Forming a group - Revision history

Ruby: /* Getting to know each other */

2026-02-05T11:13:57Z

Getting to know each other

← Older revision		Revision as of 11:13, 5 February 2026
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	Look out for opportunities to work and spend time together as a group. Attending work weekends at other co-ops as a group is good because you get to try out working together. You can have lots of informal discussion about what you would or wouldn't like to do the same as the co-op you are visiting and support another co-op all at the same time!		Look out for opportunities to work and spend time together as a group. Attending work weekends at other co-ops as a group is good because you get to try out working together. You can have lots of informal discussion about what you would or wouldn't like to do the same as the co-op you are visiting and support another co-op all at the same time!

	If you get the chance to live together before you buy a co-op property, take it. Even with all the meetings and activities in the world you can never quite know what it's going to be like to live with someone until you do. Before you move in together talk about how you imagine living together, what are your likes and dislikes, what level of tidyness, noise, guests, etc.		If you get the chance to live together before you buy a co-op property, take it. Even with all the meetings and activities in the world you can never quite know what it's going to be like to live with someone until you do. Before you move in together talk about how you imagine [[living together]], what are your likes and dislikes, what level of tidyness, noise, guests, etc.

	== Start up Admin ==		== Start up Admin ==

Sim.brighton at 11:08, 5 December 2025

2025-12-05T11:08:16Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 11:08, 5 December 2025
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	You should be clear if you do want to be specialised before you start recruiting. Once you have a large group of people who feel involved in a project it's very hard to exclude anyone for not fitting the bill unless that has been explicit from the beginning.		You should be clear if you do want to be specialised before you start recruiting. Once you have a large group of people who feel involved in a project it's very hard to exclude anyone for not fitting the bill unless that has been explicit from the beginning.


	==Physical aspects==		==Physical aspects==

Sim.brighton: /* Start up Admin */

2025-12-05T10:51:26Z

Start up Admin

← Older revision		Revision as of 10:51, 5 December 2025
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	It can be useful to start discussing your [[Secondary Rules]] before you have your home. These rules decide a lot about how you live together, and could reduce conflict in the group. This gives you a chance to find out more about each other, and practice reaching consensus. It may help you figure out if you have different ideas about what the co-op should be like.		It can be useful to start discussing your [[Secondary Rules]] before you have your home. These rules decide a lot about how you live together, and could reduce conflict in the group. This gives you a chance to find out more about each other, and practice reaching consensus. It may help you figure out if you have different ideas about what the co-op should be like.

	Think about how you will take minutes and record meeting decisions. This is only required once you have [[legally ~~registering~~ as a housing coop]], but it is good practise to do so from earlier, and you may find it useful to look back on these later to check decisions that were made early on.		Think about how you will take minutes and record meeting decisions. This is only required once you have [https://toolkit.radicalroutes.org.uk/wiki/Legally_registering_as_a_housing_coop legally registered as a housing coop], but it is good practise to do so from earlier, and you may find it useful to look back on these later to check decisions that were made early on.

	Choose one place where meeting minutes can be kept that everyone can see. Whether that’s a shared google drive, dropbox, etc, it can be frustrating later if you realise you have taken minutes at every meeting, but have stored them all in different places making them hard to find.		Choose one place where meeting minutes can be kept that everyone can see. Whether that’s a shared google drive, dropbox, etc, it can be frustrating later if you realise you have taken minutes at every meeting, but have stored them all in different places making them hard to find.

Sim.brighton: /* Start up Admin */

2025-12-05T10:49:57Z

Start up Admin

← Older revision		Revision as of 10:49, 5 December 2025
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	It can be useful to start discussing your [[Secondary Rules]] before you have your home. These rules decide a lot about how you live together, and could reduce conflict in the group. This gives you a chance to find out more about each other, and practice reaching consensus. It may help you figure out if you have different ideas about what the co-op should be like.		It can be useful to start discussing your [[Secondary Rules]] before you have your home. These rules decide a lot about how you live together, and could reduce conflict in the group. This gives you a chance to find out more about each other, and practice reaching consensus. It may help you figure out if you have different ideas about what the co-op should be like.

	Think about how you will take minutes and record meeting decisions. This is only ~~legally~~ required once you have [[~~registered~~]] ~~as a co-op~~, but it is good practise to do so from earlier, and you may find it useful to look back on these later to check decisions that were made early on.		Think about how you will take minutes and record meeting decisions. This is only required once you have [[legally registering as a housing coop]], but it is good practise to do so from earlier, and you may find it useful to look back on these later to check decisions that were made early on.

	Choose one place where meeting minutes can be kept that everyone can see. Whether that’s a shared google drive, dropbox, etc, it can be frustrating later if you realise you have taken minutes at every meeting, but have stored them all in different places making them hard to find.		Choose one place where meeting minutes can be kept that everyone can see. Whether that’s a shared google drive, dropbox, etc, it can be frustrating later if you realise you have taken minutes at every meeting, but have stored them all in different places making them hard to find.

Sim.brighton: /* Start up Admin */

2025-12-05T10:48:25Z

Start up Admin

← Older revision		Revision as of 10:48, 5 December 2025
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	== Start up Admin ==		== Start up Admin ==
	It can be useful to start discussing your [[~~secondary rules~~]] before you have your home. These rules decide a lot about how you live together, and could reduce conflict in the group. This gives you a chance to find out more about each other, and practice reaching consensus. It may help you figure out if you have different ideas about what the co-op should be like.		It can be useful to start discussing your [[Secondary Rules]] before you have your home. These rules decide a lot about how you live together, and could reduce conflict in the group. This gives you a chance to find out more about each other, and practice reaching consensus. It may help you figure out if you have different ideas about what the co-op should be like.

	Think about how you will take minutes and record meeting decisions. This is only legally required once you have [[registered]] as a co-op, but it is good practise to do so from earlier, and you may find it useful to look back on these later to check decisions that were made early on.		Think about how you will take minutes and record meeting decisions. This is only legally required once you have [[registered]] as a co-op, but it is good practise to do so from earlier, and you may find it useful to look back on these later to check decisions that were made early on.

	Choose one place where meeting minutes can be kept that everyone can see. Whether that’s a shared google drive, dropbox, etc, it can be frustrating later if you realise you have taken minutes at every meeting, but have stored them all in different places making them hard to find.		Choose one place where meeting minutes can be kept that everyone can see. Whether that’s a shared google drive, dropbox, etc, it can be frustrating later if you realise you have taken minutes at every meeting, but have stored them all in different places making them hard to find.

Sim.brighton: /* Recruiting */

2025-12-05T10:46:29Z

Recruiting

← Older revision		Revision as of 10:46, 5 December 2025
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	Make clear in your adverts that this isn't like offering a room for rent in a house share. You need to find people willing to commit time and energy to setting up the co-op, running the co-op, and going through all the stress and strain of finding and buying a property. It's as much advertising a job or volunteer role as it is offering a place to live. You need someone who can see the benefits of that, [[Housing Co-ops - What and Why?#Why set up a Housing Co-op?\|of which there are plenty.]]		Make clear in your adverts that this isn't like offering a room for rent in a house share. You need to find people willing to commit time and energy to setting up the co-op, running the co-op, and going through all the stress and strain of finding and buying a property. It's as much advertising a job or volunteer role as it is offering a place to live. You need someone who can see the benefits of that, [[Housing Co-ops - What and Why?#Why set up a Housing Co-op?\|of which there are plenty.]]

	You may find you already need to start thinking about [[membership procedures]]. Even before you have official membership, you need to think about how you will decide who can join the group.		You may find you already need to start thinking about membership procedures. Even before you have official membership, you need to think about how you will decide who can join the group.

	You also need to be clear with people about what they are likely to get out of the project. Will you be able to house everybody? Will some people go on a waiting list? It's really important to make sure everyone supporting the project understands the plan.		You also need to be clear with people about what they are likely to get out of the project. Will you be able to house everybody? Will some people go on a waiting list? It's really important to make sure everyone supporting the project understands the plan.

Rowan at 11:59, 18 November 2023

2023-11-18T11:59:52Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 11:59, 18 November 2023
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	~~{{mbox~~
	~~\|text=This page is NOT ready at all, I am coming back to it, please do NOT expect to learn anything useful here yet. Sorry!~~
	}}

	== What is important to you and your co-op? ==		== What is important to you and your co-op? ==

Darael: 5 revisions imported

2023-11-16T15:40:30Z

5 revisions imported

← Older revision	Revision as of 15:40, 16 November 2023
(No difference)

Rowan: removed "Start up finance" as it is duplicated in its own section

2022-11-22T17:12:11Z

removed "Start up finance" as it is duplicated in its own section

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:12, 22 November 2022
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	Choose one place where meeting minutes can be kept that everyone can see. Whether that’s a shared google drive, dropbox, etc, it can be frustrating later if you realise you have taken minutes at every meeting, but have stored them all in different places making them hard to find.		Choose one place where meeting minutes can be kept that everyone can see. Whether that’s a shared google drive, dropbox, etc, it can be frustrating later if you realise you have taken minutes at every meeting, but have stored them all in different places making them hard to find.

	~~== Start up finance ==~~
	Somewhere between first meeting as a group and getting a property you will find you need to spend some money. You might need money for travel to meetings and workdays or for registration fees. You could have a whip round when necessary, but for people on low incomes the possibility of being asked for money unexpectedly can be worrying. A 'subscription' system, where every member pays say, £5 per week into a kitty can be a good way of spreading costs, and it can help clarify who is committed to the group. Be clear about whether everyone paying subscription has been accepted for membership.

	~~If you keep [[good records]] of this income, and expenditure made against it, the income can be recorded as a loan to the co-op and repaid later if the project gets off the ground.~~

	~~Having a pot of money which you manage together is also a good chance to practice consensus decision making as a group.~~

	~~Other things co-ops have done to raise money include:~~

	* Asking friends and relatives for donations
	* Holding fundraisers like crowdfunding appeals, jumble sales, car boot sales or benefit gigs
	* Organising sponsored events in aid of your project
	* Asking local companies to make a donation to your cause
	* Applying to charities. You may qualify for help from charities or other grant-making bodies. If some of your members are disabled you might be able to get money from appropriate charities or social services. Get a copy of ‘A guide to the major trusts’ published by the [https://www.dsc.org.uk/ Directory of Social Change], or ask for it at your local reference library. This may also be a route to financial support for buying a property.

Rowan: /* Recruiting */

2022-11-22T17:04:25Z

Recruiting

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:04, 22 November 2022
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	== Recruiting ==		== Recruiting ==
			You should be clear if you do want to be specialised before you start recruiting. Once you have a large group of people who feel involved in a project it's very hard to exclude anyone for not fitting the bill unless that has been explicit from the beginning.

	You may already have a small group of people in mind, but you're likely to find that you need more people to fill up your future home.		You may already have a small group of people in mind, but you're likely to find that you need more people to fill up your future home.