offer the world. We both pause to acknowledge that it is okay to feel what you are feeling and proceed to roll around giggling on the grass before we begin.
I listen and you speak. I hit record. You are about to share your beautiful story and soul.
Here it is. Thank you for your words, your thoughts, and your values as your voice radiates through the dark and light of your soul and intertwine with mine through and through. I hope this brings #ALLofthefeelings up for everyone else as well.
August 19th @ Blend on the Water, Queens NY
T: What is your mission?
I: At my core, I want to be free. But even below that, below being free, I just want to know that I am safe. I want to create safe spaces (digital, physical, whatever), inclusive containers for everyone to feel free enough to express themselves and also to love and live freely, whatever that looks like for them. I just want to live in a world that is safe for everyone. Because everyone deserves that.
My whole life has just been freeing myself enough to figure out…how to do that. And to educate myself further. I don't think I know everything. I don't think I know how to do this completely but through learning more about myself, my cultural background, the cultural background of others, the systems we operate within, and the way that people identify and live in this world, I've figured out very small ways to coexist compassionately with other humans -- and I'm still learning. I'm still unlocking, accepting, and transforming so many dark parts of my heart in order to fulfill my mission.
T: So your mission is to create a safe space for everyone to love and live freely. What is your platform to do this? What is the medium in which you seek to create impact?
I: Oh man, this has changed so many times as I've changed through the years - I feel like the medium is constantly in flux as I grow and learn more about myself, others, and the world. I've been a lone wolf my entire life (at least in my own mind). I sought independence from groups and anything that felt like a tiny box - which was almost everything to me. In some ways, I mistrust groups greatly because I am afraid of losing my Self in them. But the more I allow myself to engage with the world (by moving around, traveling, exploring, actively seeking safe spaces and people, re-defining what safe really means to me), I've discovered that I really care about collaboration and community and that I actually love working with the right people. And while I love taking myself out on dates, I don't always have to isolate myself and do everything alone. After this realization - and you know, the realizations sometimes have to hit us in the head several times for us to accept it as truth - I decided to commit to finding community outside of myself and I sometimes had to push myself way outside of my comfort to do so. Just by committing to that, as if it was some sort of affirmation to the universe, I met Poppy through Zoraida a week later. They (and a creative crew of badass ladies) are working on a short film called Names of Women, which is a poetic first person account of Poppy's abortion story. Just from spending a week with the two of them, getting acquainted with the rest of the community and mission, I've fully committed to working on this. It was that yummy heart level "YAAS."
And the interesting thing is that it wasn't about being invited to help. It was actually a huge point of growth for me to accept that I wanted to be a part of something like this and to give myself permission to soften into the value-alignment that I felt. To really get in touch with my needs, desires, and purpose. Instead of out-casting myself, I asked to join this film crew, this sisterhood, this healing circle. And it was just beautiful what happened after that. And now, I, the indecisive commitment-phobe, am fully committed.
T: So let's get into this? What are the values you have and how have they led to the point where you are now?
I: Mmm!
Passion. It's a huge part of who I am! It's why I have this deep desire to do the work that I do. If I'm not passionate about something, my whole body and life rejects that thing. And I've rejected things in ways that I'm not proud of. And I feel like the best thing I could do for everyone is to be honest with what I really want. That also comes with getting in touch with what my actual needs are and accepting that about myself.
I used to feel so much shame for having needs because I was ashamed of being seen as a needy person. But I realize that acting on my fear of having needs is actually the thing that makes me feel the most needy. It causes me to shy away from asking in truth, and instead passively do things that can feel really cruel… it's cruel to not be in touch with one's passion and needs. It's cruel to be dishonest with ourselves. Or, more truthfully, it is cruel to create a world in which people do not feel safe enough to explore their needs. A world in which needs are not known, and therefore cannot be met.
Oooooof. That's something that is very vulnerable for me to share. I have always felt very guilty to need anything from anyone. I've always felt guilty for following things that I'm passionate about. The things I'm passionate about deviate from the norm. I'm not interested in having a 9-5 job or surrendering to systems that are unkind towards people, or betraying myself to make someone else feel comfortable. So passion is what leads me to continue seeking out the helpers. I'm looking for the helpers of humanity so I can support or join forces with them…which is what led me to you and Names of Women, and poetry, and everything.
It just makes me think about all the mistakes that I've made along the way. And you know, the privilege to go for what I believe in is not lost on me. I feel grateful, but I want to help create a safer world in a real way.
Like, I'm very passionate about..wow, it's already starting to get deep now..Okay! I can't escape this..(nervous laughter)
Part of what I'm really passionate about is sexual liberation.
I care a lot about sexual liberation and that is something I have felt strongly about ever since I was first sexually active. I know that a lot of that has to do with the fact that I felt like control was taken from me at a very young age. Being sexually abused was one of my very first memories, but I'm sure it was happening at a time that my memories can no longer reach. Before I was 3. Before my memories could form and up until I was 14. This was by the same person, someone in my family. I choose not to disclose who this person is publicly, not to protect them, but because healing from family abuse is more complicated than just outting your abusers, there are other people whom I love who would be affected. It is not that I feel obligated to them, it is that it would hurt me more to hurt them. It would not heal me.
For a very long time, the way I dealt with it was I just didn't talk about it. I would say to myself, "I'm not going to let this control my life, I'm not going to let this break me"
But when I tried to suppress it, I felt like I was not showing up for people. I felt like I was not showing up as my whole self, because I couldn't share this part of my life with anyone. It wasn't that this needed to be the topic of conversation every time I met someone, or that this needs to define who I am, but it is a part of me and regardless of whether it is comfortable for me or anyone, how I dealt with it does inform some of who I am and how I operate in the world. And if I were to get close to anyone, I'd want to be safe enough to share this with them. So I started trying. And when I did, the way people responded made me feel so dehumanized and it was clear that they were so uncomfortable that they couldn't see me.
For example, I told my best friend from early childhood I was molested for most of my life and that it was still happening. She just treated me like a victim. I felt like power and control was taken from me by merely sharing my truth, because people felt sorry for me… and that wasn't what I wanted.
In my more recent adult life, there were certain partners that also didn't get it. It was frustrating because the way they coped with it was by idealizing, which was also dehumanizing.
The opposite reaction of victimhood is heroism, like, "wow, you're such an amazing person because you were molested and now you seem so okay" makes me feel like shit too. Like, what does "seeming okay" actually mean? That they are surprised that someone who has been violated and abused could be so whole? Are they not perpetuating the negative ideas that I already have about myself? Creating more tiny boxes to fill me in? Because that's not getting to the core of the problem. It still further dehumanizes me, it makes me feel like an object. It feels like they are taking ownership of my pain and giving me a diploma for having graduated from the suffering I never enrolled in. And I know that people have been attracted to me as well because of this part of me. And that is just many levels of disgusting that I am still dissecting to this day.
I just want to feel like a human.
I care so much about sexual liberation because having gone through the darker side of sex through non-consensual sexual trauma - sexual abuse - I also know the beauty and pleasure that comes with feeling sexually liberated. That liberation means feeling safe. And creating safety for those who have been made to feel unsafe in any way should be a priority.
There's also so much guilt wrapped up in childhood sexual abuse that it get's really confusing. For me, having had it happened before I could form my own opinions about the world, I felt like I asked for this. Even though I have spent a lot of time educating myself and practicing feminist values, there is still this emotional component that is hard to break out of – this PTSD. I sometimes still feel so guilty because when something bad happens my unfiltered/unedited reaction is something like:
"Am I asking men to exploit me in this way?"
"Am I asking for unsafe environments?"
"Is it my fault that ---"
and, most of the time, I can recognize intellectually that it's not my fault, but it sometimes takes me awhile to unblock my heart and trust that I feel this emotionally.
I just want to feel safe to live and love.
T: It seems like your passion is definitely driving your cause and your intention. What else is behind Irene besides that? Despite how strong your own story is, what else beyond your past is fueling your future?
I: That is such a good question because I can sometimes get so wrapped up in my past. What fuels me is people. People. And love. Which is one of my core values. It's my love for people, the world, and myself that drives so much of my life.
It is because I have seen such darkness that I can recognize what being loved feels like. I want to live in a world where everyone can feel it. I want to be able to love everyone - this doesn't mean giving them everything I have, it means unlocking parts inside of myself that keep me from being touched by people emotionally. I used to seek out the darkest people possible because I felt like it was easier to hide inside darkness than it was to find the love that I never felt at home. I wanted to give up on love because I felt guilty about having it so I indulged in this dark time where I betrayed myself. Fell into some of the deepest pits of my soul and refused people who wanted to love me. I eventually gave up on suffering and decided to heal so I could give myself love instead. And it's so beautiful to now, after walking this path of loving myself and others, to meet people like you, who love with no bounds. I don't mean no boundaries, by the way. Knowing that love is an infinite resource and accepting that our time and energy are finite are completely separate things that I'm still learning how to work with myself.
And I think finding people like you is what fuels me to keep going.
(Irene is tearing)
T: So there is Passion and love behind your intention.
I: This is so good Tiff, I love this. (sniffing)
(Irene is tearing and I begin to take pics. Which makes her start to laugh)
T: This is the drive that keeps you going and keeps you breathing. Because of how strong of a woman you are and the fact that you are willing to share your story with us speaks so much of your character. Can you give us another value?
I: Serenity. Being at peace with everything that has happened in my life, all of it, the good, the bad, everything in between. Serenity s also tied in my need for safety, because I can never fully exhale and be at peace until I feel safe enough to release.
T: How do you strive to find serenity in your life?
I: By accepting myself completely, wholeheartedly, no matter what and sitting with my feelings as they arise instead of intellectualizing them.
T: YES ! Wow, that's definitely something we all need to hear. (Poetry slam SNAP SNAP to that). It's interesting that the values you've chosen for yourself, passion and love being your driving forces, and serenity is something you seek. I'm curious to ask what your 4th is.
I: Forgiveness.
T: What does forgiveness mean?
I: A strange, confusing mixture of love, acceptance, surrender, and compassion.
T: Can I ask you, have you fully forgiven yourself yet?
I: No. And I accept that. I accept where I am completely. I couldn't be more proud of who I've become.
T: Forgiveness, for me, anyway is often associated with self-love. Do you agree?
I: Yes, I 100% agree. And my immediate thought was, I feel like love of self, love of other, and love of life in general is all the same. And we all have an infinite capacity for that. It's just about unlocking the closed doors and the dark rooms inside of us, to allow for true forgiveness.
T: I think it's powerful that you acknowledge that you have dark rooms and that you're open to looking deep within at your fears and insecurities. What are some ways that you are now taking control and power over those fears and the darkness that you have?
I: Allowing myself to feel the fear when it comes up and like…
It makes me think of a worksheet I did with Zoraida where we examined our fears. And the prompt was "List your fears. What is the fear trying to protect?"
Because fear is about protection. And for me, that was very impactful because it allowed me to examine, why I have this disconnect between safety and home. I'm ALWAYs leaving. I'm always either traveling or escaping something. Or some combination between the two. I always question why it is that I don't want to stay. Is it that I am truly nomadic, or maybe, in my healthier states it's nomadic healing?
I feel that because I was molested in my own home all those times, and left without a safe parent around so often, I equated home with being unsafe. So I never wanted to come home, or have one, so I have never (until now) known what it feels like to truly feel at home. Because home is a safe container for your being to relax and release. Home is where you arrive. But home has always been the place that I have left.
Upon examining that, I feel that my core need is to feel safe at home. Because I actually love being at home. And just being able to admit that to myself was HUGE for me, because now, I feel like I am free to travel for the true reason that I like traveling. It's to explore. To explore myself, to explore the world and to be in community with people.
T: I love that your response which started off as talking about your fears had actually led you to this powerful realization. I think self reflection and introspection gives us the power to do that, so thank you for sharing your insight. So what is the last value for you?
I: Oh, this perfectly ties in. It's Freedom.
Passion, Love, Serenity, and Forgiveness frees me to be who I truly am. I am all of those things and I just want to be free to stand in my truth. And to free others. Whatever little thing I can do to help the world along. I want to keep doing that. This is what freedom feels like to me. To be and to help.
T: And I see that you're now doing that by working on this project, Names of Women, Can you tell us more about the project and how you are currently feeling and also healing from it?
I: Omgosh, hearing Poppy tell her story and why she decided to make a project out of her abortion unlocked things within me that I never thought I would ever address in my life. Because it is now 2016 and not long ago on June 6, 2016 that I, by myself… felt this urge within me to heal something. I realized after a bit of rolling around on the floor crying and journaling that 6/6/06, a date ten years prior was the date of my first abortion.
I was 17 years old. And I never thought I would tell that story. I thought I was just going to keep that inside of me for the rest of my life, and that it was unemotional, just a thing I had to do. But on that day of the 10 year anniversary (and I say anniversary, not to celebrate that something inside of me was aborted, it's rather that I am proud of myself for choosing motherhood, meaning, I knew I was not in a position to raise a child and it would have been cruel of me to bring a child into a world where I could not keep them safe, or fed for that matter), there was something inside of me that needed to come out and heal. So I released it in writing.
By writing these feelings out, I healed my mother-wound, I realized that I desire motherhood, not necessarily to birth a child, but I love birthing projects and movements. Healing that part of myself changed my life. Because it led me to this. And working on this project reminds me of the stigma of talking about abortions because I experienced it myself, especially within my community, especially as an Asian American woman.
Like there was no choice right? Not like I wanted to have a child, but the first thing that popped in my mind was "my family is gonna kill me. My life will be over. This can't happen. I can't do this to them. I have to research how to deal with this another way."
And the thing is, the actual experience was beautiful. I had never before felt so taken care of in a healthcare facility and I thank you so much Planned Parenthood Federal Way for taking care of me that day. I am grateful.
T: Aside from your passion project, where are you with yourself and how you choose to love others?
I: This question makes me uncomfortable because I know that there is still this deep judgment of myself which unsurprisingly comes out as judgment of others in an unloving way. I'm in this place, where I am actively learning more and more every minute of the day, how to accept parts of me that I feel ashamed of, in turn and sometimes not in this order, I learn how to do the same for others. It's like a self sustaining organic ecosystem of love.
So to actually answer your question, I think I'm in this place of accepting where I'm at and just being proud of who I have become. As someone who has been so afraid to commit to anything, or anyone because I don't want to betray myself… I am so proud to look back on my life and realize that the thing, or person I committed to the longest was myself. The acceptance of all of me, my life, my love, the messy parts, everything. That is the biggest commitment I have ever made and I will never compromise myself for anything or anyone.
That is how I set my boundaries.
T: I think we are good. I think that's a wrap.
Deep sigh.
It's 2 AM as I'm transcribing this and the feelings are heavy for me as Irene's story and her truth spills out tears of sadness, pain, and joy. It triggers and brings up past traumas of sexual and cultural identity that I am still currently dealing with.
We all have our own "stuff." It's so fucking nice for someone to admit it. That's what projects like Names of Women is about. That's what I'm about. I like it raw and heavy and unfiltered. We all have a voice and our stories should be heard and not dusted off as insignificant moments of shame.
The truth is we are open and emotional. We are women and we are proud. Maybe too open or "too overshare" for some people. But that's okay. It's what makes us bold and gives us strength. We don't lie or suppress or repress. We have no hidden agenda. This is our story. This is our history.
We are women. We embrace pain and show up to tackle it.
There's fear. Loads of it. But I stand with my soul sisters in solidarity. I know we have each other's backs and that we can hold hands, hold space, cry, laugh, surrender, and listen.
I know deep down, we are connected by the same values.
Do you know yours?
*ReMINDmeValues is proud to support Names of Women and will be one of the booths to conduct Value Dissects for anybody attending their fundraiser event held August 20th.
The Values Dissect is a practice where we pick apart and discuss 5 values that have gotten you to where you are today. How these interrelate to each other helps us better understand the driving forces of why we do the things we do and to what purpose.
I invite you to share your personal truth and bring to light past, present, and future in this telling tale of who you are and who you aspire to be. Sharing how your values align with your mission and expressing your intention in such an open and raw way has the ability to inspire others to do the same.
If you'd like to sign up for your own Values Dissect and show off your organization's values, please get in touch below!


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The Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles has revised Bishop Jon Bruno's PowerPoint presentation, "The Anglican Communion: A Roomy House," to reflect the uncertain nature of a remark credited to Richard Hooker (original slide at left). GetReligion first covered this matter on March 29.
The diocese has added "attributed to" on a line that previously said only "Richard Hooker." Bishop Bruno's original PowerPoint lecture (3.8 MB) is available at this permalink. His revised presentation is available, both in PowerPoint and in HTML, at this link on the diocese's website.
Perhaps more people will now think of the Hooker remark in the category of He Coulda/Woulda/Shoulda Said It, along with "Make Me a Channel of Your Peace," the treacly Catholic folk song attributed to St. Francis.
The remark may also be an Anglican version of the 100th Monkey theory.
In any case, the diocese has shown the humility to acknowledge that the remark's authenticity is disputed. So far Bishop Bruno is the only person who has used the remark but then made a public revision.


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"In war you win or you lose, live or die - and the difference is just an eyelash." -Douglas MacArthur
I'm not entirely sure of Aaron's details but he's leaving for Afghanistan tonight. He's in the Army Reserves as an infantryman with demolitions training (the actual designation escapes me).
I've considered joining the military before, but a multitude of factors have prevented me from taking that leap. The largest of which was, suprisingly enough, paintball. The above quote is dead on. Years of training, weekend after weekend of play, dozens of games, and the difference always came down to something like slipping at the beginning of the game, breaking a ball, or catching a lucky bounce. Paintball taught me that sometimes you're doing everything right, and that's a subjective term, and you get shot anyways. Or as Hass told me one time in Denver, after we blew a 6 on 3 lead in the finals, "it doesn't matter [if it's the right move], it either works or it doesn't." I could ramble about this for hours. Bottom line, even the most prepared throw dice in war.
|Aaron and me. Aaron is into polaroids.


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Every day, the kids ask me when their fucking Elf-on-the-Shelf is going to come back and I make some sort of excuse like, "Not until after your father's birthday" to placate them, but TODAY is after their father's birthday and I forgot that damned elf this morning. So I guess Cheese the Elf comes this afternoon, along with three board games I bought on super sale: Connect4, Monopoly Jr (to keep them from getting out the real Monopoly and spreading all that fake money and tiny figurines around the house), and Trouble. The board games are to help keep us all somewhat sane during this season of wet/cold/cabin fever. They might work better to keep the peace if a feisty two-year-old who is teething his molars didn't routinely knock the boards off the table because he's posessed by a wee demon. There is no peace when a two-year-old is awake.
I vacuum almost every day, not because I want to, but because my yard is a mud pit and that dog, that hyperactive lab puppy, has three speeds: on, off, and throw-the-ball-please-throw-the-ball-here-I'll-bite-your-apron-strings-here-I-brought-you-the-ball-please-throw-the-ball-I'm-gonna-bark-please-throw-it-please-please-please-please-please. In and out, in and out she goes, dragging half of the dirt in the yard back inside with her. I haven't been able to run with her for three weeks because, right before Tony left for the first of two multi-day business trips, Onyx and her best buddy (who outweighs her by 40 lbs) slammed into me at the dog park, spraining the ligaments in my left knee. It hurts and I'm depressed because I'm laid up and I've been without Tony for awhile and parenting three monkeys alone is HARD. And I haven't been able to drink my cares away because he's been gone and I do, honestly, try to be a responsible parent, and I can't eat my cares away because I'm not exercising and let's face it: I'm already riding the slow train to middle-aged spread; I don't need to switch to the fast train where no one exercises and there are lots of holiday cookies for the taking. I'm going to give blood today so I can justify some pasta and ice cream tonight.
Things reached a breaking point Wednesday when I forgot to pack Charles's lunch. Yes, yes I know he's eight years old and he can take responsibility for his lunch, and he does – he grabs it from the refrigerator every morning and makes sure it and his homework and his binder are all in his backpack. But I pack the lunches the night before because I don't trust him to put vegetables in his lunch. On Wednesday, all he got were carrots and an applesauce packet; I had forgotten to heat the chicken nuggets he requested and put them in his thermos in the morning. I didn't realize my mistake until I got home from work and errands close to 3 PM. I sobbed, he forgave me, then he ate a sandwich and an apple and asked for ice cream. Will I ever forgive myself? Unlikely.
Thank God Tony is back for the foreseeable future. He won't help me with Christmas shopping, but he sure makes bedtime go a lot more smoothly.


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Public Service Mutuals Green Paper - for consultation/
The Net Balance Research Institute and the Business Council of Co-operatives and Mutuals (BCCM) are pleased to announce the release of the Green Paper on Public Service Mutuals: The case for a Third-way for delivering public services in Australia .
Purpose of the paper
As communities and governments all over the world struggle with addressing social and economic problems, this paper explores the role of Public Service Mutuals (member-owned businesses delivering public services on behalf of government) as an alternative business model to privatisation to large corporates or outsourcing to the Not-for-Profit sector. Public Service Mutuals can be owned by consumers of services, the producers of services - as employees or enterprises, or a combination of consumers and producers.
The unique characteristics of Public Service Mutuals such as being member-owned and for member-benefit, their combined commercial and social purpose, and their autonomy of decision making means that they are well placed to provide client directed services cost effectively and to drive public service innovation. In particular, Public Services Mutuals are relevant in areas such as health, aged care, disability, education, affordable housing, regional economic and community development, and community empowerment.
This paper explores the potential of Public Services Mutuals and their comparative advantages over other business models, provides examples from Australia and around the world, presents strategies for growing Public Services Mutual and considers a range of potential mechanisms to support their growth in Australia. The paper concludes with a series of consultation questions, to stimulate feedback on the Green Paper.
Online consultation
To help you provide feedback Net Balance Research Institute and BCCM invite you to use our online consultation survey. Your feedback will help inform the key findings of the research and the formulation of recommendations to stakeholders including Government, which will be presented in the Public Service Mutuals White Paper to be launched in August, 2014.
To assist with stakeholders understanding the key concepts from the Green paper and provide them with the opportunity to ask questions, we will also be holding a Webinar: Overview of the Green Paper at 10 am on 4 July, 2014. This will be a free 1hour webinar delivered by Les Hems. The webinar will provide stakeholders with:
Overview of the key points of the research
Its relevance to government, not-for-profits and the co-operative and mutuals sectors
An opportunity to seek responses to relevant questions.
Please complete the survey by close of business Friday 21 July, 2014.
Join our on-line community at the Australian Public Service Mutuals Group.
Each chapter of the paper can be downloaded below to make it easier to review.
Thank you in advance for your contribution to this process.
Chapter 1 & 2 - Introduction & Co-operatives and Mutuals in Australia
Chapter 3 - The challenges for delivering public services
Chapter 4 - Comparative advantage of public service mutuals
Chapter 5 - Lessons from other jurisdictions
Chapter 6 - Strategies for expanding the roles of PSMs
Chapter 7 - Scaffolding the growth of PSMs