Vcil Community Membership

The core operating team of Vcil Community currently works entirely as full-time volunteers. No one receives a salary for their work at Vcil Community. Instead, the basic needs of the members are covered by a common fund. As the market economy is expanding in every corner of the world, everything is slowly commodified which is exchanged for credit-based anonymous currency. Even the most sacred thing such as human energy and time is trade as “labour market”. To transcend this paradigm, act of service in Vcil Community is redeemed as PRICESLESS. Since working for social change is as prestigious as dedicating to something higher than individual self, no precise amount of payment can justified the soul. To free ourselves from hierarchical dichotomy between employee and employers; all members co-own, co-create, and co-manage Vcil Community. While there is organic leadership in emergent situation, we had no boss, no CEO or board of directors to make decision. This design also encourage entrepreneurship spirit among core tea

Since 2014, Vcil Community began with small-scale experiments in the field of "alternative education" to address the issues of mainstream education. Initially, the name Vcil stood for "Vietnamese Community of Independent Learners." The core members established a two-year gap year program and alternative to the university project called The Soil Project in 2017 to demonstrate their commitment and create a stronger impact on educational reform. Gradually, it became clear that education is only a part of the socio-economic system and is currently serving that system. Therefore, the most radical educational innovation must be linked to questioning how society operates. For instance, a common question for graduates of an alternative education project is what they will do to earn a living. Few ask which jobs in the world are worth doing, which will bring life to the inner self and the surrounding world, or how to create such jobs. Hence, Vcil Community expanded its activities to encompass social change. Currently, Vcil Community is defined as a community (or network) that promotes the transition to a more sustainable and well-being society through alternative education and the spirit of social entrepreneurship. In other words, Vcil Community is also a platform supporting social changes to realize a "new civilization." Consequently, the current acronym Vcil stands for “Vietnamese Community of Integral Living”. Over more than 10 years of operation, Vcil Community has continuously strengthened cooperation and expanded its network with organizations and communities worldwide that share its values. Vcil Community has collaborated and worked with alternative education models, grassroots social movements, and radical communities in Thailand, India (Auroville, New Delhi, Udaipur, Ladakh), South Korea, Germany, Austria and Netherlands. We are also currently members of the Ecoversities Alliance, Agri-Nature Network of Thailand, Economy for the Common Good, among others. These efforts are part of Vcil Community's mission to build an ecosystem that supports its social transformation endeavors.

Since its founding, Vcil Community has aimed to foster a systemic social transformation, promoting a shift toward a development model based on well-being and regeneration. Therefore, Vcil Community seeks comprehensive change, where inner transformation of individuals is aligned with structural shifts in the way society operates and develops. Social transformation must start with individual transformation. When individuals shift their awareness, it leads to changes in lifestyle, values, and beliefs toward happiness and sustainability. They are driven to contribute and create in alignment with their inner transformation, and they need to connect as a community to co-initiate social ventures, business models, and organizations grounded in social well-being and natural regeneration values. All of this must occur through a strong network and ecosystem where all elements support and uplift one another. Consequently, Vcil Community is simultaneously focused on four areas to support this vision and build meaningful, sustainable social movements: 1. Alternative Education 2. Social Entrepreneurship & Alivelihood 3. Regenerative Development 4 Ecosystem Building and Network For Change Starting with Alternative Education, Vcil Community promotes individual development and transformation to cultivate new mindsets and perspectives. These individuals will then need new business models, management approaches, and operational frameworks to drive necessary changes. Social enterprises and mindful professions bridge inner transformation and social impact, turning personal development into organized, impactful actions. These new types of enterprises embody sustainable values and a purpose centered on the well-being of people and nature. Vcil Community is building a network to connect individuals, communities, organizations, and businesses that share aligned values and visions. These networks form an ecosystem where every component supports and depends on each other, ensuring that the entire system flourishes. Here, knowledge, skills, technical expertise, technology, and resources such as finance are shared. To create lasting, holistic change, we need to rethink how our economy and society operate. Vcil Community seeks to change the foundational structures and beliefs that shape society, enabling a transition from surface-level changes to profound systemic transformation. This begins with shifting beliefs from competition, individualism, profit-orientation, and monoculture in mindset and lifestyle toward a new belief system based on generosity, sharing, collaboration, respect for diversity, and recognition of interdependence. Inspired by economist Kate Raworth, we encourage a deep redesign of our systems—especially in how organizations and businesses operate in terms of purpose, management, ownership, finance, and networking. We want to build more impact-oriented models rather than profit-driven ones, shifting from a control-oriented mindset to fostering diversity and decentralization instead of centralization and monoculture. By creating and applying these changes, we believe we will open up more possibilities on the path to building a regenerative and well-being-centered society.

Aligned with the above areas of activity, we have developed projects and initiatives in these fields. In the field of Alternative Education, we have created The Soil Project, Vcil Travel School, and Money IQ - Money EQ. The Soil Project (TSP): This initiative aims to introduce a new educational paradigm for the 21st century. It is a gap year and college alternative program that supports learners in the journey of self-understanding, exploration, and service to the world. TSP’s curriculum focuses on inner transformation, sustainability, rethinking development, and education for social entrepreneurship. Vcil Travel School (VTS): An experiential learning program that utilizes contextual learning in multicultural settings. By combining education with local community development, Vcil Travel School aims to innovate and rethink both education and tourism. Money IQ - Money EQ: This program equips young people with comprehensive knowledge of personal finance. It not only covers financial literacy (Money IQ) but also expands into emotional intelligence around money (Money EQ), transforming one’s relationship with money to attain true wealth. The project also introduces learners to regenerative approaches to finance. Ecoversity for New Civilization (ENC): is an alternative university established to inspire personal and collective transformation. Grounded in regeneration and well-being, it provides essential knowledge, practical tools, and tailored training to help participants understand complex global challenges. Like nurturing healthy soil, Ecoversity fosters growth by supporting individuals and communities to become catalysts for social, ecological, and economic regeneration in Vietnam and beyond. In regenegerative Development we are advancing land, water, and ecosystem regeneration in Vietnam through training programs and the application of the Sufficiency Economy Philosophy (SEP). Additionally, we have established the Vcil Community Membership to offer in-depth support for social movements in Vietnam. Regenerative Education - Living Soil, Living Souls: Land and water are vital resources essential for a meaningful and abundant life, but they face severe threats from soil degradation, desertification, biodiversity loss, and groundwater pollution—largely driven by chemical-intensive farming since the Green Revolution. To address these challenges, Vcil Community in collaboration with Mab Ueang Agri-Nature Foundation and SEP Academy, are hosting an international training programs titled “Sufficiency Economy Philosophy: Living Soil, Living Souls.” The program aims to share sustainable practices and lessons in soil and water management and regeneration from successful community initiatives. Land, Water, and Ecosystem Regeneration in Vietnam: Inspired by SEP from King Rama IX, we have collaborated with Thailand's Agri-Nature Network to provide training on SEP, regenerative agriculture, reforestation, and revitalizing traditional communities through knowledge-sharing on soil restoration, water management, and seed saving. Moreover, Vcil Community connects volunteers and interns across Vietnam to support local communities in implementing SEP following training programs. This network is further strengthened by inviting experienced individuals from Thailand to collaborate with Vietnamese farmers in ecological regeneration and organic farming. In Social Entrepreneurship, XomTour is a social enterprise, conscious and responsible tourism initiative launched by Vcil Community. It aims to combine meaningful travel experiences, and experiential learning with community engagement. XomTour is a regenerative tourism initiative that offers travelers an immersive experience in local communities. By engaging in hands-on learning with local artisans, farmers, and communities, visitors not only gain cultural insights but also actively contribute to the regeneration of local ecosystems, economies, and cultures. In Ecosystem Building and Network Development, over more than 10 years, Vcil Community has continuously expanded its collaborations with organizations and communities that share our values worldwide. Vcil Community has partnered and worked with alternative education models, grassroots social movements, and communities operating with new governance models in Thailand, India, South Korea, the Netherlands, Germany, and Austria. We are also members of the Ecoversities Alliance, Agri-Nature Network, Economy for the Common Good, and other networks. These efforts represent Vcil Community’s commitment to building an ecosystem that supports our social transformation mission.