Co-operative Education
Supporting people with training, resources, and knowledge to
build stronger, healthier and more sustainable co-operative organizations and communities.
Empowering people through co-operation.
Guided by Co-operative Principle Five: Education, Training & Development, there are many ways that we help both young people and adults learn and grow personally and professionally. Adopting a more co-operative mindset and an understanding of why co-operatives exist, how they work, and the impact they have on our communities, brings us a step closer to creating a more inclusive social economy.
Explore the magic of
Co-operative Young Leaders
Changing lives while building the next generation of leaders.
Developing new generations of co-operatively-minded young people has been the foundation of the Co-operative Young Leaders program (CYL) since its inception in 1967. A unique experiential learning summer camp, CYL brings youth together from across Ontario and empowers them with the change-making tools and skills they need to succeed in today’s world. They develop self-confidence and participate in activities that embraces and enhances their leadership potential, all while making new friends and having fun in a traditional camp setting! CYL is also an incredible professional development opportunity for adults, and a chance to further their own leadership, presentation, and communication skills, while actively engaging the minds and hearts of the next generation of co-operative leaders.
Co-Unity Education Co-operative
Working together to support educational programs that promote co-operative learning and community-building.
Co-Unity is committed to supporting innovative educational programs that promote co-operation, collaboration, critical thinking, and inclusivity. Through the support of our CYL summer camp, classroom workshops, and other educational sessions, Co-Unity strives to create opportunities for everyone to learn about the sector, regardless of background or circumstance.
DEI Resources
Building an inclusive economy, together.
Creating a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace is integral to the future success of the co-operative movement. Since 2022, we have partnered with other like-minded organizations to explore some of the key systemic barriers that exist for those wanting to develop and/or those currently operating a co-operative, and asked ourselves: How we can collectively overcome these barriers to pave a path towards true co-operation and inclusivity?
"I think the way you structured the material was fantastic and I left feeling so excited to be working in the sector."
Anonymous participant of an ON Board workshop
The ROSCA Network
Empowering Communities, Empowering Women.
In October 2023, we partnered with Meridian Credit Union and The Banker Ladies Council to form a ground-breaking collaboration that will focus on raising the profile of Rotating Savings and Credit Associations (ROSCAs) in Ontario. Meridian has pledged $100K over multiple years in financial support and in-kind resources to bolster The Banker Ladies Council's mission of cultivating a thriving ROSCA Network to promote financial empowerment, collaboration, and resilience in Ontario’s Black communities through dedicated education and advocacy efforts. This partnership reaffirms a commitment of the co-operative sector to building a sustainable and inclusive economy for all.
