Worcester Roots Co-op Academy 2013

Sharing resources for Co-op Academies:

View Curriculum BY SUBJECT HERE

Concept to Co-op: Worcester Roots Project, Boston Center for Community Ownership, Access Consulting and Cooperative Development Institute have organized a Fall 2013 Co-op Academy, here's the curriculum! (Scroll down for curriculum materials.)

Videos:

1. Full video playlist for session 1
2. Full video playlist for session 2
3. Full video playlist for session 3
4. Full video playlist for session 4
5. Full video playlist for session 5
6. Full video playlist for session 6
7. Full video playlist for session 7
8. Full video playlist for session 8
9. Full video playlist for session 9
10. Full video playlist for session 10
11. Full video playlist for session 11
12. Full video playlist for session 12

Curriculum:

Session 1:

1. Co-op 101 for Co-op Academy.ppt
2. Introduction to Cooperatives.pdf
3. BCCO Checklist for Starting a Cooperative
4. What Can Go Wrong
5. Values, Vision, Mission, Goals, and Strategies
6. Rights and Responsibilities of Co-op Membership
7. Intro to Products and Markets

Session 2:

1. Values Worksheet
2. Vision Worksheet
3. Mission Worksheet
4. Goals and Objectives Worksheet
5. Strategies Worksheet
6. Introduction to Financial Statements
7. Financial Definitions
8. Investment vs Expenses
9. Our Product Worksheet
10. Our Customer Worksheet
11. Market Research Worksheet
12. Your Finances and the Co-op Worksheet

Session 3:

1. Supply Chain Graphic
2. Facilitator's copy of Market Research Exercise
3. Market Research Worksheet: Potential Customers and Competitors
4. Options for Decision Making
5. Who is Robert (of Robert's Rules)
6. Horizontality vs Hierarchy Chart
7. Decision Making Worksheet
8. Steps in the Ethical Decision-Making Process
9. Consensus Process and Facilitation
10. Facilitation Techniques and More on Consensus
11. Possible Decision Making Paths in Consensus

Session 4:

1. Conflict Resolution
2. Conflict Resolution resources from AORTA
3. Conflict and Communication Worksheet
4. Sample Conflict Resolution Policy
5. Income and Cost of Goods Worksheet
6. Licensing Worksheet

Session 5:

1. Types of Insurance
2. Insurance Activity
3. Basis of Competition
4. Our Message Worksheet
5. Branding Worksheet
6. Business Systems
7. Business Systems Exercise

Session 6:

1. Marketing Planning: New Customers Worksheet
2. Marketing Planning: Repeat Customers Worksheet
3. Marketing Planning: Damage Control Activity
4. Marketing Planning Worksheets (excel document)
5. Fixed Assets and Depreciation Worksheet
6. Overhead Expenses & Break Even Point Worksheet (excel doc)
7. Business Taxes Handout
8. Year End Accounting Handout
9. Insurance Quotes Worksheet

Session 7:

1. Practicing Good Governance
2. Accountability Structures
3. Documents that Define your Co-op
4. Unions and Co-ops
5. Grievance Procedures
6. Member / Employee Evaluations
7. Hiring
8. Internal Capital Accounts

Session 8:

1. Choice of Legal Entity
2. Tax Structures
3. 28 Questions to consider before meeting with a lawyer
4. Leadership Worksheet - Part 1 - Leadership We Like
5. Leadership Worksheet - Part 2 - Leadership Qualities

Session 9:

1. Job Tasks Worksheet
2. Job Descriptions Worksheet
3. Avoiding Discrimination
4. Anti-Oppression in the workplace
5. Questions about youth cooperatives: Challenges, issues, what we don’t know but want to find out
6. Demonstrating Demand for your Product

Session 10:

1. Teen Workplace Violence
2. Basic Health and Safety Worker RIghts Fact Sheet
3. Worker Health and Safety Survey
4. Greening the Co-op

Session 11:

1. Writing the Business Plan
2. Marketing Plan: Where the Customers Look
3. Marketing Without Advertising
4. Sample Marketing Plan
5. Blank Marketing Plan
6. Formatted business plan worksheet (editable .doc)
7. Formatted business plan worksheet (best formatting, not editable)
8. Dangers and Benefits of Co-op and Nonprofit Collaboration

Session 12:

1. Sales Flow Chart
2. The Sales Funnel (editable .doc)
3. The Sales Funnel (non-editable .pdf)
4. (editable .xlsx)
5. Lemonade Stand Financials Sheet 1 (non-editable .pdf)
6. Lemonade Stand Financials Sheet 2 (non-editable .pdf)
7. Lemonade Stand Financials Sheet 3 (non-editable .pdf)
8. Lemonade Stand Financials Sheet 4 (non-editable .pdf)
9. Constructing the Financials
10. Resources for Raising Capital for Worker Cooperatives
11. Raising Capital for Co-ops
12. Recommended Resources
13. Union Co-ops Handout

Additional Resources from Co-operative Development Institute (CDI):

1. Additional Reading and Resources
2. 10 Common Mistakes in Co-op Bookkeeping
3. Feasibility Analysis Resources