Vancouver’s Cooperative Landscape

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Application ID: 001217
This project is completed.
Attachments
There are no files attached to this project.
Project Description
Project Title
Vancouver’s Cooperative Landscape
Project Abstract (written upon completion)
 
What is the central research question you want answered?
What are the objectives of your project?
What are existing sources of funding for cooperative development in Vancouver?
Project Type
Computer Related     
Creative     
Formal Research     
 Organizational Development     
Survey     
Other  
Size of Project (Number of pages, minutes, cm, etc.)
The project will entail identifying possible funding sources and writing a grant.
Project Description (Use this space to further elaborate on the project)
The student will be responsible for researching organizations that may accept grant proposals, and for tailoring the proposal to the organization(s) that they determine are interested in cooperative development in Vancouver.
How do you plan to use the results of this project?
The goal is that the grant raises enough funds so that the Vancouver Media Cooperative can hire a grassroots organizer to organize an event that raises the level of general awareness about cooperatives in the public, as well as generating new connections between existing cooperatives in Vancouver.
What larger goal is served by undertaking this project?
The grant will serve to coordinate the following three activities:

1. create a list of cooperatives in Metro Vancouver that can be made available online and distributed by various cooperatives.
2. bring together people from various cooperatives in different sectors to talk about how they organize, what works and what doesn’t, but mostly to highlight what the role of cooperatives may be and how to increase the visibility of cooperatives in a changing economic context.
3. Hold a community/public event about cooperatives to raise awareness about this form of organizing.
The Organization
Organization Name
Vancouver Media Cooperative
What community do you represent or work with?
We work with various communities from throughout BC who are interested in critical, alternative, grassroots media.
What is your organization/group's goal or mandate?
The Media Co-op is a coast-to-coast network of local Media Cooperatives dedicated to providing grassroots, democratic coverage. The Vancouver Media Co-op is a local node in an emerging network of Media Co-op sites.

"Grassroots" means that for each topic we cover, we talk to the people directly affected by policies or activities first. Once a journalist thoroughly understands the story of those directly affected and has time and resources left over, she brings their questions to those making the decisions: politicians, corporate executives, and so on.

This approach stems from a certain kind of common sense: if we start by talking to the people who have a vested interest in (and experience with) spinning, framing or outright lying to their own advantage, then we're not likely to get the real story. The approach also takes the position that what is actually happening on the ground is more important than what influential people are saying about what's going on.
Are you a registered not-for-profit?
Yes
Contact Information
Contact Person
Dawn Paley
  
Position
Organizer, Vancouver Media Cooperative
Mailing Address
743 Keefer Street Vancouver BC V6A1Y6
Telephone
604 630 6864
Fax
 
Email
dawn@mediacoop.ca
  
Alternate Telephone
 
Alternate Fax
 
Alternate Email
vmc@mediacoop.ca
Project Plan of Action
Duration of Project
Smaller (One semester)
If you know the duration more specifically, please indicate here
Best would be if the student could start in September, the event could be held in early November and the directory compiled by late November.
What are the specific deliverables that you expect of the student?
Please outline the specific deliverables the student researcher will be responsible for, such as essay, report, documentary, pamphlet, etc.
Estimated time commitment per week
Unless otherwise arranged, undergraduate students will not be expected to work more than 4 hours per week on projects as these are replacing regular class assignments and term papers. Four hours per week should be sufficient.
Liaison
Liaison Name
Dawn Paley
  
Liaison Position
Organizer, Vancouver Media Co-operative
Liason Contact Info (If different from above)
 
How much time per week will the
liaison be available to the project?
While the time commitment is an agreement made at the beginning of the project between the student and the liaison, we suggest that the community liaison be available to provide support to the student for at least 2 hours a week. Two hours a week.
How will the liaison provide direction and support to the project?
Orient the student on how to research and contact co-ops, help with logistics for event, help define a format for putting together a directory of contacts.
Student Researcher
Student area of study/experience
Community Economic Development, Labour Studies, Sociology, Women’s studies, Economics, Communications.
Student skills/attributes
Self starter, able to work independently with minimal supervision.
Student related interests
This would be a great position for someone interested in learning the lay of the land in Vancouver in terms of cooperatives and economic alternatives.

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