Co-op Week
On this page...
- What is Co-op Week?
- Co-op Week 2009
- The History of Co-op Week in Canada
- Co-op Week Toolkit and Planning Guide
- Promoting On Co-op Member Celebrations
What is Co-op Week?
Co-op week is the opportunity for Canadian co-operative and credit union members to celebrate the fact that they have collectively helped to build this country and to recognize their continuing contributions at home and abroad.
2009 October 11 - 17 (Credit Union Day - October 15)
2010 October 17 - 23 (Credit Union Day - October 21)
(Credit Union Day is designated as the third Thursday of October each year. Co-op Week is celebrated during the week in which Credit Union Day falls.)
CO-OP WEEK 2009
- Order your Co-op Advantage magazines for staff, board and members. E-mail Mark Ventry or call 519.763.8271.
- As a co-operative in Ontario (or a co-op sector supporter), How are YOU celebrating? Tell On Co-op, and we'll do our best to promote your activity.
Prepare now for Co-op Week. Co-op Week will be celebrated in Canada from October 11 - 17. Canada's 13 million co-op and credit union members are part of a global movement that is 800 million members strong. In the face of globalization, concentration of ownership, and advancing technology, co-operatives and credit unions have two significant advantages over their investor-owned competitors. First, unlike the private, public or voluntary sectors, they are guided by internationally shared values and principles designed to ensure fairness and equity. And second, they are controlled by their members - members who can say of their co-op or credit union: It Belongs to Me!
Co-op Week 2009 will take a somewhat different approach from previous years. Rather than focusing on a single theme, the week's activities will provide an opportunity to reflect on the advantages of co-operatives and credit unions in today's uncertain - and often challenging - economic environment. Co-op Week 2009 will offer up a challenge to co-operators and to all Canadians: take time during the week to think about - and talk about - what makes co-operatives and credit unions different from traditional businesses and services.
To begin this conversation, three Co-op Week posters, available in English and French and illustrated with silhouettes of people rooted in their communities, will reflect three of the advantages that co-operatives bring to Canada's economy:
Co-operatives are...putting people first
Co-operatives are...creating sustainable jobs
Co-operatives are...investing in communities
In addition, International Credit Union Day, Thursday, October 15, will have its own distinctive theme, 'Your Money, Your Choice, Your Credit Union'.
Posters and leaflets can be ordered through the Canadian Co-operative Association (CCA until mid-August). Click here for more information.
Mark your calendar: As part of co-op week, the 9th Annual Co-operative Conference and Gala will be held Wednesday October 14 at the Royal Botanical Gardens in Burlington ON.
The History of Co-op Week in Canada
Co-op Week has been celebrated by francophones throughout Canada since 1958. In 1981 celebrations were held among anglophone co-ops in the Maritimes and Saskatchewan. The event went national in 1982 with the encouragement of the Co-operative Union of Canada, a predecessor of the Canadian Co-operative Association.
Co-op Week appears to be a uniquely Canadian phenomenon. In the US, October is Co-op Month, and the International Co-operative Alliance and United Nations have an International Day of Co-operatives on the first Saturday in July.
National Co-op Week is always a busy time in the co-operative sector. It is a time to celebrate and promote the role, accomplishments and contributions of our co-ops and credit unions. Co-op week events help raise the visibility of your organization, and improve understanding and awareness of co-operatives.
For more information on Co-op week in Canada, please click here.
To learn about Co-op celebrations in the USA, please visit: http://www.coopmonth.coop/
CO-OP WEEK TOOL KIT AND PLANNING GUIDE
The Saskatchewan Co-operative Association has created the
Co-op Week Toolkit: A Practical Guide to Planning Your Co-op Week Celebrations. This comprehensive toolkit is a co-operative's guide to creating a memorable and successful celebration.
The toolkit includes information on what co-op week is, why it is celebrated, great ideas for community involvement, building membership, educating youth, advertising your event, having a civic proclamation and much more. Click here to download the toolkit.
Our thanks to the Saskatchewan Co-operative Association for allowing us to bring their tool kit to Ontario.
PROMOTING OUR MEMBERS' CELEBRATIONS
On Co-op is pleased to promote our members' Co-op Week celebrations: By the end of October, please send On Co-op a summary of your events, with high-resolution photos, if possible. We will present a summary of your events on our website and in other publications.
If you would like On Co-op to promote your upcoming co-op week and credit union day events, Email Mark Ventry and we'll post your information on our website.