JUST RELEASED: HAND IN HAND - A CO-OPERATIVE GUIDE FOR NEWCOMERS TO CANADA A great resource for teachers, newcomers and those who want to learn about co-ops
Saskatchewan Co-operative Association is thrilled to announce the launch of two new co-operative education resources for Newcomers to Canada. Co-operatives are a significant part of the economy in Saskatchewan. Ensuring that Newcomers understand what co-operatives are, the types of jobs they may be able to get, and that they can even work together to make their own jobs and co-operatives can help Newcomers build employment opportunities and economic prosperity for themselves.
Hand in Hand: A Co-operative Guide for Newcomers to Canada (Volumes 1 and 2) are integrated skill resources appropriate for adult ESL/EAL learners and designed for instructors of English language/LINC and employment and career related classes. Hand in Hand provides lessons, handouts, exercises, and activities for instructors to incorporate learning about co-operatives into their teaching.
Hand in Hand, Volumes 1 and 2 is focused on Canadian Language Benchmark levels 1-4 (Volume 1), and 5-12 (Volume 2). We developed the series in consultation with Newcomer agency staff, and the resources were written by someone with experience in Newcomer agencies. This project was made possible thanks to the Canadian Community Economic Development Network (CCEDNet) and our CreateAction intern, Shernette Shaw-Clarke.
Hand in Hand is available free for instructors and Newcomers to use and is available in both print and digital formats.
FCL EARNINGS STRONG THROUGH CHALLENGING CIRCUMSTANCES
In the past five years, FCL has been able to return a total of more than $2.3 billion to local Co-ops.
By focusing on its core business areas, and through the inspiring efforts of local Co-ops, Federated Co-operatives Limited (FCL) successfully navigated changing market conditions and the continued challenges of the pandemic to improve its financial results in 2021.
FCL recorded nearly $9.1 billion in revenue and $495 million in earnings for the financial year ending Oct. 31, 2021, up from $7.9 billion in revenue and $177 million in earnings in 2020. From those earnings, FCL will return $353.5 million to local Co-ops across Western Canada.
Wyth Financial is the new trade name of Concentra Bank.
Wyth is Canada’s 13th-largest bank by total assets, with aspirations to become Canada’s leading mid-market digital bank.
Wyth started as Co-operative Trust Company of Canada (Co-operative Trust). In 2005, SaskCentral and Co-operative Trust teamed up to incorporate Concentra Trust and to create Concentra Financial Services Association, Canada's only federally regulated financial co-operative retail association. Concentra became a Schedule 1 bank on January 1, 2017.
With the arrival of President & CEO Don Coulter in 2018, Concentra Bank embarked on a new strategic direction, which included relaunching as Wyth in 2021. Learn more https://wyth.ca/
STUDY IN IRELAND NEXT YEAR
Co-op study options are available.
Interested in studying co-ops while living in Ireland? Consider the MSc in Co-operatives, Agri-Food and Sustainable Development at Cork University Business School, Ireland currently has 60 full scholarships available for students from non-EU countries. Apply by February 28, 2022.
Short Courses are a quick and easy way to expand your co-op knowledge and skills.
Join the International Centre for Co-operative Management for an exciting short course "Operationalizing the Co-op Identity - Strategy to Practice," April 4-5.
Explore the co-operative identity including how to translate purpose, values, and principles into enterprise strategy and practice. Details and registration information at Managementstudies.coop
CO-OP MERIT AWARD RECIPIENT PROFILES
Highlighting individuals who have made outstanding contributions
to co-operatives and credit unions in Saskatchewan.
SCA wants you to meet the eight recipients of the 2021 and 2020 Co-operative Merit Achievement Awards, which were presented during Co-op Week 2021.
Today, we welcome Stuart Dyrland and Kim Schmidt as Merit Award recipients. Stuart received the 2020 Co-operative Lifetime Achievement Award. Watch his Award video HERE. Kim is the recipient of the 2021 Co-operative Young Leader Award. Click HERE to view her Award video. To see all our award recipients and read about their awards, click HERE.
SCA Member, Co-operators, has posted a link to the Kids Help Phone website, with some mental health tips for coping this holiday season.
Here are four tips:
Stay in contact: try to keep in touch with friends and family. You can schedule a phone call or video chat on the day(s) you celebrate. (It can be a good idea to contact your loved ones whenever you’re feeling homesick, too.)
Meet new people: building new relationships where you are can help you feel more connected and comfortable. Look around your neighbourhood, school or other community group for people you’d like to get to know.
Honour old traditions: celebrate tradition by doing some of the things you typically would during the holidays. This can help you deal with the transition and feel closer to home.
Start new traditions: celebrate the season in your current living space by starting your own holiday traditions. Research fun and unique ways to join the festivities and get your mind off missing home.
Missed one of our Co-operative Spotlight newsletters?
Click on this LINK for a quick and informative read about co-ops & CUs in Saskatchewan
and around the world. It's the perfect complement to our social media feeds.
Looking for more co-op and credit union news?
Visit our SCA Facebook and Twitter feeds, and our Camp Kindling Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages for timely co-operative and credit union news updates.
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Saskatchewan Co-operative Association (SCA) is the apex organization for the province’s 800 co-operatives and credit unions. SCA is incorporated as a community service co-operative and is owned by its members, many of which are co-op federations or associations.
On behalf of the Saskatchewan co-operative community, SCA works to support and promote the co-operative model for community and economic development.
Wyth is Canada’s 13th-largest bank by total assets, with aspirations to become Canada’s leading mid-market digital bank.
Interested in studying co-ops while living in Ireland? Consider the MSc in Co-operatives, Agri-Food and Sustainable Development at Cork University Business School, Ireland currently has 60 full scholarships available for students from non-EU countries. Apply by February 28, 2022.
Here are four tips: 
