Drawing on the insights of experienced co-op developers locally, across the country and internationally, our research examines critical factors that affect the success of co-operatives and highlights effective practices to support their development.
The BCICS, in collaboration with CCEDNEt, was the host organization for the Canadian Social Economy Hub. The Hub is a five year project which seeks to understand how the approaches of the Social Economy can be better understood and applied within Canadian communties and organisations.
We examine the role co-operatives take in contributing to the maintainance and building of peace in areas affected by conflict, crisis, and natural disasters. Our work provides an interesting view of how co-operatives are responding to conflict, contributing to democratic processes and rebuilding in the societies they operate in.
BCICS seeks to engage youth interested in the co-operative model and co-operation. Through conferences, books and fun/educational online resources, we attempt provide much needed youth-oriented information on co-ops. Our research also explores how youth think about and use co-operatives to meet their social and economic needs.
Much of the early history of British Columbia's co-operative movement is unknown and not researched, however through our many collected stories and case studies we seek to show the vital roles co-operatives played, and today continue to have, within the different sectors of BC's economy, rural communities, and among ethnic and religious groups in our province.
"Credit Unions occupy a unique and important place within the co-operative movement because they are co-op units themselves and can, and should, furnish the financial basis on which to build other co-operative insitutions." - Arthur J. Warwick, BC Credit Unionist, 1943
The values of the Open Source software movement parallel those of the co-operative movement. All BCICS’s online projects and its web servers run entirely on Open Source software. BCICS trains all its technical and non-technical staff to use Open Source technologies.
BCICS works with community groups and co-operators locally, nationally and beyond to organise educational forums and materials about the co-op model and the application of that model for meeting social and economic needs. BCICS staff and students are involved in the local community and actively support community projects.
Welcome
The Centre for Co-operative and Community-Based Economy is a focal point on campus for the promotion of interdisciplinary research and learning on subjects related to co-operative and community-based economy engaging faculty members from the University of Victoria and elsewhere, graduate and undergraduate students, and members of the wider community.
What’s new from the Centre
Professor David Leach from the University of Victoria Department of Writing and a Faculty Research Fellow at the Centre for Co-operative and Community-Based Economy will explore the changes in the internal relations and the external perceptions of Israel’s famous communal movement, and what this history can teach Canadian communities and institutions March 18th 4-5pm Bob Wright Centre A104. More>>
Guest Speakers Ashley Akins, Director of Mosqoy and President of the Q'ente Textile Revitalization Society; and Rolando Auccapuri Iturriaga, Mosqoy Alumnus and 2010 Mosqoy Ambassador will share the indigenous traditions and lifestyles of Quechua communities in the Sacred Valley of Peru, and the perpetual challenges they face in trying to keep their culture alive 5 February, 11:30 am-1:00 pm at Ceremonial Hall, First Peoples House, UVic. Enjoy the textile fair and refreshments. More...