Looking to speak with Canadian co-ops using Sociocracy

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Hello!
I work with the BC Co-op Association and the Alberta Community and Cooperative Association and we are undergoing organizational re-design, part of which is considering bringing Sociocracy into our structure and practices. Our Executive Director (and I am, too) is keen to speak with co-ops in Canada who are utilizing this model. Please connect at innovate@bcca.coop. Many thanks, Michelle

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You might know, @jerry.koch-gonzalez ?
I’ve only worked with communities and nonprofits in Canada I think.

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Thanks, Ted!

A bit of a revised question: open to chatting with co-ops anywhere, of similar size (we’ve got 16 staff, ~100 members for one org and 35 in the other), that offer programming and use this model…

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@marcelino.sepulveda @Abbie @john.mcnamara @lauren.greenspan

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Hello Michelle,

Exciting to see that the BC and AB associations are keen to bring in sociocracy in their structures and practice. I live on Treaty #4 territory, close to Regina. I have been training & consulting in sociocracy for many years. It’s difficult to point you to a co-op that is using “the model” because often, an organization will apply it partially, or in an hybrid fashion. Which is fine when it works for them. I’m happy to connect with you to talk about this further. Take care!

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Hi Michelle, I am the Executive Director of Santa Barbara Student Housing Cooperative. I’ve introduced elements of Sociocracy to our organization with very good results. I’d be open to chatting with you about how to bring sociocracy into a housing co-op. I can share with you what has worked well for me/us and where I’d like to see us go next in terms of introducing more sociocracy. Feel free to email me at marcelino@sbcoop.org. Best Wishes, Marcelino

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I have done training and consulting with two intentional communities in BC that are coop legal entities (housing coop that is I assume). Would those be relevant, or are you only looking for worker-coop type contexts?

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Thank you, Francine! Our conversations have stalled out a bit, so I haven’t followed up on these threads. Unfortunately, there’s a perceived need for very specific, very parallel examples to review.

Might circle back to this in the new year. Many thanks!

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Hello Marcelino,

Thanks so much for responding to my inquiry from months ago. I might circle back to this conversation with a housing co-op project that my father-in-law is working on. He’ll be back in a couple of months and I’ll check in to see where the process is at then.

Best regards! Michelle

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Thank you, John, for replying to my inquiry. The group I was initially asking about is a member association that engages in education, co-op development and advocacy.

I might circle back to this conversation in a couple of months when my father-in-law returns. He’s working on a housing co-op project in south interior BC, so I imagine it would be helpful to connect the two of you and he can hear about your experiences.

Best regards! Michelle