Tool for Movement Building Morgan Crawford NASCO Director of - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Online Cooperative Education as a Tool for Movement Building

Morgan Crawford NASCO Director of Education morgan@nasco.coop

Intro to NASCO

Founded in 1968, bi-nationally chartered Membership-based Housing Cooperatives Cooperative Businesses Primarily Youth & Students

Intro to NASCO, cont.

Mission: The North American Students of Cooperation (NASCO) Family [of associations]

• rganizes and educates affordable group equity

co-ops and their members for the purpose of promoting a community oriented cooperative movement.

Intro to NASCO, cont.

Programs and Services: Conferences & Events Education & Technical Assistance Networking & Advocacy Resource Development & Sharing Development & Expansion Providing & Managing Affordable Housing

Video Resource Project

New website: 2013 Shared Resource Library Completely Rebuilt Open Access to Public Video-Capable Partnership with Toolbox for Education & Social Action (TESA) CHS Foundation - 2014 Cooperative Education Grants Program

Webinars Can Be Cheap!

Connection to Movement Building

Student Co-op Revolving Door

62 NASCO member co-ops 5,500 members 3,200 new members per year High Turnover → Constant Need for Foundational Education High Turnover → Influx of Potential Cooperative Employees, Member-Owners, Worker-Owners Greatest Weakness or Major Asset?

Member Profile:

Founded: 1933 Mission: To provide a quality, low-cost, cooperative housing community to university students, thereby providing an educational

• pportunity for students who might not otherwise

be able to afford a university education. Gross Annual Revenue: $10.2 million # of Board Directors: 40 (29 voting)

House Manager Kitchen Manager Workshift Manager 1,300 student member-owners 20 units - 17 houses, 3 apartment complexes Each unit has the following compensated positions:

Member Profile, cont.

Maintenance Manager House President Board Rep. Social Manager Recycling Manager Network Manager Health Worker

Implications of Student Co-op Turnover

Thousands of youth graduating from housing cooperatives into workforce every year High-level governance knowledge Financial literacy Democratic competencies Deep appreciation for cooperative model Many would love to continue working with cooperatives, but lack clear avenue

Role of NASCO

Continuously providing foundational cooperative educational resources to youth Ensuring that youth continue to be engaged in cooperatives Supporting the success of new/existing co-

• ps

Connecting passionate youth to the broader cooperative movement

Role of Movement Elders

Creating meaningful employment opportunities for upcoming cooperative youth Engaging in mentorship relationships with youth Making space at the table - involving youth in

• rganizational- and movement-level decisions

Supporting the work of cooperative

• rganizations that resource youth