NASCO Institute 2024

This handout contains discussion questions for the "Large Student Housing Co-ops Roundtable" held at NASCO Institute 2024. Big co-ops face unique issues. Can we look to other big co-ops for help? This session is designed to create conversations between the leadership of larger cooperatives to address common challenges while also building a stronger cooperative network. Meet co-op leaders from around the country, learn about our peer organizations, and have conversations in which participants brainstorm problem-solving suggestions for their neighbors.

Session materials from “Mental Health Crises in Housing Cooperatives: A Consent and Context-Based Approach” presented by James Gleespen at NASCO Institute 2024. Mental health crises are common in housing cooperatives, but it can be difficult to know how to respond. In addition, traditional teachings about how to respond to crises can conflict with principles we value, like consent, and can perpetuate oppressive harm. In this session, you’ll learn how to respond to mental health crises in your co-op in a way that prioritizes consent and protects the autonomy of the individual in crisis.

Session materials from “Community and Affordability: Innovations in the Community Housing Movement” presented by Sarah Wells at NASCO Institute 2024. Throughout the country, housing organizers and developers are coming together to reimagine and embrace forms of community housing that allow for everyday interaction while also preserving affordability. As we seek to become a more inclusive movement, affordability is a top strategy for achieving all kinds of diversity.

Session materials from “From Coop to Community” presented by Daniel Greenberg at NASCO Institute 2024. Do you love living in community and want to make it part of your life post-college? Come learn about the Foundation for Intentional Communityn (www.ic.org), the Global Ecovillage Network (www.ecovillage.org) and other opportunities to stay connected to the growing movement of communities striving to model positive visions for humanity and the planet.

Session materials from “Building Economic Democracy: Building Blocks for Co-op Strategy” presented by Steve Dubb at NASCO Institute 2024.  How can co-ops not just serve member-owners, but act as the life-affirming institutions that we need to build a more democratic economy, rooted in values of solidarity? This session introduced key strategies that can build wealth and power in communities —such as community land trusts, participatory budgeting, public banks, and employee ownership.

Session materials from “Revitalizing Your New Member Acceptance Practices” presented by Emily Sears and Rahul Mannapperuma at NASCO Institute 2024.  Updating your co-op's practices to align with your vision, mission and goals is no small feat. After a downward trend of engaged student members, Neill-Wycik decided to overhaul their membership acceptance from a "First Come, First Serve" policy to a rigorous, robust process to ensure the alignment of new co-op members with the co-op's mission and vision as best as possible.

Session materials from “Mobilizing Housing Development For Youth Aging Out of Foster Care” presented by Donna Coulter at NASCO Institute 2024. During this session, Higher Ground Abodes described its efforts to develop housing with people extremely low-income Detroiters aging out of foster care who need housing, financial, and life support. The model combines community land trust (CLT) and group equity cooperative living to provide shared housing within the youth's financial reach.