My Co-operative Adventure

To the Teacher

Given the diverse types of co-operatives, it might be reasonable to assume that for every unmet need there is a co-operative solution. Students will test this assumption, by building on their learning in Lesson Two about the types of co-operatives, and propose a co-operative business venture for their business idea conceptualized in Lesson Four.

Optional: Consider inviting a co-operative employee or board member to sit in on the presentations to provide feedback to the students. To help the visitor with providing useful, systematic feedback, consider providing them with a copy of the Our Co-operative Enterprise Idea student worksheet.

Pre-Assignment Discussion
1. Teacher-led review:

• Review the definition, values and principles of co-operatives
• Review the types of co-operatives

2. Teacher may wish to select and show videos and/or provide further resources on co-operative development to fuel student ideas. A comprehensive resource list useful for such a task is available from the Saskatchewan Co-operative Association.

Student Assignment
1. Student Group Assignment:
a) Using the groups formed in Lesson Four, students are to:

• Review their Lesson Four assignment
• Determine what type of co-operative is best formed to develop their business idea
• Identify ways in which their co-operative will live the co-operative

values and apply each co-operative principle
b) Using the above information, student groups then present their business case for forming a co-operative to meet the identified need.

Bridging
1. Teacher-led student reflection and discussion on the benefits and challenges of using the co-operative business model:
a) Reflecting on your experience with this exercise of proposing a co-op to meet one of the community’s needs:

• What difficulties did you run into when completing this exercise?
• What challenges do you foresee if your business were expected to practice each co-operative principle and value?
• Conversely, what do you foresee as the benefits of forming the business as a co-operative?

Optional Discussion/Assignment
1. If a co-operative leader has been invited to the class, they could be asked to give a brief overview of how their co-op lives out the values and practices the principles of co-operatives.

2. Using Appendix B: Comparison of Co-operatives and Other Organizational Structures, introduce students to the other types of business structures and have them conclude what business structure they feel would best address their business idea. Students should be prepared
to defend their choice of organizational structure.

3. Students may consider carrying forward their co-operative business idea to Module 13: Planning a Venture.