Full-Day – Peel/Halton Co-operative Housing Federation

The Business of Being a Co-op Board

Good governance is the cornerstone of a successful co-op. When we don’t get governance right, we put everything at risk. But what does governance mean? How can Boards of Directors provide strategic and principled leadership in their co-op?

In this workshop, we won’t talk about the day-to-day work of being a board member. Instead, we’ll learn about the personal rewards and value of providing principled leadership, what governance is and how to get it right.

This workshop covers the following:

governance vs. management in your co-op
the good governance test
creating organizational structures that work
addressing the barriers to good governance
electing good directors
succeeding as a director and board member
effective members’ meetings
the role of the chair
diversity, inclusion, harassment and bullying in the co-op setting

Once you have registered for this workshop, please come back and CLICK HERE to download your free Workshop Announcement notice courtesy of PHCHF. You can fill out this form online, save it and then print off as many copies as required to announce this workshop to your membership.

Conflict of Interest and Confidentiality

Your co-op’s board members and managers make decisions on a daily basis that are impacted by conflict of interest and confidentiality issues. Ever more important, these considerations play out in such operational processes as member and candidate selection, eviction, tendering, etc. Ensure individuals involved in these processes know their rights, responsibilities and obligations.

This workshop covers the following:

standards for confidentiality in a co-op setting
negotiating the tendering process
conflict of interest in co-op by-laws
ethical board conduct
addressing membership and staff inquiries

Getting Management Right

Co-op management is both a challenging and rewarding experience, where effective day-to-day management of operations determines the success of the co-op. A key component of having sound management is the Board’s role to manage personnel including co-op staff and external contractors.

In order to keep good staff, co-op Boards need to have a solid understanding of what makes a positive employer-employee relationship. This management workshop will equip you with the knowledge of principles and practice to help ensure the successful management of your co-op.

This workshop covers the following:

governance vs. management in your co-op
overview of the five “Core Management Standards”
the interdependent roles of managers and directors
working with the board to ensure principled leadership
recruitment and selection of employees
managing, motivating and evaluating staff
the tendering process: scope of work, tendering call/award and managing the project

The Basics of Co-operative Financial Processes

This workshop is a must for new board members and a great review for long time members. A comprehensive introduction to the basics of the planning, forecasting and budgeting processes to ensure the viability of your co-op. Workshop attendees will find that the emphasis on real life examples will allow them to be an active and valuable participant in their very next board meeting.

This workshop covers the following:

reading financial statements
reducing risk through sound internal control processes and procedures
managing arrears and vacancy loss
setting co-op budgets
planning and forecasting your co-op’s financial picture
preparing for a financial audit
your co-op’s fiduciary responsibility – rights and obligations

Board Basics

Every co-op board acts as its own cohesive unit and, while each co-op is unique, there are some basic fundamental management concepts that ensure every board member has a consistent understanding of how to manage to success.

This one-day comprehensive workshop is ideal for newly created boards and for new board members. Guided by best practices of principled leadership, participants will learn everything they need to know to immediately make a valuable contribution as a board member.

This workshop covers the following:

introduction to co-operatives and co-op housing
an overview of co-op principles
providing principled leadership to your co-op
roles and responsibilities of board members
building a productive board-management team
board meeting management
navigating the decision-making process
basic financial processes
best practices for new member orientation
diversity and inclusion considerations member selection
overview of day-to-day operations of a co-op

Effective Communication

True Colors: Leveraging Your Unique Personality for Effective Communication and Stress Management

True Colors is a tried and “true” self-discovery tool. This interactive workshop offers opportunities for self-reflection and to grow your awareness of how different personalities connect with the world around them. Our innate personalities impact the way we communicate in business and personal settings as well as how we react in stressful situations.

This workshop covers the following:

overview of personality traits & behaviours in organizational settings
understanding the impact of behavioural style on communication preferences
leveraging conflict situations for co-op success
navigating the democratic decision-making process
managing stressful situations

Managing Your Stress

Stress-related health issues are on the rise in Canada. Why is it that some people fare better than others in stressful situations? Attend this workshop to help improve your own stress reactions and also gain some useful insight into how to communicate with those around you in stressful situations.

This workshop covers the following:

understanding stress triggers
identifying and managing your stress reaction
communicating through stressful situations
mindfulness and stress reduction