Workshop: Is starting a co‑op right for you? Edinburgh

Are you thinking of starting a business? Or looking for a different approach to your existing business or community venture? Do you want it to be inclusive, democratic and empowering for everyone involved? 

Join us for an interactive and fun FREE session in Edinburgh on 21 March, 9.30am-1pm at The Crannie Community Hub.

Completely FREE to attend, the event is delivered by Co-operative Development Scotland and Co-operate Scotland. This is part of a series of events taking place across the UK through Co-operatives UK‘s Business Support for Co-ops programme.

Why co-ops?

All kinds of businesses operate as co-ops – pubs, energy suppliers, taxi firms, bookstores, community gardens, wine sellers, farms, sports clubs and much more.

They are run by their members, who can be customers, employees, residents or suppliers – and who have a say in how the co-op is run, making it a fairer, more collaborative – and democratic way of doing business.

Co-ops are also resilient as a business model. They are more than twice as likely to survive the early years of trading when compared to other start-up businesses.

What to expect 

The workshop will be led by a co-op specialist from Co-operate Scotland and features guests from local co-ops:

• Harlaw Hydro
• Open Data

This informative, interactive and fun sessions will give you a more in-depth understanding of co-operatives, as well as the next steps for starting one. You’ll discover:

• A brief history of co-ops 
• The different kinds of co-ops and which might suit you best 
• What membership means – the benefits of co-ops 
• The strengths of co-ops versus traditional business models 
• Co-op values and principles  
• Co-op facts and figures – how many there are and in which sectors 
• More about the Business Support for Co-ops programme 
• Case studies of successful co-ops in a range of sectors
• The different legal forms a co-op can take 

The details

Date: 21 March

Time: 9.30am-1pm

Place: The Crannie Community Hub, 9 Cranston Street, Edinburgh, EH8 8BE

Join us

To sign up for a workshop, click the link, fill in the form – and we’ll see you soon! Places are limited so book early to avoid disappointment!