How does the co-operative instinct emerge in low-income communities?

1. How does the co-operative instinct emerge in low-income communities? Anne Power

2. A little personal history Tanzania, US, Holloway Defining co-operation Pooling resources to maximise shared gains Solidarity and reciprocity

4. We have moved far into complex, competitive, unequal groups

8. Advanced fast changing urban communities

9. Sophisticated private and public services

10. Industrial, agricultural service systems

12. Danish Co-operatives

15. Powerlessness among masses

16. Individuals at bottom group together

17. Urgency of survival

18. social protection, distribution of benefits, solidarity.

22. Friendly societies

23. Mutual aid and self-help groups

24. Co-operative producers, builders, retail

25. Proliferation of co-operative experiments

26. Rochdale Pioneers galvanised movement

27. Leading to ‘bottom-up’ ideas and bodies

31. Local government

32. Evangelical ‘chapels’

33. Trade unions

34. ‘One man one vote’

35. Women’s suffrage

36. Civil rights

38. Co-operation advances human condition along many lines Pure ‘survival goods’ through collective savings e.g. food Sanitary homes at reduced cost through collective building organisations (Spain, Scandinavia) Health, unemployment, death insurance (Italy) Education, learning (Denmark) Democracy, participation, voice (US Civil Rights) Savings investment for individuals and common good

40. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the US Civil Rights Movement

41. Powerful ‘niche organisations’ work alongside government Health and social care – Italy, Belgium Housing – Spain, Scandinavia Retail – Britain, France, Spain Industrial production – Spain (Basque) Architecture and engineering – UK (Arup) Fisheries (Japan, West Africa) Savings and insurance – worldwide

44. Core principles of co-operation Open membership Democratic control – one member one vote Distribution of surplus value Limited interest on capital Political and religious neutrality Promotion of education (no credit – cash trading only)

45. Open Membership One man One vote

46. Shared surplus The ‘divi’

47. Pure good No debt

48. Education

50. Common cause and unifying idea

51. Clear targets for action

52. Small early steps

53. Trust – clear mutual benefits

54. Elements of self-interest, reciprocity

56. Conditions of success - organisation Leadership from within Organising skills and business development Ideas and access brokers Ideas and action planning Financial controls and probity Ground rules – mediating, resolving conflict Transparency

57. Organisation

58. Co-op Group Booming

60. Play-schemes, Nurseries

61. Employee owned services - Locke Fyne Oyster Co & John Lewis

62. Rapid expansion of Co-op Group since financial crisis

64. Steady revenue stream in rents

65. Consultation or control

66. Local knowledge and commitment prevails

67. Local management and local budgets

68. Local management saves money and creates jobs

70. Outcomes Higher tenant satisfaction Higher quality service Managing within budget Conserving resource Better environments Higher rewards for effort Mutual gains

71. Community Fund

72. Lessons for government Complex public framework of support systems More essential - remote, complex systems Community instincts useful and strong But need to BROKER community self interest Therefore supporting framework Distribution of resources Training and ‘hand-holding’

74. Profit sharing

75. Front line v. bureaucratic jobs

76. New ways of creating social progress

77. Community energy services

78. Participatory budgeting

79. Sustaining motivation

81. Social care-taking in Torino

82. Saving birds’ nests King Penguins