The UK Society for Co-operative Studies (UKSCS) says it will hold next year’s conference in Lichfield, Staffs, on 1 -2 March, taking the theme Sustainability of the co-operative ecosystem: The role of secondary co-operatives and federations
Supported by Central Co-op, the event aims to further the insights from the 2023 UKSCS Conference and “the continued re-shaping of co-operative thinking and practice more widely”.
This will see the event focus on Principle 6: “Cooperatives serve their members most effectively and strengthen the cooperative movement by working together through local, national, regional and international structures”.
Organisers are looking to develop a similar format to the 2023 conference whereby the delegates had significant opportunity to engage in discussion with colleagues through visits to local sites, as well as hearing about thinking and practice from keynote and after-dinner presentations, panel discussion, and key papers/ideas.
Related: Our report from the 2023 UKSCS conference
The event will also examine new thinking in areas where identifying the need for secondary co-operative networks – and creating and supporting them – can contribute to accelerating “the proliferation of replicable co-operative solutions in broken systems like social care, energy, housing, data and culture”.
This will include lessons from areas where the value of secondary co-ops has already been demonstrated, for example: the value of support structures in housing co-operatives; the impact of federations in agricultural co-operatives; the prevalence of networks in European co-operative banks; the role of meso-level institutions in worker co-operatives.
“We feel this will be a great opportunity to learn from one another, to come together, share ideas and maybe pick up some new ones,” adds the society.
