A Constitution for Mutual Aid

Resources and services for mutual benefit depend upon the reciprocal exchange of volunteers.

From humanity's ancient past communal societies were universal - mutual aid is intrinsic to human culture.  Individuals and groups benefit from the exchange of labour and resources.

Civil society, cooperatives, and trade unions are advanced by mutual aid.

Mutual aid groups rely on voluntary activity and are free to join and participate in.  No external professional or financial support is necessary as resources are controlled by the members in a non-profit, non-bureaucratic, non-hierarchical organization.

Members organize and lead.  Cooperative decision-making, power-shared leadership, egalitarian member status, and participatory democracy characterize the group.  Participation confers group status.

Mutual aid groups place an emphasis on voluntary cooperation.  Self-determination of an individual's adaption creates tension; self-confidence, high awareness of possible situations, and radical openness to the life perspectives of others brings about insight to overcome this tension.

As a mentally ill older adult I have experienced mutual aid principles and practices in action, where the important helper / helpee principle is a cornerstone of the movement.