Democratic, autonomous, co-operative businesses are a sustainable social and economic solution for communities that have been pushed to the margins of the economy. Co-operative businesses provide the opportunity for ownership, skill sharing, and leadership development in local businesses.
Collective REMAKE’s CEAD programming is geared towards meeting the needs of communities who are impacted by incarceration.
Through Cooperative Education and Development (CEAD) workshops, a Co-op Development Program, and a Train-the-Trainers Program, Collective REMAKE is committed to building an eco-system that includes a network of co-operative development and sustainable healing communities.
CEAD Workshops
The introduction CEAD workshop series includes: Introduction to Co-operatives: Understanding Co-operative Principles and Values; History of Co-operatives Around the World; Practicing Democracy; Just Transition (Movement Generation); Envisioning a Sustainable Community Through Co-operative Development; and The Business of Starting Coop I & II.
Participants engage in participatory education and co-learning strategies that are guided through the co-operative values of democracy, equity, equality, self-help, self-responsibility, and solidarity, and the principles C0-operative Inquiry, (Heron & Reason, xx)
In a special session, participants have the opportunity to meet with members of diverse co-operative businesses. Participants learn first hand about different aspects of starting and running a cooperative. They are able to ask questions like: How did you get started? How do you manage the business as a collective? How do you make democratic decisions?
In addition to curriculum instruction, guidance, and facilitation, participants receive a stipend to support their ability to attend programming.
Background
Beginning in 2017, Collective REMAKE has led Co-operative Education and Development (CEAD) workshops to bring awareness about the opportunity to build cooperative economics and mutual solidarity for individuals who are directly impacted by incarceration and are navigating reentry. Workshop facilitators implement dynamic participatory programming which nourishes, develops, and instills leadership from the ground up.