Untitled - Harmony Foundation of Canada

Written by:
Michael Bloomfield and Jennifer Jordache
Animation and Presentation Production by:
Stephen Martindale
Narrator:
Anu Henderson
Produced by:
Harmony Foundation of Canada
Special thank you to the following individuals for their assistance with this project:
Donna Balkan – Canadian Co-operative Association
Thank you to our major sponsor for this project:
Thank you to the following organizations for their continued
support of Harmony’s sustainable communities program

Photo by Healthy Community Initiatives
TABLE OF CONTENTS
MESSAGE FROM MICHAEL BLOOMFIELD .............................................................................. 3
PURPOSE OF THE PRESENTER’S GUIDE ................................................................................. 5
BACKGROUND ON THE PRESENTATION .............................................................................. 6
GETTING READY TO ORGANIZE YOUR EVENT ................................................................ 7
ORGANIZING YOUR EVENT ......................................................................................................... 8
RUNNING YOUR EVENT ................................................................................................................. 13
SHOWING THE PRESENTATION ................................................................................................. 17
POST-PRESENTATION DISCUSSION AND LEARNING ACTIVITY ................................ 18
CARRYING MOMENTUM FORWARD ......................................................................................... 21
WRITE TO HARMONY FOUNDATION ...................................................................................... 22
ABOUT THE COMMUNITY SUCCESS STORIES ..................................................................... 23
FINAL THOUGHTS ............................................................................................................................ 24
HARMONY PUBLICATIONS ........................................................................................................... 25

Message from Michael Bloomfield
At Harmony Foundation, we believe that with
reliable information, effective tools and a commitment to
positive action people can work together and achieve
excellent results toward socially and environmental
sustainable community development.
Michael Bloomfield,
Founder and Executive Director,
Harmony Foundation of Canada
Over the past few years, Harmony has been building its
electronic library of sustainable education presentations.
With Cooperative Enterprises: Building a Healthier, More
Sustainable World, we have focused on the power of
community initiatives in improving the quality of life in
the community and the surrounding environment.
Cooperatives provide many social, economic, and environmental benefits. Through the
seven cooperative principles, cooperatives put people at the centre of their business and not
capital. At a time when the world is driven by profit, cooperatives are the answer to creating
a stronger community, a sustainable organization and a better world.
In Cooperative Enterprises: Building a Healthier, More Sustainable World, we showcase ten
innovative, world class examples of how individuals and communities - people just like you -
are making a positive and enduring difference in the world. It is our hope that Cooperative
Enterprises: Building a Healthier, More Sustainable World and these community success stories
will inspire and inform your efforts to create innovative strategies and activities to address
the need for cooperatives within your own communities. After all, it’s the day-to-day
decisions we make where we live and work and go to school that lie at the heart of a
sustainable future.
I applaud you for your leadership in the effort to make the world a better place.
Sincerely,
Michael Bloomfield

Purpose of the Presenter’s Guide
This presenter's guide was created to assist dedicated individuals, like you, who are seeking
to inform and motivate members of their local communities about co-operatives. Within the
presenter's guide, you will find detailed instructions for organizing and hosting a successful
event to show the Cooperative Enterprises: Building a Healthier, More Sustainable World
presentation. In addition, the guide provides advice for exchanging meaningful ideas with
your audience and guiding them to identify your community's needs and plan your own local
project or initiative. Together, the guide and presentation will equip you to make a difference
in the world.
We want your experience with Cooperative Enterprises: Building a Healthier, More Sustainable
World to be productive, educational, and enjoyable. To host a community viewing event, you
do not need to be an expert on cooperatives. You simply need to be a concerned member of
your community with a desire to learn, the enthusiasm to act, and the ability to introduce the
presentation and moderate a positive discussion.
We are confident you will find hosting Cooperative Enterprises: Building a Healthier, More
Sustainable World to be a positive experience that will bring you and your community closer to
building a brighter future. With your help and leadership, members of your community will
soon realize the benefits of working together and promoting the growth of cooperatives.
If you need any assistance along the way, please do not hesitate to contact us. We are here to
offer support and guidance wherever we can.

Background on the Presentation
This project was created by Harmony Foundation of Canada to raise awareness about
cooperatives. Cooperative Enterprises: Building a Healthier, More Sustainable World has a running
time of 20 minutes.
The presentation starts with an overview of the different structures of cooperatives around
the world and the many benefits that distinguish cooperatives from investor owned firms.
The presentation then showcases eight powerful Canadian and international success stories
that will serve as models to those interested in starting their own cooperative, or
contributing to existing ones. By watching the presentation, the audience will be equipping
themselves to spread the message about the positive change that cooperatives can bring to
their local
communities and make a difference in the world.
Photo by La Maison Verte

These cooperative success stories highlight exemplary organizations and individuals who are
working towards contributing to socio-economic development that is environmentally
sustainable. They were chosen for their passion, their innovation and their commitment to
improving the quality of life in their community.
These are stories of people, just like you, who saw a need and took action. Offering insights,
information and ideas for practical action, the success stories are presented to inspire and
illuminate your path towards a sustainable and productive community. It is our hope that,
from these stories, you will be inspired to develop ideas of your own and move forward,
determined to make a difference in your own community.

Getting Ready to Organize Your Event
Your viewing event should suit your own particular needs and can be as large or as small as
you see fit. In the following pages, we offer ideas for choosing a venue and advertising your
event. Great synergies are achieved when individuals work together as a team. For this
reason, we encourage you to organize your event with a partner or a group. By bringing
together other individuals who care deeply about developing or contributing to a
cooperative within your community, you will create a team that's dedicated to your cause.
To persuade others to commit their time, you may find it useful to direct friends and other
community members to Harmony Foundation's website, www.harmonyfdn.ca. On our
website, visitors can download Cooperative Enterprises: Building a Healthier, More Sustainable
World (presentation and presenter's guide) for free. Encourage your colleagues to explore the
challenges of developing a cooperative and the benefits of sustainable and community based
organizations. When people start examining these issues, we believe they will be motivated
to explore the diverse possibilities of incorporating cooperatives within their own
communities.
Photo by Harmony Foundation

Organizing Your Event
Over the next few pages, we provide step-by-step instructions for coordinating an event to
show Cooperative Enterprises: Building a Healthier, More Sustainable World and facilitating
meaningful discussion among audience members. By following the five steps listed, you will
be able to easily organize a successful event and educate others about cooperatives.
Step 1: Review Cooperative Enterprises: Building a Healthier, More Sustainable World
First, familiarize yourself with the Cooperative Enterprises: Building a Healthier, More Sustainable
World presentation. When you are advertising your event, describe, in brief, what the
presentation is about and the objective of your upcoming meeting. By viewing the
presentation, you will be able to capture the essence of Cooperative Enterprises: Building a
Healthier, More Sustainable World and more effectively explain the ideas of community based
organizations.
Photo by Kootenay Co-op Radio

Step 2: Arrange Your Venue
To share the presentation with your audience, you will require a meeting space. You will
also need a laptop computer, projector and screen. Comfortable chairs and space for your
audience to write notes are important. There are many potential venues that should be
available for free or at a minimal cost. Where you decide to hold the event will depend on
the number of people you expect to attract.
Photo by: Harmony Foundation
• Public Library Meeting Rooms. Many public libraries have meeting rooms that are
available to the public.
• University Facilities. Universities and colleges often offer classrooms to the public for
community meetings.
• Church Halls. Churches usually have space available for community meetings.
• Work Facilities. If you work in an office, ask if you can book an available conference or
meeting room. If your employer supports your initiative, invite him or her to attend the
meeting.
• Participant's Home. For small groups, it may be easiest to host the meeting at a
participant's home.

Step 3: Advertise Your Event
To ensure a well attended session, spreading the word about your upcoming event will be
one of the most critical components of your planning process. There are many ways to
advertise your event with little or no cost. Below are some advertising methods you can
easily deploy to let people know about your event:
• Word of Mouth. This can be an extremely useful method for informing others of your
event session. You can inform your friends, colleagues, and neighbors about the event in
this way.
• Email Distribution. Email distribution allows you to quickly reach a large number of
people and provide program details.
• List Serves. List serves allow you to reach people who share a similar interest with you.
Many office environments, universities and community groups have list serves, allowing
you to send information to people you believe would be interested in attending the meeting
session.
• Telephone Committee. Members of a telephone committee call and inform other
members of the upcoming event. If each person telephones only two or three people, a
fast-acting network is quickly established.
• Bulletin Boards. Many offices, universities, and public libraries provide bulletin boards
for displaying posters advertising upcoming public events.
• Other Internet Mediums. Blogs and social-networking websites, such as Facebook or
MySpace, offer another way for you to advertise your event.

Step 4: Create Your Agenda
Creating an agenda enables you to organize your event and inform others about what to
expect. Your agenda will outline what needs to be addressed during the session. We estimate
that a session will take approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes, including discussion
afterwards. The following is a sample agenda that you can follow or adapt to suit your own
timeline.
Photo by Sorosh
10:00 Introductions and Icebreaker
10:10 Review Agenda
10:15 Watch Cooperative Enterprises: Building a Healthier, More Sustainable World
10:45 Learning Activity
11:15 Wrap-Up and Plan of Action (At this point, you can discuss your plans for the next
meeting and pass out a sheet to gather contact information for those in attendance).
11:45 Meeting Concludes

Step 5: Promote Environmental Conscientiousness
We encourage you to lead by example by promoting environmental conscientiousness at
every stage of your Cooperative Enterprises: Building a Healthier, More Sustainable World event.
Please consider the following:
•When traveling to your meeting, encourage participants to use environmentally friendly
modes of transportation such as walking, cycling, carpooling, or public transportation. If
possible, host the event at a location that is easily accessible by the transportation methods
mentioned above, especially public transit.
Photo by Metro Cincinnati
• Avoid excessive use of paper. If your meeting requires handouts, use recycled paper and
print on both sides of each sheet. If you require a notepad, staple together a few sheets of
one-sided, scrap paper. Instead of flip charts, use a chalkboard or whiteboard to write
down important points.
• If you will be serving refreshments, ask participants to bring their own mugs, plates or
utensils. Disposable dishes create unnecessary waste and do not set a good environmental
example.

Running Your Event
Step 1: Preparation and Setup
When hosting a meeting, certain preparations should be kept in mind to ensure the meeting
runs smoothly.
Arrive 15 Minutes Early. As the facilitator, you should arrive at least 15 minutes earlier
than the meeting start time.
Room Setup. Adjust tables and chairs so that all participants will be able to view the
presentation and interact with each other. Check if the room has adjustable lighting to
cater to the presentation and discussion portions of the session. If you are using a
projector and screen for showing the presentation, check that all equipment is in
working order. You should also write the agenda (including the title of the meeting,
items on the agenda, and the time schedule) on the blackboard or whiteboard. This will
allow participants to quickly understand the context of the session and be better
prepared for the meeting.
Start On Time. It is important that you start your event on time. This shows respect to
your audience members who made an effort to attend. Starting on time also allows you
to follow your agenda items more effectively. If your meeting begins late important
elements of the evening may be shortchanged.

Be Positive. Throughout the meeting, remember to be positive. Your positive words
and behavior will transfer to your audience and encourage participants to interact and
exchange ideas in a productive and cooperative manner. If someone is being negative,
remind the group that they have gathered to brainstorm and to support and encourage
each other in offering ideas and suggestions. It is important to respect everyone's ideas.
Act as a Guide. Your role is to support others in generating ideas and to facilitate
positive interactions between participants. Make a point of not dominating the
discussion. Instead, encourage each participant to share his or her thoughts with the
group and allow everybody the opportunity to share their ideas.
Photo by Vanlaxmi Women Tree Grower’s Co-operative

Step 2: Sample Meeting Introduction and Icebreaker
Sample Introduction
Hello everyone. Welcome to our meeting on sustainable cooperatives in our community. My
name is Cooperative Enterprises: Building a Healthier, More Sustainable World and I am the
facilitator of today's event. Thank you for joining us to learn about the benefits of
cooperatives and their importance for our community. I'm looking forward to sharing ideas
about how we can make our community a better place to live. After viewing the
presentation, I invite all of you to share your thoughts, comments, and ideas. I want
everyone who wishes to speak to feel free and comfortable to do so. By encouraging and
respecting each other, we will create a positive and productive atmosphere for working
together.
[At this point, we recommend that you incorporate an icebreaker into the introduction of your meeting.
Icebreakers help to enhance participant interaction and discussion, and make people feel more relaxed and
comfortable. See the example icebreaker on the next page.]

Sample Icebreaker
One simple and effective icebreaker involves dividing participants into groups of
two and having them interview each other. You can provide a few questions to ease
participants into their discussions. Examples include: "What are you hobbies?";
"What is the most interesting place you have visited?"; or "Why are you attending
this meeting?"
After the scheduled time is over, have each participant introduce their partner to
the rest of the group. This process is short and will create an atmosphere that is
more open and friendly.
I'd like to begin today's meeting by asking you to form into teams of two (for convenience,
you can simply select the person sitting next to you). Each of you is responsible for learning
something interesting about your partner. I have written a number of icebreaker questions
on the board to get your discussion started. After 10 minutes, I will ask everyone to briefly
introduce their partners to the rest of the group, sharing one interesting fact about their
colleague.
[Participant Introductions]
Thank you everyone for your introductions. Now, before we begin, I want to quickly review
the meeting agenda.
[Read agenda items and the time associated with each item.]
The presentation you are about to view is about __ minutes in length and it was created by
Harmony Foundation of Canada. The presentation starts with an overview of the different
structures of cooperatives, and discusses the immense benefits cooperatives offer. The
second part of the presentation showcases eight inspiring case studies from around the
world. As you watch the video, please write down any ideas that come to mind for potential
projects in our community.

Showing the Presentation
To increase the value of your post-presentation discussion, consider the following points
when you show Cooperative Enterprises: Building a Healthier, More Sustainable World:
Prior to Showing the Presentation
• Remind your audience of the objectives of the presentation and the expectations of the
discussion to follow.
•Ask participants to look for similarities between the community success stories and
situations within your own community.
• Finally, encourage your audience to take notes during the presentation. This will help with
sharing ideas during the discussion portion of the session.
During the Presentation
• While the audience is engaged with the presentation, we suggest that you observe the
reactions of participants. For example, if participants nod in agreement during certain
sections of the presentation, it is likely that they find that topic interesting or important.
Consider bringing that particular topic to the group's attention during the post-presentation
discussion.
•Do not interrupt the audience with comments or suggestions during the viewing of
Cooperative Enterprises: Building a Healthier, More Sustainable World. It is important that
participants focus on the presentation and are given the opportunity to form their own
ideas and opinions without outside influence.

Post-Presentation Discussion and Learning Activity
After watching Cooperative Enterprises: Building a Healthier, More Sustainable World, be sure to
allow adequate time for productive discussion. The purpose of the post-presentation
discussion is to allow participants to share their ideas and opinions and begin to develop
plans for local cooperative initiatives. To help facilitate the discussion portion of your
session, we recommend the following 35 minute learning activity.
Learning Activity: Identifying Local Opportunities
Purpose:
1. To identify challenges or opportunities for change related to cooperatives within your
local community.
2. To explore potential solutions to address these challenges.
3. To identify local resources and explore the actions required to carry out the proposed
solutions.
Learning Outcomes:
1. Identify community resources and build helpful connections for creating community
action.
2. Work toward solutions that incorporate the principles of cooperatives to help solve
local challenges.

Activity Instructions:
1. To ensure everyone has the opportunity to participate, working groups should not exceed
five people. If there are more than five participants, divide the participants into smaller
groups. If you have a small audience you may opt to conduct the discussion as one
single group. Group discussion should take approximately 20 minutes.
2. Identify one participant to be the recorder for each group. He or she will write down all
the ideas from the group's discussion.
3. Ask each group member to consider the following questions. It may be useful to use the
chart provided on the next page to help guide the discussion.
a. What are the cooperative challenges in your local community?
b. What groups or individuals are negatively affected by these challenges?
c. Describe opportunities for improvement, as they relate to cooperatives, in your local
community.
d. What resources are available in your community that could aid you in successfully
implementing your project or idea?
e. Describe any cooperative success stories that have already occurred in your local
community.
4. After 20 minutes, have the recorder provide you with a summary of the group's
comments, ideas and suggestions.

Activity Debrief:
The activity debrief should take approximately 15 minutes.
1. Write each group's comments on the blackboard or whiteboard.
2. Ask participants what they learned from this activity and what they think are the most
important ideas generated from the discussion.
3. Ask participants to build on the discussion with further comments, emphasizing positive
actions.
4. Narrow your potential projects down to two or three of the best ideas. These projects
should be feasible but also exciting to the people who will be involved.
5. To take your first steps toward initiating your community action project, determine
which participants will contact the individuals or groups identified as community
resources.
Photo by Laura Brandes

Carrying Momentum Forward
It is important to close the meeting on a note of positive, forward momentum. This will
ensure that the discussion generated during the meeting will lead to action. Following are
two simple and easy ways to assure participants that, with their help, their ideas will carry
forward after the meeting.
• Contact Information Sheet. Circulate a contact information sheet allowing participants
to share their email and telephone number with others who attended the meeting. Before
circulating the sheet, be sure to ask consent to share their personal information.
Individuals who do not wish to provide information should not be included in the contact
list. After the meeting concludes, email the contact information sheet to all those who
provided consent without delay.
• Set a Date for Your Next Meeting. Before the meeting concludes, ask participants about
organizing a follow-up meeting. Select a date, time and location that are convenient for the
majority of participants. Remember, people will remain more motivated if the meeting
happens within a reasonable timeframe.
Photo by Stacy Paulding

Write to Harmony Foundation
To best help others, we need your input! Your feedback allows us to make improvements
to our programs and publications and to further enrich the Cooperative Enterprises: Building a
Healthier, More Sustainable World experience for others in the future. After you've conducted
your viewing event, we would appreciate hearing from you with comments, ideas or
questions. Contact information for Harmony Foundation can be found on the last page of
this guide.
• Did the information provided in the presentation and presenter's guide prove
useful?
• What aspects of the event were most meaningful to you?
• What was the overall opinion regarding the presentation, the discussion and the
event as a whole?
• Did the learning activity engage and motivate participants to take action in your local
community?
• What project did your group choose to develop in your community?
• How did you involve young adults, youth and children?
Photo by Ralph Unden

About the Community Success Stories
For more information on the community success stories in Cooperative Enterprises: Building a
Healthier, More Sustainable World, please contact the following people or organizations:
La Maison Verte
Web:
www.cooplamaisonverte.com/
Email:
info@cooplamaisonverte.com
Ecopower cvba
Web:
www.ecopower.be/
Email:
info@ecopower.be
Beaver Creek Housing
Web:
beavercreek.coop/
Email:
office beavercreek.coop
Egged Transportation
Web:
www.egged.co.il
Email:
Site_Admin_Eng@egged.co.il
Kootenay Co-op Radio
Web:
www.kootenaycoopradio.com
Email:
jay.cjly@gmail.com
Mobility Car Sharing
Web:
http://www.mobility.ch
Email:
A.Decker@mobility.ch
SAGUAPAC
Web:
saguapac.com.bo
Email:
http://www.saguapac.com.bo/aplicacion/
vista/contactar.html
Hansalim
Web:
www.hansalim.or.kr/
Email:
http://www.hansalim.or.kr/?page_id=64
2
Vanlaxmi Women Tree Growers
Web:
sewaecotourism.org
Email:
jignasapandya@sewa.org

Final Thoughts
Since 1985, the Harmony Foundation of Canada has provided quality educational resources
to help people around the world build knowledge and skills needed to take action on
environmental and development issues. We have been recognized for our innovative,
practical and positive approach to education and our pioneering work building bridges
between government, businesses and community groups, emphasizing cooperative
solutions.
We hope you have found Cooperative Enterprises: Building a Healthier, More Sustainable World
(presentation and presenter's guide) beneficial in spearheading cooperative-related projects
in your community. We thank you for educating others and spreading the message about the
importance of working together to become responsible supporters of cooperatives, now and
for the future.
From the Harmony Foundation, we wish you great success in your community efforts and
look forward to hearing from you and learning about your local initiatives.
Photo by Toronto District School Board

Harmony Publications
Harmony Foundation promotes socially and environmentally sustainable community
development for both urban and rural communities by creating and providing educational
programs and materials for students, educators, and community leaders. Harmony
Foundation strives to advance positive movement toward long-term prosperity, social
harmony and ecological stability.
Since 1985, Harmony Foundation has published numerous educational materials including:
• Green Cities: A Guide for Sustainable Community Development
• Community Action Workshop Manual
• Troubled Waters: A Profile for Community Action
• Climate Change: A Profile for Community Action
• The Power and Hope of Sustainable Community Development (presentation and
presenter’s guide)
• Discovering Your Community: A Cooperative Process for Planning Sustainability
• Troubled Waters (presentation and presenter's guide)
• Cultivating Healthy Food and Gardens for a Sustainable Future (presentation and
presenter’s guide)
• Liquidating Our Assets: There’s No Free Lunch (presentation)
• Urban Forests: Investing in the Future
We invite you to visit our website, http://www.harmonyfdn.ca/, to view our other titles and
find information about how you can obtain these publications.

Photo Credits and Sources
La Maison Verte
Web: www.cooplamaisonverte.com/
Beaver Creek Housing
Web: beavercreek.coop/
Kootenay Co-op Radio
Web: www.kootenaycoopradio.com
Mobility Car Sharing
Web: http://www.mobility.ch
SAGUAPAC
Web: saguapac.com.bo
Ecopower cvba
Web: www.ecopower.be/
Egged Transportation
Web: www.egged.co.il
Hansalim
Web: www.hansalim.or.kr/
Vanlaxmi Women Tree Growers
Web: sewaecotourism.org
Canadian Co-operative Association
http://www.coopscanada.coop/
International Year of Co-operatives
http://www.canada2012.coop/

"Our survival depends upon each of us meeting our responsibilities to each other, other species and
future generations."
- Michael Bloomfield
Harmony Foundation of Canada
PO Box 50022
Unit 15 - 1594 Fairfield Road
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada V8S 1G1
Phone: (250) 380-3001
Fax: (250) 380-0887
E-mail: harmony@islandnet.com
Website Address: www.harmonyfdn.ca
Copyright © 2012 Harmony Foundation of Canada