co-ops delivering public services in the Big Society

Public services in the community – what have co-ops got to do with it? 16 th Nov 2010 Adrian Ashton www.adrianashton.co.uk Guest lecture to 1 st year Public Services students, MMU

What’s a co-op (and isn’t it the same as a mutual?)
Opps/threats in Big Society policy for coops
Adrian Ashton

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wxu_zDisalY (ed mayo)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0atBklESuU&feature=channel (ursulla lebetter)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yswusM3_mkw&feature=channel (unicorn)
Adrian Ashton

What’s a co-op?
In the UK, no overarching single legal definition...
An enterprise owned, controlled, and run in interests of its members ( must be a principle stakeholder group )
Adrian Ashton

Defined by values
Voluntary and open membership
Democratic member control
Member economic participation
Autonomy and independence
Education, training and information
Co-operation amongst co-operatives
Concern for community
Adrian Ashton

A mutual
... shares many characteristics in common with co-ops, but exists only to benefit its members and does not usually look to its members to raise capital
Adrian Ashton

Co-ops in the Big Society Adrian Ashton

Whatever happened to the Conservative Co-operative Movement?
Adrian Ashton

Big Society
Public sector reform
Community empowerment
Philanthropic action
Adrian Ashton

Why the interest in co-ops?
One of most sustainable models for business
Able to reach and engage those people that the state can’t...
Pioneered consumer/worker rights:
Food labelling
Animal testing
Fair trade
Environmental impact
Workers rights
Adrian Ashton

UK co-op movement
£29bn turnover (£550m each week)
1 in 5 people are a member of a co-op
Employs more than 200,000 people
Adrian Ashton

...and globally:
100 million jobs (more than all multinationals combined)
Protects against fascism (Italy)
Offers financial services to the White House
Assure living wages and workers rights (fair Trade)
Adrian Ashton

Government agenda:
“ employee-led social enterprises, externalised from existing public sector bodies”
Adrian Ashton

Perspective of the sector
Co-op model would seem to offer ideal fit to policy agenda
‘ hunger’ from people: community buy-outs, community share issues, Co-op schools, ...
But need for support – no funding from state, sector needs to better support itself
Adrian Ashton

Want to know more?
Twitter - #coops
Co-operativesUK www.uk.coop
ICA www.ica.coop
Adrian Ashton

co-ops delivering public services in the Big Society

by Adrian Ashton

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co-ops delivering public services in the Big Society Presentation Transcript