Co-operatives may find it difficult to run effective induction programmes for new members because of a lack of time and/or resources. Yet unless new members are given an understanding of the co-operative movement in general and their co-operative in particular, it is possible that over time the co-operative ethos will get diluted. Eventually the business could degenerate into a private enterprise.
Our workshops for new members include: co-operative principles and values; the history of the co-operative movement in Europe; co-operatives in other countries; national, regional and local support structures and networks. An extra module, guiding participants through the production of a Welcome Pack to their own co-operative (if it does not already exist) can be included if desired. Email if you would like to be contacted about workshops.
The Co-operantics forum has been set up to provide support
and networking opportunities for new co-operative members. It is hoped that
over time
this forum will become
a unique collection of typical questions from people new to working co-operatively.
Feel free to post any questions – no matter how basic they seem
to you, there will always be somebody else who will share your doubts
and uncertainties.
Enter the forum (please note that this link will take you away from the text
only area).
Co-operative definition and brief principles 25kb
7 Co-operative principles 32kb
Types of co-operative 29kb
Debunking co-operative mythology 40kb
The tyranny of structurelessness 48kb
New Internationalist archive for the June 2004 issue on The
Return of the Co-op
Co-operatives UK - the central membership organisation for co-operative
enterprise throughout the UK