CDI is pleased to announce that we are supporting the Cooperative Financial Education Kit, a new resource developed by and for the cooperative movement, with a donation of $3,000.
What is the Cooperative Financial Education Kit?
The Cooperative Finance Education Kit bridges the gap between financial literacy skills and justice-oriented organizing by creating a free, digitally downloadable multimedia toolkit that will be available in both Spanish and English.
This education kit will strengthen economic justice and cooperative movements by supporting co-ops, collectives, developers, and other justice oriented groups to develop financial skills and financial systems steeped in anti-oppression and collective ideology.
To learn more about the project, visit the kit’s webpage or read an article about the kit.
The Cooperative Financial Education Kit is being designed by Open Bookkeeping, AORTA, ABC, and TESA Collective in collaboration with over a dozen project partners. In their research, the collaborative working on the kit found that existing resources are English-only, culturally insensitive, cost-prohibitive, dry in presentation and linear in design. That’s why their kit will be free, available in both English and Spanish, center storytelling and popular education training techniques and provide many access points.
Why does CDI support it?
We at CDI are really excited that these wonderful groups are coming together to create a much-needed resource, and that we can support their work.
The cooperative principles of democratic governance and participation require that members be informed and capable of understanding what their cooperative is doing. So we all need to invest in Principle 5—education and training—to make sure that co-op members can do that, in ways that erode existing power imbalances.
Knowledge is power, and shared knowledge means shared power. We’re particularly pleased that this kit uses engaging, popular education techniques, so that the material doesn’t turn off people who would benefit from it.
How can you participate and show your support?
The Cooperative Financial Education Kit is still fundraising! If you or or your organization stand to benefit from the kit, consider learning more and supporting it with a donation here.
You can also help spread the word about the kit. Watch and share the kit video below, or share this bilingual article about the kit with a friend or fellow cooperator.