The Canadian Worker Co-operative Federation conference will explore how changes such as growing income inequality, climate change, and automation are affecting the world of work and how worker co-ops can help people address these extreme forms of disruption.

“I’m excited by worker co-op sector potential at this critical time,” says Hazel Corcoran, the Federation’s executive director. “With growing inequality and other profound economic challenges, people are clearly looking for an alternative economic model. Worker co-ops, which are proven solidarity-based enterprises, are uniquely positioned to fill this role. The Conference will offer a chance to learn how we can maximize available opportunities in the years ahead”.

The three-day Conference, which brings together many of the Federation’s 50 member organizations and 100+ indirect members from across the country, aims to strengthen Canada’s growing worker co-operative sector. It features a number of workshops, networking sessions, and guest speakers. This year’s keynote speakers are Rob Wesseling, President and CEO of The Co-operators, and Molly McCracken, Director of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives – Manitoba Office.

Register now for the CWCF Conference: Co-operation in the Changing World of Work

A worker co-op, for the uninitiated, is a form of business where a company’s employees own and democratically manage the business. They share in both the business’ decision-making and its profit. Currently, there are an estimated 350 worker co-ops across Canada. Winnipeg is home to a number of worker cooperatives including Natural Cycleworks, Organic Planet Worker Co-op, and ParIT.

While Conference sessions will key in on the theme, there will also be workshops on financial management in a worker co-operative, as well as social enterprises, co-operatives in indigenous communities, and more.

This Conference is open to non-members as well.

Join them at the RBC Convention Centre in Winnipeg, Manitoba from June 5th-7th, 2018 for the 7th Community Futures National Event. The Event will bring together more than 600 community volunteers and staff from the 269 Community Futures organizations across Canada to explore ideas and provide insights on the following themes:

• Board Practices
• Management and Investment Fund Practices
• Community Economic Development Practices

Register for Community Futures 2018 

The Event will also showcase Manitoba’s communities, culture, and rural economic development successes. See you in Winnipeg!

REGISTRATION WILL OPEN IN EARLY 2018

9AM to 12PM Central Time
March 2, 9, 16 & 23, 2018 (Four sessions total, once a week)
765 Main Street (Social Enterprise Centre boardroom​)

Achieving your mission in the community depends on your ability to find the resources to meet your goals. Sustainability in this sense is holistic and includes relationships, volunteers, clear vision, and financial resources. Over four sessions you’ll learn about organizational sustainability, create a 5 year budget forecast for your organization, and explore several tools for assessing your current situation, making sound financial planning decisions, and identifying strategies for fundraising. You’ll also gain invaluable feedback and connections to other leaders.

This workshop is aimed at people in charge of planning and budgets for their organization, such as EDs or program managers. This understanding is critical for the usability of the plan that will come out of the workshops, and for the ability to provide a high level of peer support to others in the group. It is also necessary that those attending the course have time to complete some homework between sessions.

Learning Objectives

• Develop a 5-year budget forecast and organizational profile to clarify your financial situation
• Identify financial and non-financial resources that are essential for a holistic sustainability plan
• Explore diversifying your income streams to increase your organization’s stability
• Know how to use several tools including Friend-raising, Asset Mapping, Sustainability Self-Assessment, and the Magic Matrix for Fundraising Decision-Making
• Make strategic decisions around priorities and programming

Register for Planning for your Organization’s Financial Sustainability 

Price: CCEDNet Members $100 | Non-Members $250
*Limit of 12, if we are full, we can add you to the waitlist! Contact Imalka at inilmalgoda at ccednet-rcdec.ca

FACILITATORS:

Sarah Leeson-Klym is the Regional Director for the Canadian CED Network in Manitoba, an association of people and organizations working to create sustainable, equitable, and inclusive communities. Over the last five years, Sarah has led the annual Manitoba Gathering for community & economic developers that is attended by over 500 people, was part of establishing the Enterprising Non-Profits program, and now provides leadership to the Manitoba Social Enterprise Strategy in partnership with the provincial government. She is also a board member of the Rainbow Trout Music Festival and Daniel McIntyre/St. Matthew’s Community Association.
 

Brendan Reimer is an activist, teacher and an organizer who has dedicated his working years to building fairer and stronger local economies, reducing poverty and homelessness, and creating more sustainable and inclusive communities. These days he does most of that work at the Assiniboine Credit Union as their Strategic Partner, Values-Based Banking. Before ACU, Brendan spent 11 years advancing these values and this work as part of the Canadian CED Network. He’s also been a director of multiple boards, including LITE Winnipeg, and spent several years working in a restorative justice organization with adults with developmental disabilities.

Quotes from past participants

Lorie English – Executive Director, West Central Women’s Resource Centre
“This series helped me understand our organization’s financial future more clearly, to build a list of capacities to enhance, and I’m leaving excited to start planning.”

Brian Jamieson- Executive Director, English Online Inc.
“I loved making the personal connections with other not-for profit directors.  Listening to their experiences allowed me to see things from a different perspective and learn about different financial models.  Several of the participants met for breakfast before one of the sessions which gave us more time to get know each other and the organization we work for.”

Lois Coleman Neufeld- Executive Director, Mediation Services
“The playing field for non-profit organizations is continuously changing. This workshop is a valuable tool for leaders to interact with others, assess present practice and explore alternative ways to work towards financial sustainability.”

Shereen Denetto – IRCOM
“This workshop was an eye opener. Brendan used easy-to-understand tools and gave clear explanations to help us think strategically and meaningfully about organizational financial sustainability. This workshop will change the way I conceptualize and help build the financial health of our organization.”