Two student housing co-operative federations have become members of Cooperative Housing International (CHI), a sectoral organisation of the International Cooperative Alliance.
The North American Students of Cooperation (Nasco), which represents student housing co-ops in the USA and Canada, and Student Co-op Homes, a student co-op federation in the UK, started working together in 2019, when they adopted a Transatlantic Solidarity Agreement. They believe membership of CHI is the first step in their efforts to develop a mutually supportive partnership.
They say being members of CHI will allow them to engaging in co-operation globally, exchange information, collaborate and raise awareness.
Julie LaPalme, secretary general of CHI, said: “We’re very excited to have not one but two student housing co-operative associations join the global co-op housing movement.
“We welcome having wider representation in our organisation because it increases the knowledge base from which our members benefit greatly. Peer-to-peer exchanges is one of the many ways we share good practices among our members which in turn strengthens the co-op housing model.”
CHI has recently hosted a webinar on the topic of student housing co-operatives in honour of #UrbanOctober, a UN Habitat campaign to promote a better urban future. In addition to NASCO and Student Co-operative Homes participants also heard from La Ciguë in Geneva, STUCCO in Sydney and Studentendorf in Berlin. The webinar is available here.
