The UK and Republic of Ireland’s federation for student co-operatives has published an in-depth guide to the role of co-op secretary.
Students for Cooperation says although it is aimed at secretaries of student co-ops, most of the guide applies to non-student co-ops as well.
It includes a summary of the responsibilities of co-op secretary, a list of tasks associated with the role, and a glossary of key terms. It also includes information on running an AGM, submitting accounts and primary and secondary rules.
Students for Cooperation stresses that the guide should not be taken as legal advice but a complementary guide to existing resources, such as those provided by Co-operatives UK and other co-op development advisors.
Considerations identified in the guide as particularly important for student co-ops include having good quality handover documents, as student co-ops often have a higher turnover than normal.
It also suggests that when keeping a register of members, the secretary of a student co-op should avoid using university email addresses, as these can expire when the member graduates.
Students for Cooperation was founded in 2014 to bring student co-ops and co-operators together to help develop and support the student co-operative movement in the UK and the Republic of Ireland. Made up primarily of student-led housing and food co-ops, Students for Cooperation works closely with Student Co-op Homes, a multi-stakeholder co-operative launched by Students for Cooperation.
