P6 2020 Conference Resources

by | Nov 20, 2020 | Resources

Thanks to all who attended our 7th annual P6 Conference!

We had a blast because of you!

What a wonderful group of participants we had this year! We were afraid that engagement would be lower and that the networking feel of the conference would get lost in a virtual environment, but not with you there! Thoughtful, respectful, inquisitive, and energetic participation filled the screen on all three conference days.  A few of you reached out after the conference to let us know how valuable it was to you. Thank you for that! Pivoting our strategies is something we have in common with many of you so we trust that you know that it’s with great satisfaction we welcome this positive feedback.

“I really appreciated the virtual P6 conference this year. The BIPOC presentation from Suparna Kudesia was timely and spot on. And then who knew that putting ‘For Immediate Release’ at the top of a press release is exactly what we should NOT be doing! Talking directly with media sources was well worth it. Interestingly, I got more out of the virtual P6 than I thought possible.”  – Zizi Vlaun, Fare Share Co-op

We had a group of knowledgeable and engaging presenters this year. Some of them we have known and worked with for a number of years and some were new connections and collaborations that we were excited about building this year. We thank them warmly for their work, enthusiasm and ability to draw us all in through the conference learning process.

We are also incredibly pleased with the strong support from all the sponsors of this year’s conference. We value each and everyone of them and will continue to collaborate with them to build a strong network of co-ops and co-op support organizations in Maine and beyond.

If you missed part of the conference you can find recordings of all three conference days below where you will also find presenter slides. We encourage you to share these valuable resources with your board, staff, members and allies.

Session 1 — Cooperative Governance in Practice: Managing Your Expert Manager
Presenter: Thane Joyal (Columinate)
Session 1 Slides
Session 1 Notes

This workshop will focus on practical aspects of governance. We’ll use scenario-based learning to illuminate basic skills and strategies to support strong relationships between board and management. Presenters (with help from a few volunteers) will role-play a board meeting at a resident owned manufactured housing cooperative in which management is not fully meeting board (or community) expectations. We’ll focus on the roles of community members in supporting and holding their board accountable; of board members in supporting one and holding one another and their board leader accountable, and of the board as a whole in supporting and holding their cooperative’s manageable.

 

Session 2 — Stable and Permanently Affordable Housing- Solid as a ROC: How the ROC model builds and supports the affordable housing market in Maine.
Facilitator: Jeanee Wright (NEROC)
Guest: Paul Bradley, ROC USA President
Session 2 Doc – Flow of the Deal
Session 2 Doc – Maine ROCs Fact Sheet

 

Have you ever wanted to know more about the ROC model of cooperatives? How did it get started? What does it mean to be part of a “model” of ROCs? Why is the ROC model so important to the low income housing crisis and a tool in a community’s housing toolkit? In this session we will explore the story of how this movement started, the state of the movement today and hear from ROC community leaders how cooperative ownership transformed their communities!
Day 2 Recording

Session 1 — Co-ops: A Portal Beyond Equity and Inclusion
Presenter: Suparna Kudesia (CoFED)
Session 1 Slides

In this workshop, we will share a brief history of cooperative practices of collective liberation that BIPOC-led co-ops in CoFED’s network of young cooperators of color (MyceliYUM) embody. Co-ops led by Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) cooperators have been budding as alternatives for generations in our communities. For us, the conversation we are in need for is centered around collective liberation and centering the needs, victories, resilience, and joy of our cooperative visions and practices. Participants will leave with a foundation of BIPOC-led cooperative strategies to thrive in a predominantly white-economic infrastructure. BIPOC cooperators will learn how to embody resilience, joy, and liberation in our cooperative work and practice through collectivized care, unlearning internalized capitalism, and compassion. White cooperators will learn how to move our cooperative spaces towards a decolonized praxis.

 

Session 2 — Beautiful Troubling: Intervening on Racism through Liberatory Practices
Moderated by CDI’s Collective Liberation Work Group
Session 2 Slides

Drawing on the Anti-Racist Principles from The People’s Institute for Survival and Beyond, this discussion will offer participants an opportunity to move from reflection and assessment to action and accountability in their Cooperatives and communities.
Day 3 Recording

Session 1 — Interacting with the Media: How can Maine’s cooperative community better interact with the media to advance cooperative development in Maine?
Panel: Maureen Milliken (MainBiz), Chris Busby (Mainer News), Fred Bever (Maine Public)
Moderator: Doug Clopp (CDI)

This interactive session will feature three Maine journalists whose outlets have covered cooperative development in Maine. Session participants will learn the most effective ways to interact with media, what makes a good story, and what to do, and not do, to get our stories of the impact of cooperative development out to a larger audience.

 

Session 2 — Connecting CMBA’s Work With the Media to Advance Our Advocacy Efforts
Facilitators: Doug Clopp (CDI) & Rob Brown (CDI)
Session 2 Slides

Building on what participants learned in Session 1, participants will explore how we can effectively use and expand our communications capacity and storytelling to educate policy and decision makers to take cooperative development in Maine to scale. In this session we will analyze and discuss ways we can build strategic communications campaigns that are coordinated to advance advocacy efforts at the State House and at our city and town councils.
Thank you to our generous sponsors!