Dundee Dots: Trading Differently in Dundee
Dundee Dots is a relationship-led exchange network helping organisations come together to share skills, spaces, resources, time and support without relying only on money. It is about exploring different ways of exchanging value across the city - making offers and needs visible, building trust, and helping people connect around practical support.
Instead of starting with “we need more money”, Dundee Dots asks: what do we already have, what do we need, and how could we share, swap or collaborate to make things happen? This wording is strong from the workshop posters and gets the concept across quickly. It is not just networking. Each session includes live trading conversations, learning, connection and space to explore how we can work differently together.
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What can be shared or exchanged?
Space
Rooms, venues, kitchens, meeting spaces, storage and event spaces.
Skills and knowledge
Training, governance, marketing, finance, HR, facilitation, digital support and partnership building.
Practical resources
Furniture, equipment, materials, office supplies, food surplus and creative items.
People and capacity
Staff time, volunteers, peer support, mentoring, shared roles and specialist input.
Visibility and networks
Promotion, introductions, referrals, newsletters, social media and wider networks.
Our Story
Dundee Dots began as a five-month pilot exploring what happens when organisations share differently and connect the dots. Thirteen organisations took part, with over 40 exchanges happening across 16 weeks. The pilot tested how organisations could share skills, space, support and surplus through a simple local exchange model.
The biggest learning was clear: relationships matter most. Trust, visibility and human connection were what helped exchanges happen. The pilot also showed that time, simplicity and light coordination are essential if Dundee Dots is going to keep growing.
Read the full Dundee Dots pilot report
Dundee Dots is now moving into its next stage. We are hosting regular in-person workshops with different partners across Dundee. Each session will create space for live trading, learning, connection and showcasing the brilliant organisations already working in the city.
For now, offers and needs are being shared through a simple open spreadsheet. This helps us keep things moving while we develop a clearer, more useful digital platform. The long-term aim is to create something simple, visual and easy to use, shaped by the people and organisations taking part.
Host Dundee Dots
Interested in hosting a Dundee Dots workshop?
We are looking for host partners across Dundee who want to open their space, showcase their work, and help grow a more collaborative local economy.
Host partners can help shape the theme of the session and may offer a short talk, activity or learning element linked to collaboration, sustainability, partnership working, sharing resources or trading differently.
Get in touch if your organisation would like to explore hosting a future Dundee Dots workshop.