Cooperatives Yorkshire and Humber

Fast Forward & Co-operatives YH AGM 
Thursday 26 November, 12.30pm-4pm, Aizlewood Mill, Nursery Street, Sheffield S3 8GG
Over 40 people are expected at Fast Forward this week. Fast Forward is the key event of the regional co-operative calendar. The conference style event features up to the minute key note speakers, interactive workshops, plenty of networking, lunch and Question Time panel. Panellists include: Shaun Cohen, Yorkshire Forward; Bob Cannell, SUMA; Angela Davies, the Co-operative Enterprise Hub; Cath Muller, Cornerstone; Alex Sobel, SEYH. Co-operatives Yorkshire and the Humber Annual General Meeting will be held at 3.30pm. A few places are still available. For full details please see www.cooperatives-yh.coop/node/159 

Co-operatives YH in unique partnership with Social Enterprise YH on Business Development Role 
SEYH has been awarded the contract for the role of Business Development Manager for Co-operatives YH. No other region in England has such a close working relationship between the two regional co-operative and social enterprise agencies. This new partnership will be working to enhance the profile of co-operatives and co-operative solutions, and exploring opportunities around developing social and co-operative enterprise in areas such as energy generation, food production, community broadband and other industrial sectors. This groundbreaking deal draws together the co-operative sector worth around £2.2billion in the region with the wider Social Enterprise which contributes over £3 billion to the regional economy.
 
Jean Miller, Chair of Co-operatives Yorkshire and the Humber said ‘This gives co-operatives YH a fantastic platform to raise the profile of co-operatives in the region and develop public understanding of the benefits of
co-operatives.’
 
Alex Sobel, General Manager of Social Enterprise Yorkshire and the Humber said ‘We are delighted to strengthen our links with the co-operative sector that can trace its history back to 1844 and give the social enterprise sector the benefit of its experience and diversity here in Yorkshire and the Humber.’

Social Enterprise Yorkshire & the Humber annual conference 
Thursday 3 December at Pontefract Race Course 
Join Social Enterprise Yorkshire & Humber its inaugural conference and Annual General Meeting. If you're a company member, you'll also get to vote at the AGM and even stand for the board of directors. The conference is free for delegates to attend. www.seyh.org.uk 

Humberside Social Enterprise Forum Meeting
December 11th, Skidby Village Hall
Networking and news. Other items may be added to the agenda. Possible additional networking for people interested in social enterprise opportunities in relation to children's services and/or land based social enterprise projects. The hall has two rooms (and a kitchen) and is booked for the whole day so there is plenty of room for anyone who wishes to do this. Lifts can be arranged for anyone not driving. Nearest train stations are Hull or Cottingham. Directions can be found here http://humbersef.info/?p=54. Thanks to funding from Social Enterprise Yorkshire and Humber. For more information, contact Jon Clarke, Humberside Co-operative Development Agency samlaidh@googlemail.com 

Co-operative Group's double boost for new hydro scheme
A pioneering community hydro generation enterprise, which uses river power to produce electricity, has been given a double boost by the co-operative group. Water Power Enterprises, which will open Settle Hydro - Yorkshire's first co-operatively and community owned hydro electricity plant later this year-has received £96,000 from the Group, which has also agreed to purchase the power produced for its local food store. The 50kW hydro plant at Bridge End Weir in Settle will use a modernised version of a 2,000 year old Greek invention - the Archimedean screw - to generate electricity when it is completed later this year. The Group has a track record of supporting innovative small scale renewables, and has solar-pv and biomass all running on its premises. Steve Walsh, Managing Director of Water Power Enterprises, said "It is our ambition to see hundreds of similar sites around the north of England and , thanks to this money, we are making great strides towards making this potential reality." 

Transition North conference report
6 November, Slaithwaite Civic Hall
This well attended conference brought together the co-operative and transition movements to explore synergies and challenges for the future. The conference was organised by the Co-operative Group, working in partnership with Co-operatives Yorkshire & the Humber and others. Bob Cannell led a workshop for Co-operatives Yorkshire & the Humber, entitled 'An introduction to co-operatives for Transitioners'. For Bob’s personal report on the conference, please see www.cooperatives-yh.coop/node/207 
 
Accredited Workplace Mediation Training Leeds 

Bob Cannell is organising workplace mediation training for some SUMA members through Leeds Mediation. The training is open to other
co-operators who wish to take part. ACAS recommends mediation as a
second line dispute resolution tool for all employers and its especially relevant to equal status workplaces where there is no manager to 'bang heads together'. Leeds Mediation have quoted £10,000 to run a course (45 hours over 6 separate days) qualifying people as workplace mediators to NOCN accreditation i.e. they can call themselves mediators and sell their services as mediators elsewhere as well. Leeds Mediation can take 12 participants per course (or £834 each) which compares to £2,200 each over 4 days in Exeter (the cheapest commercial provider found). They teach co-mediation so each workplace would need 2 trainees (unless they can work across different workplaces). Suma would like 4 places, so there are another 8 (or 4 pairs) up for grabs. Who wants them? It will mean travelling probably to Leeds for the once a week training days. Participants may be able to identify funds to subsides costs eg  Train to Gain. Contact bob.cannell@phonecoop.coop

The Social Investment Business: Investing for Good, Transforming Lives 

The Social Investment Business is the largest social investor in the UK, with £400 million to invest through loan finance, support and, in some cases, additional grant finance. We currently manage four funds: The Futurebuilders England Fund, that helps organisations to increase their capacity to deliver public services; The Modernisation Fund, a short-term fund, helping organisations that directly support people suffering with effects of the recession; the Social Enterprise Investment Fund, which invests in organisations working in Health and Social Care and; the Community builders that aims to strengthen organisations towards more cohesive communities. Each of our funds has a different focus, meaning we can support a broad range of proposals. Supported projects must benefit people living in England and the organisation must be willing to use loan finance. Talk to us at Fast Forward or contact us on 0191 261 5200 or enquires@socialinvestmentbusiness.org

Free Innovation Vouchers 

The Innovation Vouchers Scheme makes it possible for 'SMEs' in our region to win vouchers worth £3,000. The vouchers can be 'spent' at Yorkshire 's universities and other academic institutions, purchasing knowledge and expertise which will help the businesses to innovate, compete and succeed. If you own or manage a small- or medium-sized business (that is, up to 250 employees), and you have a business innovation idea that you want to develop, you can apply for an Innovation Voucher worth £3,000. The vouchers are funded by Yorkshire Forward, and delivered by Business Link Yorkshire. Visit http://tinyurl.com/yhuaoke (Business Link) for more info and how to apply.

MSc in Social Enterprise Business Democracy 2011 

Sheffield University are offering an MSc in Social Enterprise Business
Democracy. Its various modules can be studied separately. Of particular
interest to co-operatives is the module on Democratic Management, Ownership and Governance (Business Democracy). For more information, please contact Dr Rory Ridley-Duff, at Fast Forward or on 0114 225 5247 and r.ridley-duff@shu.ac.uk

Greener Together - the co-operative way
Co-operatives UK want to hear from co-operatives big and small – that could work with their members to change their individual habits in energy, personal transport and waste. Many co-operatives are already doing great things to get their members to live in a more sustainable way. Take one more step with us and help your members demonstrate just what a significant impact they can make. Defra has recognised the strength of our collective approach and is sponsoring the Greener Together programme as part of its Greener Living Fund. 

Co-operatives UK are looking for thirty organisations that are committed to finding a voluntary eco-operator who will lead the project in their co-operative. Greener Together will provide all the support needed to get started: information and promotional materials; dedicated website and forum; financial support (up to £2000 per co-operative); a dedicated support officer. www.greenertogether.coop 

Co-operatives Yorkshire & the Humber is funded by the Co-operative Enterprise Hub.