CoopZone Developers Network

The CoopZone Developers' Network is a network of people and organizations dedicated to providing professional assistance to co-op entrepreneurs who are considering starting a new co-op or expanding an existing co-op.

Need help with your co-op and not sure who to ask? Post in our Help Wanted forum.

The Steering Committee in 2008-2009 drafted a business case, and the CoopZone Network was incorporated in August, 2009.  The Board of Directors of CoopZone wishes to acknowledge and sincerely thank the sponsors of this project: Assiniboine Credit Union  www.assiniboine.mb.ca  / Canadian Worker Co-op Federation www.canadianworker.coop  / Carrot Cache  www.carrotcommon.com  / Devco  www.devco.coop  /On Co-op  www.ontario.coop  /Southern Ontario Social Economy Node  http://sec.oise.utoronto.ca / & The Co-operators www.cooperators.ca.

Vision and Functions

The Vision of the CoopZone Network

To enhance the quality of life in Canada by promoting and supporting the growth and development of co-operatives, through mobilizing co-operative developers committed to the vision and objectives of the co-operative movement.

Key Functions of the CoopZone Developers Network

A. To identify and develop a self-supporting group of co-op developers that is committed to the vision and objectives of the co-op movement.

B. To increase the interaction among consultants, developers and other professionals working with existing or new co-operatives.

C. To stimulate the development and sharing of co-op resource materials.

D. To provide opportunities for on-going skill enhancement and training.

E. To provide members of the CZDN with access to co-op development opportunities, where applicable.

F. To stimulate the development of new co-ops by linking qualified developers to co-op development opportunities.

G. To encourage new and existing co-operatives to join the appropriate co-op sector organisations.

Code of Ethics and Conduct

Code of Ethics*

CZDN Members are dedicated to providing competent and ethical service in the field of co-operative development and management consulting. They strive to provide professional services to their clients and are dedicated to the delivery of the highest professional standards in their activities as developers and consultants. They have the responsibility to:
• hold client affairs in the strictest of confidence,    
• strive continuously to improve their professional skills,
• advance the professional standards of the CZDN,
• uphold the honour and dignity of the CZDN,
• abide by the principles laid out in the code of ethics and rules of professional conduct of the CoopZone CDI AS Partners,
• maintain high standards of professional conduct,
• keep informed of the Code of Ethics and the profession’s common body of knowledge, and
• support the Code of Ethics by reporting violations to the CZDN.
 
Objectivity:  A member will act in the best interests of the client, providing professional services with integrity and objectivity.
 
Confidentiality:  A member is duty-bound to keep in confidence the affairs of any colleague, client or organization, and shall not disclose confidential information obtained in the course of professional activities.  Nor shall a member, in any way, exploit information obtained in the course of their duties, to their personal advantage.
 
Conflict of Interest: A member shall inform a client of any interests, relationships, or circumstances which may impair or may seem to impair their professional judgment or objectivity.  In cases where impartiality is seen not to exist, the member will refer the client to another member of the CZDN.
 
A member will not provide to any client proprietary information learned from previous clients without first obtaining the consent of the previous clients, nor knowingly, without permission, use the copyright materials and proprietary data, procedures, materials, or techniques that others have developed but not released for public use.
 
A member will not accept any reward from individuals or organizations for recommending the equipment, supplies, or services of such individuals or organizations, nor take personal, financial or other related advantage of information resulting from their professional relationship with clients. They will not provide material or information to others who might take advantage of clients.
 
Suspension or Expulsion: A member shall be liable for suspension or expulsion from the membership where that member has behaved in a manner unbecoming to the profession, as judged by the Steering Committee of CoopZone.
 
  


Code of Professional Conduct*

 
Members strive to provide professional services to their clients and are dedicated to the delivery of the highest professional standards in their counseling and client activities. In doing so, they adhere to a code of professional conduct to guide their clients, peers, and professional relationships.
 
Understanding of Client Needs: A member shall reach a mutual understanding with the client as to the objective of the assignment, the scope of the assignment, the work plan, and the costs (when applicable). The CZDN member will gain sufficient detail from a new client to gain an understanding of the perceived problem, the objectives to be achieved, the scope of assistance needed, and the possible benefits that may accrue to the client.
 
Objectivity: Members shall ensure that advice to clients is based on impartial considerations of all relevant facts and opinions.
 
Competence: A member will demonstrate a commitment to the quality of their advice, assistance, and resulting products through sufficient planning, reviews, and controls.
 
A member will ensure that sufficient relevant information is evaluated in developing conclusions and recommendations. Solutions should be realistic and practical, clearly understood by the clients, and capable of being implemented by the client. A member will accept only those assignments that the member has the knowledge and skills to perform. Assignments beyond the scope of the member’s expertise will be referred to Network members who are more qualified to provide assistance.
 
Responsibility to Other Members: A member will treat all other members with the respect and consideration due between professional colleagues. A member will endeavour to continuously raise the standards of the profession by sharing new methodologies that contribute to the understanding of better ways to manage co-operatives or to counsel them. This contribution may be through information to peers as well as the public.
 
Where a client seeks to hire a member and has previously worked with another member or consultant, the member to be hired will consult with the previous developer.  The purpose of this to obtain sign-off from the previous developer, and to ensure that there are no outstanding amounts owing, either to the developer or to others. 
 
A member who has been requested to review (or critically assess) the work of another member shall inform the member before undertaking that work.
 
A member shall contribute back to the profession by assisting the professional development of other members.
 
* The Code of Ethics and the Code of Professional Development have been adapted from the codes developed by the Atlantic Institute of Small Business Counselors.

Benefits of Membership

Benefits of joining the CoopZone Network:

-You will be listed on the CoopZone web site, as either a developer member, allied member, or professional service provider member. CoopZone will provide co-op development projects with the list of developers.

-You will have the opportunity for increased interaction with other consultants and/or professionals working with existing or new co-operatives.

-You will have improved access to co-op resource materials and training.

-You will have improved opportunities to bid on contracts to carry out development initiatives, especially in some regions.

-You can participate without cost in the CoopZone tele-learning training series.

-You are invited to periodic tele-conferences and Forums where you have training and networking opportunities as well as a say in the running of the Network.

-You get a discounted registration fee for CoopZone Forums.  


-You have the opportunity to run for the Board of Directors, which is elected by the membership.

 

You will be in touch with interesting articles such as this "Co-operative Manifesto", also known as "There Is No More Important Social Change Work You Can Do Than Cooperative Development"; see this Geo newsletter.  

Join the Network

The CoopZone Developers’ Network is a network of people and organizations dedicated to providing professional assistance to co-op entrepreneurs who are considering starting a new co-op or expanding an existing co-op.

Membership is open to all interested professionals in three categories:

Developer Members

Individuals who work with co-op entrepreneurs as consultants or facilitators on various aspects of the development path and have completed the self-assessment Skill Identification Process.

Professional Provider Members

Individuals who provide services in their areas of professional designation: Lawyer, Certified General Accountant, etc.

Allied Members

Individuals interested in gaining knowledge or in financially supporting the CZDN but who do not generally provide consulting or facilitating assistance to co-op entrepreneurs or have not completed the self-assessment Skills Identification Process.

Dues

Individuals:   $200 / year

Organizations:

1st member: $200 / year

Next 2-3 members: $100 / year (each)

Next 4-12 members:  $50 / year (each)

Those who join in the second half of the CoopZone financial year (year-end is March 31st) pay 1/2 the dues in the year that they join.  Also, the maximum dues level per organization is $1,000 / year.

 

Please download the Attached Application Form.

 

Co-op Developers Skills Inventory

I.  Skills and Knowledge: A Self-Assessment

The following is the  Skills  Self Assessment  Completed by  Co-op Developers. The Developers  rate themsleves using the following scale.

0. Little or None: Knowledge is not sufficient to be applied without assistance.

1. Rudimentary: Can perform some parts of this skill satisfactorily but requires some assistance and/or supervision to perform the entire skill.

2. Basic: Can perform this skill satisfactorily but requires periodic assistance and/or supervision.

3.  Intermediate: Can perform this skill satisfactorily without assistance or supervision.

4.  Advanced: Can perform this skill satisfactorily with more than acceptable speed and quality.

5.  Expert: Can perform this skill satisfactorily with initiative and adaptability to special problem situations.

6.  Expert/Mentor: Can perform this skill satisfactorily and can lead others in performing it.

A.  Skills Inventory

SECTION 1. Basic Requirements

1.1. Professional Behaviour/Code of Ethics          

a.                  Demonstrate Confidentiality   

b.                  Demonstrate Professionalism

c.                  Demonstrate Positive Attitude

1.2.  Project Management Skills         

a.                  Goal setting      

b.                  Scheduling and critical path development

c.                  Resource and task allocation

d.                  Meeting deadlines

e.                  Evaluation of projects

 

1.3.  Communication Skills

a.                  Written

b.                  Verbal

c.                  Consensus development

d.                  Goal development

1.4..  Interpersonal Skills

a.                  Listening skills

b.                  Exploratory questioning skills

c.                  Negotiating skills

d.                  Deal with resistance and manage conflict

e.                  Interpret and apply non-verbal communications                 

f.                  Interpret and apply verbal communications

1.5.  Effective Client Counseling

a.                  Apply interviewing techniques 

b.                  Assist client to conduct a situational analysis     

c.                  Assist client to develop action plan           

d.                  Recognize personal limitations and/or need to refer client to others for assistance

1.6.  Knowledge Networks

a.                  Maintain awareness of socio-economic climate / environmental scan

b.                  Develop and maintain inventory of resources

c.                  Develop and maintain network of expertise and support

d.                  Source financing

e.                  Develop awareness of government and legal regulations

f.                   Develop network and brokering skills

g.                  Advocate for client

1.7.  Information Technology

a.                  Word Processing

b.                  Spreadsheets

c.                  Electronic communications

d.                  Internet searching

e.                         Web site development


 

SECTION 2. Co-operative Knowledge and Experience


2.1.  Co-operative Principles and Enterprise Types

a.                Knowledge of co-operatives’ key characteristics

b.                Knowledge of co-op principles

c.                      Knowledge of the forms of employee or independent contractor organisations, and applicability to  various types of co-ops

d.                Knowledge of EI regulations applied to co-operatives

e.                Knowledge of other forms of business organisations (partnerships, business                             corporations, etc.), and how they differ from the co-op model

f.                 Knowledge of co-op advantages relative to the alternative business models

g.                Knowledge of the multi-tiered structure of the Canadian co-operative movement


 

2.2.  By-laws and Governance Processes

Please identify the jurisdiction(s) of your knowledge:  provinces, territories, or federal level:

_________________________________________________________________

a.                Knowledge of co-op law

b.                Knowledge of bylaw drafting

c.                Knowledge of options for participatory democracy

d.                Knowledge of different roles of members, board, management

e.                Conflict resolution skills

f.                 Role of policies and approaches for policy development


 

SECTION 3. Groups Development and Facilitation

 

3.1.  Group Assessment Skills (initial meetings)

a.                Identify leadership

b.               Determine whether there is a common objective

c.               Determine whether there is a match between each individuals’ personal needs and the                                    group’s objective

d.              Determine whether the group can take responsibility for project

e.              Determine what level of understanding the group has regarding business, group process and the social, economic, regulatory environment

f.               Determine what financial resources are available

3.2.  Leadership and Motivation Skills

a.              Empower individuals and group

b.              Build individual and group confidence

c.              Help to create a positive attitude

d.              Identify personal and group goals

e.              Point towards practical and realistic approaches to achieving goals

3.3.  Training Skills

a.              Knowledge of adult education principles

b.              Facilitation skills

c.              Practical training experience

d.              Experience in developing training materials

SECTION 4. Business Development

4.1.  Business Evaluation Skills

a.              Market research

b.              Market analysis

c.              Strategic market planning

d.              Break-even analysis

e.              SWOT analysis

f.               Identifying members’ goals (and minimum financial needs, in the case of a worker co-op)

g.              Risk/benefit analysis

4.2.  Business Planning Skills

a.              Understand the uses of business plans

b.              Knowledge of the appropriate format of business plans

c.              Knowledge of the proper presentation of financial information

d.              Knowledge of the factors which need to be considered and how calculated for cash flow

e.              Knowledge of how cash flow relates to viability and minimum required net income


 

4.3.  Knowledge of Business Financing

a.              Knowledge of types of financing: sweat equity, common shares, debt, etc.

b.              Knowledge of sources of financing

c.              Knowledge and use of self-directed RRSP program for worker co-op financing

d.              Knowledge of government funding programs

e.              Developing an offering statement

f.               Raising capital

4.4.  Accounting Knowledge

a.               Understand the need for and requirements of an accounting system

b.               Knowledge of the GAAP as they apply to presenting co-operative financial statements

c.               Knowledge of bookkeeping procedures

d.               Knowledge of issues regarding worker bonuses and patronage dividends

e.               Knowledge of taxation issues

f.                Audit preparation

           

4.5.  Diagnostic and Problem-Solving Skills

a.                Demonstrate problem solving approaches

b.                Recognize stages of business development process and implications

c.                Perform site observation visits

d.                Diagnose client business problems

e.                Address emerging opportunities and potential problems

Help Wanted Forum

The help wanted forum is a place for anyone to post requests for assistence from co-op developers.

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