Educational Opportunity: Online Courses on Intro to Co-ops, Participatory Methods, and Worker Co-op 101

Did you know? The Toolbox for Education and Social Action is gearing up to offer some great online courses. They'll be starting soon: Intro to Cooperatives March 10-14, http://store.toolboxfored.org/introduction-to-cooperatives/, Popular Education Methods and Practices Tuesday evenings starting on April 8th for four sessions, http://store.toolboxfored.org/popular-education-methods-and-practices/, and Worker Co-op 101 April 16 and 17, five hours total over two nights, http://store.toolboxfored.org/worker-co-ops-101/. Can't wait.

Introduction to Cooperatives

Learn the basics of cooperatives, cooperative economics, and the practice of cooperation with everyday practitioners.

Help us make Co-opoly 2.0 Happen; Get Great Benefits in Return; Show off Your Co-op or Organization to 20,000 People

*Please forward widely!*

Dear friends and cooperators,

I wanted to reach out to you to let you know the exciting news that The Toolbox for Education and Social Action (TESA) is gearing up for Co-opoly 2.0. But, we need your help to make it happen. This game is entirely ethically produced (all in the US, primarily by other worker co-ops, and on sustainable materials), and so the cost is extremely high - as we're paving the road for ethical game production. Now, we’re turning to the co-op movement to help us raise funds for another run of Co-opoly, and we've lined up a bunch of amazing rewards for individuals and co-ops/allied organizations who make a tax-deductible contribution.

Our first pressing of Co-opoly is nearly gone; we’ve sold roughly 1,000 copies to people in 20 countries around the world. People who have played Co-opoly have given positive and enthusiastic feedback, confirming that Co-opoly is both a fun game and a powerful resource for building the cooperative community. That we have nearly sold out of Co-opoly in almost a year surpassed our wildest expectations, and having support from people like you made a sizable difference.

There are still many people who have yet to play Co-opoly, and so we plan to print 2,000 more games, which will reach 12,000 to 20,000 more people—from experienced cooperators to start-up co-op members, educators, families, organizers, and many others. Like when we launched, we are providing our individual supporters with amazing rewards. There's a whole other set of rewards for co-ops/allied organizations, too, such as being featured in the game, free copies of Co-opoly, your logo on the box, a custom version of the game designed for your co-op or community, being thanked in the instructions, and so much more. All of this could be seen by up to 20,000 people! And don't forget, thanks to CDI, all contributions are tax deductible!

Can you give today to take Co-opoly to the next level? Organizations can get these wonderful benefits, and individuals can receive these. Let me know if you have any thoughts or questions. Thank you so much for your continued support. 

In cooperation,
Brian Van Slyke

P.S. Haven't played Co-opoly yet but want to give it a shot? You can buy it here!

Co-opoly's Second Printing Needs Your Support!

Dear cooperators and cooperative allies,

We, the Toolbox for Education and Social Action (TESA), a co-op based in Northampton, MA, are preparing to print the second edition of the hit board game Co-opoly: The Game of Cooperatives, and we need your help! 

Last year, we launched Co-opoly, and in ten months we have sold nearly 1,000 copies of our independently produced and marketed game to people all over the world. We are almost out of stock and are seeking contributions to help us print the second edition. In return, we’ll give you amazing rewards, benefits, and publicity. All contributions are tax deductible! 

Co-opoly has reached thousands of people around the world and has proven to be both a fun game and a powerful resource for building the cooperative community. Our game is also the first of its kind that we know of to be manufactured in accordance with sustainable and ethical business practices. While the game’s popularity thus far has been great, we need support to print the second edition. 

Our goal is to print 2,000 games, which will reach 12,000 to 20,000 people—from experienced cooperators to start-up co-op members, educators, families, organizers, and beyond. In return for your tax-deductible contributions, you can receive an array of benefits, such as being featured in the game; your logo on the box; free copies of Co-opoly; free advertising for your organization; and so much more! By helping us make this game available to more people and communities, you will also be spreading the word about your organization and mission. 

Visit our website to download the information kit and find out more details about our campaign to fund the second printing of Co-opoly. You can reach us by phone at 617-252-8799 or by email at contact@toolboxfored.org. We look forward to talking with you about Co-opoly!

Course on "Creating a Cooperative Food Economy" at Greenfield Community College, MA

AGR114 "Creating a Cooperative Food Economy" at Greenfield Community College

Meets on *Thursdays, 6pm-7:30pm from 9/6 to 10/18 & Field trip Sun, 9/30 from 10am-2:30pm. *


AGR 114: Creating a Cooperative Food Economy 
(1-credit OR not-for-credit through Community Education) (15 hours total)

Course Description

Explores cooperative member-owned business models (co-ops) and their various forms of democratic ownership with a focus on the local food economy. Students form groups and receive mentorship in creating their own co-op enterprise with the goals of strengthening food security, sustainability, and/or food access. Interactive workshops and hands-on field trips to co-ops inform students' understanding of the local food economy in the Pioneer Valley. Field trips required. No pre-requisites.


Register here: www.gcc.mass.edu/farmandfoodsystems/classes

Creating a Cooperative Food Economy is being taught by next-generation co-op leaders from the worker cooperative Toolbox for Education and Social Action (TESA). The course is part of a broader national initiative
called Cooperative Teach-in, a component of the US program for the International Year of Cooperatives.


Email instructors with any questions: Brian Van Slyke--brian@toolboxfored.org or Andrew Stachiw--andrew@toolboxfored.org.

This course provides a wonderful opportunity to learn more about our regional food system in the Pioneer Valley, gain professional development experience, explore co-operative business ideas, begin working on the foundations of a potential cooperative enterprise, and network with other cooperatively-minded students and entrepreneurs.

Co-opoly: The Game of Cooperatives, a Tool for Building a New Democratic Economy, Released

For Immediate Release

Contact: Brian Van Slyke, 708-707-1784; Andrew Stachiw, 860-208-1404

info@coopolygame.com

Co-opoly: The Game of Cooperatives, a Tool for Building a New Democratic Economy, Released

What: Co-opoly, a powerful resource for cultivating democratic communities, comes at a time when people are struggling to envision a new world. This game has been hotly anticipated with pre-orders from around the globe.

Website: www.CoopolyGame.com

Released: November 28, 2011

Northampton, Massachusetts, Nov 28, 2011 – As the cooperative movement gains global traction, with 800 million co-op members and 100 million employees in 2011, the launch of The Toolbox for Education and Social Action’s (TESA) latest tool “Co-opoly: The Game of Cooperatives” marks another milestone for the cooperative movement.

Produced by TESA, a worker cooperative based in Massachusetts, Co-opoly is a new game of skill and solidarity: where everyone wins or everybody loses! While promising to keep players on their toes and in stitches of laughter, Co-opoly is much more than just a board game – it’s a tool that helps people break away from the ‘winner takes all’ mentality and discover the boundless possibilities that arise from cooperation.

Communally developed over a three-year period of playing, testing and revision, Co-opoly hits the stage not a moment too soon. From the Arab Spring to the Occupy movement in the U.S., people are demanding more democratic communities and economies. Frustrated by banks, businesses, and institutions that do nothing for the majority, citizens around the world are

pouring into the streets looking for alternatives.

And Co-opoly provides just that. From the classroom to the factory, the farm, the independent start-up, the grocery store, and more, this tool offers players the chance to think outside the box of pure profit and imagine new ways of social organization.

It’s perfect for educators trying to facilitate creative discussions about the world economy, for workers looking for ways to develop their own cooperative work-places, and for households that want to have a great time while creating true democracy. In fact, Co-opoly is launching just as cooperatives are stepping into the spotlight with the United Nations declaring 2012 to be the International Year of Cooperatives.

Already Co-opoly has received orders from countries on nearly every continent, from Massachusetts to Morocco and from Scotland to South Korea!

TESA aimed to reflect Co-opoly’s core values of democracy and a just economy in the game’s very production. Every component of the game was created in the U.S., using primarily recycled materials and produced predominantly by worker cooperatives, all of them within 70 miles of TESA’s location!

The ethical production of Co-opoly has made its manufacturing costs much more expensive than games produced in sweatshops. Yet, TESA is proud to keep the game’s price comparable to other independent board games. Co-opoly is for sale at CoopolyGame.com for a sliding scale price of $42 - $65. This means the consumer decides how much they pay! What’s more, free additional resources on cooperatives will come with Co-opoly, including lessons plans, Introduction to Cooperatives literature, and more!

You can order Co-opoly: The Game of Cooperatives here.