Challenges Faced by Cooperatives
“Labour can and will become its own employer through Co-operative Enterprise”
- Leland Stanford
According to the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA), a cooperative has been defined as an autonomous association of persons united voluntarily to meet their common economic, social, and cultural needs and aspirations through a jointly owned and democratically controlled enterprise. The main values that a cooperative enterprise is based on are self-help, democracy, self-responsibility, solidarity and equity. (ICA, 2013) The Merriam-Webster dictionary has defined a cooperative as an enterprise or organization owned by and operated for the benefit of those using its services. (Merriam-Webster, 2013) A cooperative generally follows a set of robust principles which include voluntary & open membership, democratic member control, autonomy & independence, member economic participation, concern for community, education & training and cooperation among cooperatives. (ICA, 2013)
My group decided to start a student housing cooperative in Exeter, which would provide affordable and sustainable accommodation to students from low-income backgrounds. Part of the idea came from the fact that Exeter has been indicated to have one of the highest ‘average student rent’ after London (Bachelor, 2012), and part of it was inspired by one of my group members’ personal story. Student housing cooperatives are common in USA and Canada, but are a first for the UK.
In this essay, I will start by talking about the challenges faced by cooperatives in general followed by specific problems faced by the group, and me in particular. Thirdly, I will elaborate on the cooperative knowledge and values that I have gained by being a part of the group and module. Finally, I will be concluding by talking about how I believe cooperators are better equipped to contribute to the political and moral life as well as my personal reflection of a cooperative.
1. Challenges faced by
- Leland Stanford
According to the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA), a cooperative has been defined as an autonomous association of persons united voluntarily to meet their common economic, social, and cultural needs and aspirations through a jointly owned and democratically controlled enterprise. The main values that a cooperative enterprise is based on are self-help, democracy, self-responsibility, solidarity and equity. (ICA, 2013) The Merriam-Webster dictionary has defined a cooperative as an enterprise or organization owned by and operated for the benefit of those using its services. (Merriam-Webster, 2013) A cooperative generally follows a set of robust principles which include voluntary & open membership, democratic member control, autonomy & independence, member economic participation, concern for community, education & training and cooperation among cooperatives. (ICA, 2013)
My group decided to start a student housing cooperative in Exeter, which would provide affordable and sustainable accommodation to students from low-income backgrounds. Part of the idea came from the fact that Exeter has been indicated to have one of the highest ‘average student rent’ after London (Bachelor, 2012), and part of it was inspired by one of my group members’ personal story. Student housing cooperatives are common in USA and Canada, but are a first for the UK.
In this essay, I will start by talking about the challenges faced by cooperatives in general followed by specific problems faced by the group, and me in particular. Thirdly, I will elaborate on the cooperative knowledge and values that I have gained by being a part of the group and module. Finally, I will be concluding by talking about how I believe cooperators are better equipped to contribute to the political and moral life as well as my personal reflection of a cooperative.
1. Challenges faced by
References: Bachelor, L (2012): ‘Student see rents go through roof’. The Guardian [Online] August 11. Available at: URL <http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2012/aug/11/students-rent-through-roof > [Accessed on 14th April, 2013] Centre for Cooperatives, 2013 Doherty, B., Foster, G., Mason, C., Meehan, J., Meehan, K., Rotheroe, N., Royce, M., (2009). Management for Social Enterprise. London: Sage Publications. United States DA (1994). Financing cooperatives [pdf]. USDA Available at: URL <http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/rbs/pub/CIR%2045_7.pdf > [Accessed on 21st April, 2013] Waner, J (2001): New generation of cooperatives and the future of agriculture