workers.coop has been created to meet the needs of freelancer and worker co-ops.
workers.coop is member-led and driven and is a democratic work in progress. The federation needs to become sustainable through the input of the members. Working groups and members drive forward our strategy and deliver the bulk of activities. There are many ways to play an active role in the federation.
If you want to get involved in any part of making this federation meet you or your co-ops needs, like:
- Joining our Comms Group to make web pages like this more engaging
- Helping us design and deliver our member support programmes
- Hosting or particpating in one of our peer learning networks
- Creating, planning or taking an action in one of our campaigns
You can.
Ways to get involved
This quarter workers.coop really needs help with…
- Board nominations – the Board is looking for at least one new member to be a Director. The commitment is a 2 hour Board meeting once a month in addition to work between meetings. Read more here.
- New Comms members for the Communications working group. We’ve had a decrease in capacity over the summer and our members are very busy juggling their own work commitments as well. As a small group, we’re more effected by capacity changes and want to be a bit larger. We are now looking for new group members, and in particular hope that we will find a new member to take on a group role of either facilitator or note-taker. The group is a lot of fun, no experience is needed and we’re in the process of developing a video so there’s plenty to get stuck into. Please sign-up to the group at the bottom of this page or let us know if you want a chat first!
Join a working group
- Co-op Support & Development
- Looking for additional group members. This group meets monthly or bi-monthly on a Thursday afternoon. Click on the heading to find out more.
- Commitment: 1.5 hour meeting minimum per month.
- Movement Building
- This working group will be re-starting this Autumn. Work commitment: 1hr meeting every month
- Communications
- Looking for additional group members. Specifically looking for someone to take on a group role (facilitator, note-taker)
- Monthly meetings 3rd Monday p.m. of the month
- Work commitment: 1.5 hr meeting every month minimum per month.
- International (Join the Forum)
- Digital infrastructure
- People, Policy and Culture
- Co-ops and Anti-Racism
- Monthly meetings on Wednesday a.m.
- Events planning group
- Looking for anyone interested in contributing time or expertise towards the two in-person events per year, the Spring Worker Co-op Weekend and the Autumn Assembly.
- Group currently planning Glasgow-based Autumn Assembly this November. Email solidarity@workers.coop to join the organising chat.
Play a strategic role in workers.coop
- Join a strategic working group: Co-op Support and Development, or Movement Building.
- Run for the Board.
- Any member of a worker co-op can run
- Next election for the September 30th 2025 AGM
- Commitment: Monthly Board meetings, work between Board meetings.
Join a peer network or lead a peer network
Become a member to get involved in one of our peer member networks or start your own. To join the peer network simply attend the next peer networking session. All upcoming events and activities are on the Events page of the website. Topics are member driven and represent areas of need for worker co-ops.
- HR peer network
- Topics-based sessions. Topics are chosen according to members’ need and interest. Sometimes a co-op/org/individual will be invited to share knowledge around a particular issue to start the conversation.
- Governance peer network
- Topics-based sessions. Topics are chosen according to members’ need and interest. Sometimes a co-op/org/individual will be invited to share knowledge around a particular issue for peer learning.
- Marketing peer network
- Not currently active. If you work in marketing and would be willing to share your knowledge & expertise, please contact solidarity@workers.coop.
- Business Development Network
- Wholefood Wholesalers Network
Tasks and roles to get involved
From a one-off 10 minute task of sharing some photos for the federation image bank, to an hour a month editing our writing, there are many discrete tasks and on-going roles members can take on.
Whatever you enjoy doing, you’re helping to drive forward workers.coop, keeping it sustainable and making sure it’s a success.
Sign up for a task or a role at the bottom of this page, or email solidarity@workers.coop to book a chat.
Tasks
| Very little time | Small amount of time | Larger or on-going time commitment |
| Forward Newsletter sign-up or ask your co-workers to sign up to newsletter (5 mins) | Write a bio about your co-op or project for the Newsletter* | Write a one-off policy for workers.coop |
| Submit a case study of your co-op (10-15 mins) | Attend a members ‘All Hands’ meeting quarterly (1 hr) | Write a one-off funding bid for workers.coop |
| Send us high quality images of your workplace for our co-op image bank* (20 mins) | Create a graphic for one of our events* | Help us with webpage formating |
| Make sure the workers.coop logo is on your website (30 mins) | Phone bank worker co-ops (3 hrs min.) What you need: Computer and mobile Basic IT skills Good conversational skills | Visit your local worker co-ops and drop off materials (A few hrs) |
| Share a policy, guide, or example system from your co-op for our Resources* (30 mins) |
Roles
| Small amount of time | Larger or on-going time commitment |
| Join Solidfund as an individual registered supporter (£1/week) (30 mins to set up) | Join a working group (meetings roughly once a month) |
| Become a temporary co-editor of the Newsletter (1 hour per month) | Help us fundraise |
| Carry out Inductions with new members (30 mins every few months) | Host on-going local co-op meetups in your area and support others |
| Join the Events planning group (1-3 hrs per month) | Become a mentor (more details to come soon)… |
| Become a Co-op Clinic advisor (30 mins every few months) | Stand for the Board |
For individuals who aren’t part of a worker co-op
- You can become a registered supporter of workers.coop by joining SolidFund, the worker co-op solidarity fund, for £1/week. Info here.
- You can still join some working groups. You will be eligible for the ‘worker member’ category of membership (for individuals not co-ops) if you have on-going participation in one of the working groups. Email secretary@ to apply.
- Participate in on-going campaigns e.g. Co-op Fortnight and solidarity initiatives through International working group
Or just reach out to us by saying hello and how you want to help on our forum.