Create a Co-op Cluster!
Co-op Clusters are off and running in Eckville, Stony Plain, Lakeland and starting in numerous other sites across Alberta. These Co-op Cluster are planning events like Family golf tournaments, Movies in the park, Co-op/ IYC floats in local parades and fire works to mark the beginning and end of the International Year of Co-operatives. Some Clusters are focusing on events already happening in their community like AGMs, Fairs and Canada Day or important dates in the co-op year; July 7th The International Day of Co-operatives and Co-op Week October 14 – 20 .
Consider taking the initiative in your community and call a ‘get to know you’ brainstorming session with your neighbour co-ops.
To support your efforts
- Visit the Alberta Co-op Google Map to locate neighbor co-ops
- Access the Co-op Cluster first meeting guide
- Take a look at some ideas of ways to celebrate IYC
- Join us for a Co-op Cluster Conference Call. Next one March 6, 2012 at 10:00 am
- Contact Sarah Arthurs at iyc@acca.coop
Ideas from Cluster Groups: The International Year of Co-operatives
- Take advantage of events already happening: fireworks at New Year’s events, putting floats in Canada Day Parades, Farmer’s Day, local trade shows, local anniversarys
- Profile International Year of Co-operatives at AGMs and conferences
- Musical Concerts
- Baseball games
- Host an outdoor movie in the park
- Create a co-op themed mural for your town
- Use IYC promotional materials, flags, magnets, banners
- Partner with other Co-ops and Not For Profits
- Plan events for Co-op Day, July 7 and Co-op Week, October 13 – 20
- Family Golf Tournaments
- Co-op Fairs
LOTS OF LITTLE THINGS YOU CAN DO FOR IYC 2012
IYC is about promoting your own co?op or credit union, as much as it is about promoting the larger co?operative movement. Every time you include a mention of the International Year in relationship to your own co?op, it adds to the public’s awareness of both you and the larger movement.
Check out #13: Perhaps the easiest thing to do is just incorporate IYC into things you’re already doing. Your organization already does many activities throughout the year, just add IYC to the mix.
1. Post the seven co?op principles in your lunch room. Discuss one each month during a staff meeting.
2. Buy something from just ONE more co?op this month. It could be fair trade organic coffee for your lunch room, organic cotton for your company uniforms, or consulting services for strategic planning or board training. You could even put some money in a term deposit in your local credit union.
3. Meet with your MLA to discuss the benefits your co?op brings to your community. Give him/her a crash ‘Co?ops 101’ course and highlight the contributions of your own organization.
4. Purchase IYC flags, magnets, trinkets, signs, roll up banners, etc from www.canada2012.coop.
5. Make IYC a board agenda item. Have your board of directors brainstorm the ways your organization can utilize the power of the International Year to help meet your co?op’s plans and objectives.
6. Make a donation to a co?op foundation such as the Co?operative Development Foundation .
7. Spread knowledge of the model by including interesting co?op facts in your communications with members and customers. See http://www.canada2012.coop/
8. Consider ways that you might incorporate the sixth principle, Co?operation among Co?operatives, by partnering with, offering discounts to, or otherwise supporting other co?ops around you.
9. Incorporate the IYC slogan, “Co?operative enterprises build a better world,” (or “credit unions build…”) into your newsletters, your emails, point of sales items, advertising and any other way your co?op communicates with your members, your staff and the outside community.
10. To help spread the word about co?ops helping communities, hold a fundraiser with the goal of raising $2012 for a local charity.
11. Join or start the Co-op cluster group in your community. Meet to discuss ways that you can collaborate on an IYC project for your area. For example a fundraiser, a parade float, an ad in the newspaper, a home show booth, or a wine and cheese event.
12. Include the IYC slogan (“Co?operative Enterprises Build a Better World”) as part of your organization’s email autosignature. Include the IYC logo or tagline in all of your PowerPoint presentations and external communications (copies can be downloaded at http://www.canada2012.coop/
13. Theme a co?op event or meeting, such as your AGM, around the IYC slogan.
14. Dream big! Wouldn’t it be great to see your co?op’s name (and the IYC logo) on a billboard, draped over a bus, on a stadium sign, on t?shirts, tattoos, or painted onto the side of a building as a mural in your community? An IYC flag on each of your locations? Start some blue sky discussions at your next staff or board meeting. If you can’t finance it all yourself, work with your neighbouring co?ops!
15. Talk to your mayor, city council and business improvement area about the financial and social impacts that your co?op brings to the community. Have your city council pass a resolution supporting IYC 2012.
16. Can’t afford to host an IYC activity? Partner with other co-ops or look to stake holder partners.
17. Create a profile of your co?operative: Describe your membership, your function and the different ways your organization contributes to your community. Send it to your local media outlets, city hall, chamber of commerce and your MP/MLA. (If you co?ordinate your efforts with other co?ops in your area, you will vastly increase your exposure and presence!) Consider placing an advertorial in your the local newspaper.
18. Offer to speak about your co?op at a local school, community club or business networking association. Talk about your projects, your contributions to your community, IYC, etc. Send a media release to your local media about your efforts, IYC and your presentations!
19. Distribute a series of Co?ops 101 informational pieces to your staff, board and others within your organization. They can be your informal IYC and co?op ambassadors. You don’t need to start from scratch. Check the CCA and other co?op federation websites for material.
20. Drop into your local chamber of commerce or business enterprise centre and leave some brochures and business cards with the staff. Take a few minutes and chat with them about your organization. Consider joining your local chamber or business association.
21. Drum up interest in the International Year using social media. Post interesting links about co?operatives and IYC on your personal and work social media sites. Join us on facebook at Alberta Co-op Cafe.
22. Start an International Year committee within your own co?op or credit union. Or post a flyer on the wall of your co?op asking members and employees to submit ideas on celebrating IYC 2012, and using the international year to promote your organization.
23. When using Twitter, remember to include @iycalberta and @coopalberta, Feel free to re tweet any of our tweets.
24. Make a donation based on 20.12 to a local charity, or have your staff/board volunteer their time. Meet with the group personally, take lots of photos and submit a press release to your local media and ACCA
25. Tell two people, outside of your normal co?op contacts, about your role in the co?operative sector.
26. Post a list of your co?op’s successes according to the Co?operative Principles.
27. During Co?op Week (Oct 14?20, 2012) or a significant event in your co?ops calendar, change your social media profile picture to the IYC logo. Download the logo file from http://www.canada2012.coop/
28. Apply to your municipality to have co?ops recognized by your local government on the International Day of Co?operatives (Saturday July 7, 2012) or other key date. Have a flag raising ceremony or proclamation made.
29. Download talking points, media releases, PowerPoint templates, proclamations, resolutions, etc at no charge from www.canada2012.coop.
30. Beyond all else, Have fun with IYC.
With 1 billion people in 90 countries world wide celebrating the International Year, this can be one heck of a marketing opportunity for your organization and the co?operative movement.
WHAT WILL YOUR COMMUNITY KNOW ABOUT YOUR CO?OP ON JANUARY 1, 2013?
Sample invitation for Co-op Clusters
You are invited to the first IYC “Alberta town” Cluster planning meeting!
?When: Thursday November 17, 2011 at 5:00 – 7:00 p.m.
?Where: A local Coffee Shop or community hall
Please confirm your attendance by email response no later than November 15, 2011.
?Come join other co-op folks as we discuss ways to celebrate IYC in our area, planning events for Co-op day July 7, 2011
and Co-op week in October 2011!
?If you can’t make it to this get together but would like to help out in some way, please let us know by responding to this email.
?Having a great first Cluster meeting!
- Provide Food. Sharing food together always makes a meeting better
- Consider who will facilitate your first meeting. Who within or outside of your co-op community is good at bringing people together across organizational or community boundaries to work together? Who is known for creating and hosting collaborative working groups? Consider inviting them to host your first meeting. Make sure someone is recording names and contact information as well as keeping a record of what is being discussed, to be shared back to participants.
- Sample agenda
- Welcome: Introduction to IYC
- Introductions: Names, Co-op affiliations, why do I value Co-ops/what do I value about Co-ops.
- Hopes – Expectations Why am I attending this meeting? What do I hope we will have accomplished by the end of our meeting. (Write on flip chart)
- What have been and are the contributions of Co-ops to and in this community?
- Brainstorming: How would we like to share, celebrate or further the contributions of Co-ops within this community during the international year of Co-operatives?
- Commit to reflect on the ideas and suggestions discussed at this meeting and to share them with your home Co-op community and come back with further thoughts and possible resources to the next meeting.
- Set next meeting; time, place and facilitator
- Closing- one word describing what you have appreciated about or learned during this meeting. Thanks for participating , looking forward to working with you in the future.
