Guerilla Workshops & Topic of Interest Socials
Saturday, November 16th
Social: Co-op Gardeners Unite!
Jacob Fanning, Connecting break 1 - 12:15pm - 1:15pm, Crofoot
Let's get together to talk about the gardening we perform around our co-ops. How do you manage your collective land? Do you plant and grow crops using organic practices? Do you establish ecosystem/pollinator services by planting native to your area? Let's talk!
Social: NASCO Properties Caucus
Lincoln Evans, Connecting break 2 - 4:15pm - 5:15pm - Wolverine
A social for members of NASCO Properties Co-ops!
Guerilla Workshop: Tools to Build Collective Capacity for Creative Community Connection
Raines Cohen, Connecting break 2 - 4:15pm - 5:15pm - Anderson D
We don't have to re-invent the wheel as we start, live in, and grow our co-ops and communities. You are not alone! We are not the first! We can learn from those who have pioneered, and add our wisdom and experience to the movement. Let's play with the Group Works Deck, cards embodying a pattern language of the concepts behind effective methods and fun groups. Let's explore together the human dynamics that can help us plan meetings and get everyone to step up in collective learning. And let's get a taste of how the Global EcoVillage Network (GEN) EcoVillage Design Cards can help us evaluate our communities in many dimensions of sustainability, including Social, Economic, Cultural, and Ecological, zooming out to the big picture with Whole Systems (Integral) Design.
https://www.groupworksdeck.org/
https://ecovillage.org/about/about-gen/concepts/
Guerilla Workshop: Somatics for Liberation
Amina Dreessen, Connecting break 2 - 4:15pm - 5:15pm, Kuenzel
An intro to somatics (body-based practice) and exploration of how it is essential in creating thriving liberator communities.
Schedule at a Glance
Schedule subject to change as conference sessions are confirmed.
Friday, November 15th
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM | Registration & Covid Testing
10:00 AM - 12:00 PM | ICC Ann Arbor Co-op Tour #1
9:45 AM - 10:15 AM | Presenter Coffee and Kick-off
10:30 AM - 1:30 PM | Staff and Managers Discussion & lunch on the town
12:00 PM - 1:15 PM | Lunch Break Social (bring your own meal)
12:45 PM - 1:45 PM | People of Color Caucus
1:50 PM - 2:50 PM | Accessibility Caucus
1:45 PM - 2:45 PM | Large Student Housing Co-ops Social
3:00 PM - 3:30 PM | Welcome & Kickoff
3:45 PM - 5:15 PM | Course block 1
5:30 PM - 6:30 PM | Women’s Caucus
6:35 PM - 7:35 PM | Working Class Caucus
5:30 PM - 7:30 PM | ICC Ann Arbor Co-op Tour #2
7:40 PM - 8:40 PM | Native Peoples Caucus
Saturday, November 16th
8:00 AM - 9:00 AM | Registration & Covid Testing
9:00 AM - 10:15 AM | Course block 2
10:30 AM - 12:00 PM | Keynote Panel: Mobilizing the Co-op Ecosystem
12:15 PM - 1:15 PM | Canadian Co-op Social, Topic of Interest Socials, & Guerilla Workshops
12:15 PM - 1:15 PM | Black Caucus
1:15 PM - 2:45 PM | Lunch on the town
2:45 PM - 4:00 PM | Course block 3
4:15 PM - 5:15 PM | LQBTQIA2S+ Caucus
4:15 PM - 5:15 PM | Topic of Interest Socials & Guerilla Workshops
5:30 PM - 6:45 PM | Hall of Fame Ceremony
6:45 PM - 7:30 PM | Hall of Fame Banquet (pick up your meal to go or disperse to eat on site)
7:30 PM - 8:30 PM | Collective Liberation Congress
7:30 PM - 8:30 PM | Cooperative Game Night and Art Room Open
Sunday, November 17th
8:45 AM - 9:45 AM | Covid Testing
9:30 AM - 12:45 PM | NASCO Annual General Meeting
9:30 AM - 11:00 AM | Course block 4
11:15 AM - 12:45 AM | Course block 5
12:45 PM - 2:00 PM | NASCO Provided Lunch (pick up your meal to go or disperse to eat on site)
1:15 PM - 2:00 PM | NASCO Board Meet & Greet
2:00 PM - 3:30 PM | Course block 6
3:45 PM - 4:45 PM | Wrap-up and Goodbyes (and Co-op Swag Raffle!)
6:00 PM | Informal Faculty Dinner on the town
Program Highlights
Mobilizing the Co-op Ecosystem Keynote Panel
This keynote panel explores the interconnectedness of cooperatives across sectors—housing, worker, development, and policy. Panelists will discuss how co-ops can collaborate to strengthen their communities, share resources, and advocate for policy changes that support cooperative growth. Attendees will gain insights into how housing co-ops fit into the broader cooperative ecosystem and how they can apply lessons from other sectors to foster a more inclusive and thriving movement. Join us for an engaging discussion on building a resilient and collaborative cooperative future, moderated by Bronwyn Walls, former NASCO staff and current NASCO board member.
Panelists:
Anh-Thư Nguyễn, Director of Strategic Partnerships, Democracy at Work Institute
Jamila Medley, Organizational Development Consultant
Sarah Wells, LiveWork Denver Partner, founder of Queen City Cooperative
Nathi M. Zamisa, Co-Executive Director, HOUSE Canada
Annual Events at Institute 2024 to Look Forward To
Every year co-opers look forward to learning, connecting, and celebrating at our annual events in Institute including:
ICC Co-op Tours: Walking tours to many houses that make up the ICC Ann Arbor houses
Hall of Fame Ceremony: A dinner and celebration of our Hall of Fame Co-opers nominated by fellow co-opers. Look out for nominations and don't miss this special event to honor co-opers.
Staff & Managers Event: Staff and Managers at co-ops have important jobs to keep our co-ops running. Come connect with other staff, managers, and executive directors at housing co-ops.
Annual General Meeting: All Members of NASCO are able to participate and vote in the AGM. This is a space for members to make changes to the NASCO bylaws, to elect the Active Member Representative to the NASCO Board, to hear from Diversity Congress, and to get updates on NASCO’s activities from staff. The AGM is open to all to view, but only AGM representatives can vote.
Film Screening: Firebird: An Eco Community in the Heat of Crisis
Friday, November 15th, 6:30 - 8:30 pm.
Findhorn, the world-renowned spiritual community in northern Scotland, was traumatized by the tragic loss of its community center and sanctuary, an exodus of young peopler due to Brexit, and mass layoffs as the Foundation struggled financially post-Covid. This recently-released documentary tenderly captures the community confronting these challenges amidst their 60th birthday celebrations. See the trailer here.
The screening will be followed by a Q&A with Daniel Greenberg - recent Director of Education at the Findhorn Foundation and current Co-director of the FIC.
Identity-Based Caucuses
Caucuses are spaces for participants with shared identities to raise issues, build connections, and organize for change within NASCO, their own co-ops, and our larger communities. In addition, each caucus will be electing representatives and bringing proposals the Collective Liberation Congress.
Collective Liberation Congress, taking place during Institute, can bring proposals to NASCO’s Annual General Meeting and elects representatives to NASCO’s board of directors.
Course Tracks:
Mobilizing the Co-op Ecosystem
This year's theme course track explores how we can systematically and individually set up co-ops for thriving. This track explores how networks can support our co-op ecosystem and the systematic opportunities we can advocate for to foster thriving cooperative communities. Sessions will include policy advocacy, bigger picture discussions, co-operative networks, and the role of individual co-ops and co-opers.
Canadian Co-ops
This year, we are offering a new course track on exploring and uplifting Canadian Cooperatives and Co-opers. Sessions will include stories and case studies from the Canadian Co-op movement, workshopping challenges specific to co-opers in Canada, and strategizing how to resource Canadian co-opers.
Staff and Managers
This year’s co-op staff track brings co-op staff together to build strong connections, share best practices, and learn new ways to tackle the unique issues they face, leaning into our conference theme of Mobilizing the Co–op Ecosystem. Sessions include a series of knowledge shares centered around specific staff roles and several opportunities to participate in our popular peer consultation sessions, as well as a number of sessions focused on concrete skills.
Cooperative Fundamentals
Keeping your co-op running smoothly requires a wide range of skills and a wealth of collective knowledge. Workshops in this course track will focus on building essential tools for maintaining your cooperative—from understanding member, board, and staff roles to dynamic facilitation and fair housing. This series is ideal for anyone who hopes to leave NASCO Institute with a foundation of knowledge and concrete skills to take back to their co-op.
Cooperative Leadership
A cooperative approach to leadership connects the human needs of members to a co-op’s mission and the day-to-day work needed to maintain strong organizations. Practicing cooperative leadership requires self-awareness, active listening, and gratitude when receiving criticism. Any cooperator can practice leadership when they uplift the voices of fellow members and actively work to share power equitably. This course track creates space for attendees to learn and practice core leadership skills.
Creating A Co-op
With the cost of living constantly on the rise, the demand for affordable housing solutions—like housing co-ops—is greater than ever. NASCO has pulled together a team of experts to take future co-op founders through the process of starting a new housing co-op, from clarifying the initial concept to drafting your business plan. Workshops in this series provide a comprehensive, step-by-step training program on the development process.
Cooperation Among Cooperatives
Working together with other cooperatives is a core part of what it means to be a co-op (it’s one of the seven Cooperative Principles!). Solidarity between co-ops helps each co-op serve its members most effectively and strengthens the cooperative movement as a whole. This course track features the work of cooperators across different sectors and highlights how housing co-op members can become more involved in the cooperative movement at large. Join us in these sessions to be inspired, expand your horizons, and dream big.