Circular Material Valuer Curriculum

GIG – Global Innovation Gathering 2 Circular Material Valuer Curriculum © 2025. This work is openly licensed via CC BY 4.0 This curriculum is published as an open educational resource (OER), freely available for self-study, to inform workshops, or to be adapted and remixed by organisations worldwide to suit their specific contexts and needs. It is released by GIG under a Creative Commons Attribution license (CC-BY 4.0), which encourages the sharing, adaptation, and co-creation of knowledge for a more sustainable future. GIG – Global Innovation Gathering 3 Circular Material Valuer Curriculum Framing, Structure and Definitions The Circular Material Valuer Curriculum (CMVC) was created to equip circular initiatives, zero-waste programmes, reuse centres, and other similar organisations with the essential skills, knowledge, and sensibility needed to effectively divert reusable goods and materials from the waste stream and generate local value in social, economic and environmental ways. As a core output of a citizen science research initiative conducted in 2025 by the Global Innovation Gathering (GIG) and Reuse City with support from the Hans Sauer Stiftung, the curriculum fosters a holistic understanding of material reuse. The project was designed to incorporate diverse perspectives, in particular those of reuse workers, repair volunteers, sustainable designers, situated makers, and community organisers experienced in material reuse in various settings. GIG – Global Innovation Gathering 4 The view pushed forward by the project integrates material analysis, social awareness, economic evaluation, and environmental responsibility. The CMVC provides a framework that moves beyond conventional linear economic models, empowering participants to design and implement practical, locally rooted circularity actions. By leveraging the collective intelligence and embodied knowledge of experienced participants, this curriculum contributes to ongoing research in understanding and defining the emerging systemic position of Circular Material Valuers. Such activity - be it performed as a discrete professional function or as an attribution of other roles such as sorter or evaluator - is crucial to engender more sustainable material flows and support grounded social-ecological transformation. The curriculum consists of four modules: 1. Systemic View and Social Value GIG – Global Innovation Gathering 6 1. Systemic View and Social Value Circularity from the Ground-Level This foundational module aims to provide attendees with a critical understanding of the circular economy, emphasising community-based approaches and the profound social benefits of reuse. It challenges traditional notions of waste and linear production, promoting a more equitable and sustainable interaction with materials, and framing local actions as vital systemic interventions. Rethinking Waste and Circularity → Learning the core principles of a circular economy, extending beyond the conventional “take-make-dispose” model to focus on “reduce-reuse-recycle”. → Critical assessment of mainstream circular economy discourse, which often prioritises industrial interests and economic value over social and human aspects (Schröder et al., 2020; Vosse, 2020). This includes understanding how current economic incentives can inadvertently favour modes of resource handling that devalue objects and simplify material flows towards a linear model, which makes repairing and reuse at best less attractive, and frequently unfeasible. → Understanding the waste management hierarchy as recommended by contemporary and emerging policy (for instance European legislation on waste and circular economy, as well as international treaties regulating waste exports and intercontinental outsourcing of responsibilities). A strong emphasis is put on waste prevention and reuse as primary objectives over recycling, incineration, and landfilling, due to their lower environmental impact and higher societal value. GIG – Global Innovation Gathering 7 → Understanding the social and political context, positioning reuse and repair as acts of resistance against the devaluing of objects (Jackson, 2014; Oroza, N/D). This also involves understanding the "value of the product as the value of avoiding waste" and the challenges of counteracting massive material flows. Local and Community-Based Approaches → Focus on ground-level, commons-based waste prevention, highlighting its contrast with top-down industrial models. This includes promoting and supporting initiatives such as repair cafés, scrap shops, and robust community networks. Examples include the Remakery in South London, Kunst-Stoffe and Nochmall in Berlin and the German Verbund Offene Werkstätten, and the repurposing of abandoned spaces, such as the Jupiter Mall in Hamburg, for reuse initiatives. → Developing skills to foster “generous cities” systems that actively encourage care practices and transform excess materials into tangible social value within local contexts. This framing contrasts with a passive and arguably wasteful acceptance of “abundance,” preferring a regenerative mindset (Clark & Rockefeller, 2020; Schmidt Fonseca, 2024; Wahl, 2016). → Exploring alternative models like the historical SERO System in East Germany, which involved state-organised collection points, and networks such as Bauteilnetz (for building materials) and Verbund Offene Werkstaetten (open workshops) in Germany, as well as international approaches for providing materials to schools. Expand also on concepts focusing on minimum energy intervention and different states of material transformation, from simple cuts to more energy-intensive processes. The idea of bioregions (Thackara, 2017) encourages thinking about material flows on a scale wider than just the neighbourhood or city. → Decentralised vs. Aggregated Approaches: explore the distinctions between these two models. A decentralised approach favours smaller, local initiatives embedded in specific communities, such as neighbourhood repair cafés or community co-ops. This model excels at building trust, fostering local knowledge, and reducing transport costs, but can struggle with high volumes and specialised equipment. An aggregated or centralised approach, by contrast, relies on larger, often industrial-scale hubs, such as major sorting facilities. This model offers efficiency for high volumes and access to advanced machinery, but can be disconnected from local social needs and may lead to a "lowest common denominator" valuation that promotes downcycling. Experiment with forms of combining both approaches according to local demands and potentialities. GIG – Global Innovation Gathering 8 Social Inclusion and Empowerment → Learning how to leverage and support existing social groups already involved in material reuse, ensuring new developments do not marginalise them but are instead empowered and better equipped. This includes recognising that individuals below the poverty line often act as de facto valuers (Noble, 2019) and their needs and perspectives should be incorporated in any attempts to improve local systems. → Techniques for augmenting and replicating the skills of experienced individuals, fostering peer-to-peer knowledge sharing and mentorship within communities. This involves understanding the importance of intrinsic motivation and "non-linear education", such as learning from craftspeople and creative professions, and providing internal education and resources like literature on product design, materials science, and social entrepreneurship. → Understanding the cultural context of repair and reuse, recognising how practices and perceptions vary across localities and influence behaviour. This also involves mapping potential beneficiary groups and organisations to enable the quick redirection of materials and balance supply and demand in a decentralised manner. Consider also the potential for trans-local work exchange programmes, encouraging participants not only to learn from other contexts but also to actively contribute to shaping and improving local systems. → Building on international contexts, such as the National Waste Pickers' Movement (MNCR) in Brazil and the gaianetwork - powerful examples of organised labour and communities from a social inclusion perspective. 2. Eyes and Hands of a Circular Valuer: Materiality and Environmental Value GIG – Global Innovation Gathering 16 strategic assessment of reuse potential. Additionally, resources like Make Works can help to connect with local manufacturers and fabrication resources. 4. Stories and Personal Values GIG – Global Innovation Gathering 18 4. Stories and Personal Value This module emphasises the crucial human dimension of reuse, including the emotional connection to objects and the transformative power of storytelling in fostering a "generosity" mindset towards materials. These elements are vital for fostering community engagement and ensuring interventions are culturally resonant. Emotional and Cultural Connection → Recognising the "story" and emotional connections that objects hold, and how this deeply influences their perceived value and potential for reuse. This includes understanding the "joy of repair", the concept of “mundane technologies” (Nemer, 2022), and the personal satisfaction derived from extending an object's life, even if it has cosmetic defects (Jackson, 2014). → Exploring the broader "maker culture" as a powerful driver for engaging with materials, fostering creativity, and building a sense of belonging within communities. This moves beyond a purely "shabby chic" aesthetic to a deeper appreciation of an object's history and potential. Promoting a Generosity Mindset → Adopting the concept of "material generosity" as an intentional and active approach to interact with the world and manage excess materials. This includes fostering a collective view of the value of things within neighbourhoods and communities. Additionally, explore how a new professional identity for material valuers can be a source of class solidarity, particularly in the context of precarious labour and volunteer initiatives. → Learning how storytelling and visual representation can effectively highlight the potential value of discarded materials and inspire broader engagement in GIG – Global Innovation Gathering 19 reuse initiatives. It connects to the challenge of instilling "tactile skills, curiosity, and imagination" in younger generations, which are crucial for effective material valuation. This includes the idea of "changing our emotional landscape" regarding waste, fostering a deeper connection that drives proactive interventions. Documentaries such as Waste Land (Walker et al., 2010) and Estamira (Prado, 2004), as well as fiction films like Trash (Daldry & Duurvoort, 2014), offer powerful narratives on the human dimension of waste. GIG – Global Innovation Gathering 20 5. References and Resources This section provides a curated list of texts, videos, websites, and other relevant materials to support the learning and practice of a Circular Material Valuer. → https://wiki.reuse.city/projects/circular-valuer-curriculum/CMVC-References © 2025. This work is openly licensed via CC BY 4.0 This curriculum is published as an open educational resource (OER), freely available for self-study, to inform workshops, or to be adapted and remixed by organisations worldwide to suit their specific contexts and needs. It is released by GIG under a Creative Commons Attribution license (CC-BY 4.0), which encourages the sharing, adaptation, and co-creation of knowledge for a more sustainable future.