The Co-operative College has teamed up with community organisation and publishers Stir to Action to present a programme of autumn workshops exploring the ideas of money, community wealth and multi-stakeholder co-operatives.
The programme begins on 30 September with a one-day workshop led by Cooperantics’ Kate Whittle on multi-stakeholder co-operatives, looking at how the model offers a way to address the interests of all the stakeholders, be they employees, investors, users of the service, supporters or well-wishers.
On 14 October, Brett Scott, financial activist and author of The Heretic’s Guide to Global Finance, will lead a session exploring the history of money and how we can change its future.
Before embarking on his work supporting an alternative economy, Mr Scott was at the heart of London’s financial centre. “I worked in the financial sector for two years as a broker in derivative markets … in a start-up company during the financial crisis. A lot of old brokers and traders were trying to start something new. Mid 2010, with the crash, that all fell apart, and I got out of the sector,” he told Co-op News in a 2014 interview.
“The mainstream financial sector is at the heart of a global system of inequality. It’s predicated on ecological destruction … On top of that you have the complexity of the financial system and a lack of transparency.
“All of this creates a deeply alienating experience. Even if they don’t feel they are disconnected from the financial sector, people feel powerless in the face of it.”
His workshop will build on this discussion, exploring what money is and its traditional histories, and looking at the deeper changes that can be made to money and banking systems.
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The final event (2 November) will look at how community wealth building strategies are being developed by local authorities, and how co-operatives and social enterprises can play a more significant part in transforming their local economies.
Led by the Centre for Local Economic Strategies, it will focus on community wealth case studies and discuss how the concept can be applied to participants’ organisations and communities.
- The workshops will be hosted at Holyoake House in Manchester and online (webinars) from 10am-4pm, with prices from £40-£75. For further details and to book, visit co-op.ac.uk/events.
