Co-op Living Workshop

[Mike Simpson]

Co-op Living Workshop

 

Anyone who has tried living as a co-op and those who would like to are invited to attend the workshop “Skills and Practices for Living as a Truly Co-operative Household” facilitated by Kevin Wolf who has 30 years of experience in co-op living and is a professional trainer in consensus processes.

 

The workshop, presented by the Davis Cooperative Community Network will take place at N Street Cohousing’s common house (716 N Street, Davis) on Sunday May 15 from 3:30-6:15 pm.  Contributions of $2 to $20 are encouraged to the DCCN.

 

“Living in a co-operative household saves money and time and can be much more enjoyable than the alternatives,” said Wolf, who started living in co-ops as a UCD student in 1977.  “With this workshop you will learn key communication skills and some principles and “tricks” that make forming and living in a co-op home much easier.”

 

To RSVP or for more information including the workshop agenda, send email to [e-mail] or call 758-4211.

 

 

Skills and Practices for Living as a Truly Co-operative Household

Who:  Facilitated by Kevin Wolf, co-founder of N Street Cohousing and a 30-year practitioner of co-op living

Presented by: Davis Cooperative Community Network (http://daviswiki.org/Davis_Cooperative_Community_Network)

When: Sunday May 15 from 3:30-6:15 pm

Where:  N Street Cohousing common house, 716 N Street, Davis

How much:  Donations of $2-$20* per person for the workshop will go to the Davis Community Co-operative Network to help expand the number of co-ops in Davis. 

 * Donations can be made in Davis Dollars - see http://davisdollars.org/

 

Optional vegetarian community meal afterwards. Cost: $3-4. 

 

Workshop Objectives

1. Learn skills important to co-operative living. 

Meeting facilitation. 

Creating house meeting agendas and writing notes. 

Sharing food and chores. 

Communicating on personal and household problems.

 

2.  Use the material that is produced for a DavisWiki on creating successful co-op households.

 

Agenda

3:15     Pre-workshop socializing

3:30     Welcome and introductions

3:40     Adopt agenda and ground rules

Review importance of agendas and ground rules.

Teach the basics of what a meeting facilitator does

4:00     The biggest problems with co-op living.

            3 min  Break into groups of 4 or 5. 

            2 min   Choose a facilitator and a note taker

            10 min Brainstorm and clarify issues

            5 min   Reach consensus on the most important problem to overcome.

4:20     Report from groups

4:30     Use N/3 method to identify the most important problems to overcome

                        Can we reach consensus on the most important one?

4:45     Divide into new groups of 4-5.  Roles are given in secret.  Take a break

4:55     Breakout groups tackle solving biggest problems.

                        3 min  Break into groups of 4 or 5. 

                        2 min Choose a facilitator and a note taker who haven’t done this yet.

                        5 min   Clarify problem

                        5 min   Brainstorm solutions 

                        10 min Reach consensus on the most important solution(s) to implement

5:20     Report from groups. Discuss results

5:40     Issues to consider for co-op living and disabilities. Facilitated by Pamela Walker

5:55     Open session on other issues.

6:10     Workshop evaluation and next steps

6:15     Adjourn