About the Book
​The Trust Engine is the official handbook of the Core of Volunteers. It lays out our simple but powerful rules for building trust, proving impact, and scaling community action without centralization.
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This book is not theory—it’s a practical playbook. Inside, you’ll find:
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The triple-win model (our win, their win, public win).
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How to validate real partnerships with visible proof.
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Repair guides for broken deals.
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Money philosophy and caps to keep trust intact.
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Playbooks and templates you can copy today.
About The Trust Engine
Trust is cracking. Online, rumors outrun records. Offline, help is slow, money trails are murky, and “partnership” too often means two private wins with the public paying the bill.
This book isn’t here to burn the old system down—it’s here to offer a working alternative that flips the incentives:
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Trust and transparency over secrecy
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Collaboration over competition
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Shared surplus over concentration
It only works if everyone contributes, and it self-corrects when someone tries to game it—because responsibilities are decentralized and public.
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Part 1 — Core of Volunteers: The Handbook
Who we are, what we value, and how to plug in on day one. Clear roles, simple rituals (“receipts over claims”), transparent accountability, and how resources flow from needs to solutions.
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Part 2 — The Trust Engine: The System
The operating model for a decentralized, self-policing network. Small nodes, simple interfaces (“API for people”), public service metrics, and evidence-based governance.
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Part 3 — The Functional Leader: The People Playbook
Leadership without ego or control theater. Define outcomes, hand off execution, spot and develop talent, and move on when your role is steady.
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Part 4 — The Win-Win-Win: The Philosophy
Why every action must deliver three wins (ours, theirs, and the public’s), how to test that balance, repair “almost good” deals, and keep intentions honest.
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Author’s Note
Aaron Klaser has released all rights to this book to the Core of Volunteers.
This means:
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Any proceeds are transparent.
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All funds are reinvested into books, tools, and administration—never salaries.
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If no other clear need exists, proceeds automatically go toward buying more books to give away free to members, partners, and the public.
Aaron continues to serve as Director of Vision and Strategy for Core of Volunteers — always as a non-paid role — to safeguard the mission.
For Our Members
This book is the guide. It sets the rules you must follow to represent the Core of Volunteers. The rules are simple, foundational, and give you room to grow and adapt locally.
If your vision matches the Trust Engine, we will back you 100%. That’s how we decentralize efforts and build a web of trust across communities.
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Coming soon: a Certification Class based on this handbook.
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Passing it will earn members the next rank: Certified Trusted Volunteer.
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Certain leadership roles will require certification to protect our vision and reputation.
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This keeps the Core of Volunteers aligned, trusted, and ready to grow.
The Win-Win-Win
Win for Core of Volunteers
We have a clear set of principles and values, published openly. This helps us train volunteers consistently—without micromanaging or hand-holding.
Win for Members & Partners
You gain visibility into our internal trust process, a framework to start your own node, and a step-by-step guide to lead with purpose. It’s both a guide and a launchpad.
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Win for the Public
Transparency and Accountability. Plus, the book is always free to download online, and if sold in print, is offered at or near cost. Every dollar raised goes directly into transparent uses.