OPEN 2017: Platform Co-ops

Watch the videos from OPEN 2017 – The two day conference on Platform Co-ops, organised by The Open Co-op on the 16 – 17 February 2017.

OPEN 2017 – Introduction

Oliver Sylvester-Bradley introduces the OPEN 2017 – Platform Co-ops conference, highlighting global temperature rise and increasing inequality as issues our failing political institutions are not managing to solve. Open 2017 aimed to bring people from the open source worlds, together with people from the co-op world to encourage mass collaboration and the development of a sustainable, democratic economy.

OPEN 2017 – How we’ve got to here

Trebor Scholtz charts the events which gave rise to the Platform Co-op movement, where we are now and what we need to do next.

OPEN 2017 – Open + Co op: A force to be reckoned with?

JOSEF DAVIES-COATES and LAURA HILLIGER
Imagine if we could combine open practices with co-operative ownership and governance. These two hugely successful movements have the potential to catalyse each other with enormous mutual benefit.

Can the Platform Co-ops movement replace our failing economic and political systems?

OLIVER SYLVESTER-BRADLEY, JOHN THACKARA, BRIANNA WETTLAUFER, and FELIX WETH explore the possibility of a co-owned, democratically controlled nested system of Co-ops superseding our failing economic and political systems.

Creating a positive policy framework

Claire McCarthy, John McDonnell MP, Dirk Holemans, Matthew Brown and Karin Christiansen discuss “What can Governments, Local Authorities and Councils do to enable platform co-ops to flourish?”

Building the international platform co-op movement

Building the international platform co op movement features presentations from:
– Trebor Scholz, Associate Professor for Media & Culture, The New School, NYC
– Nicole Alix, President, La Coop des Communs
– Sebastian Romero, Co-Founder, Vientos
– Elena Como, Research Area Manager, LAMA
– Andrea Rapisardi, President, LAMA

How to incorporate a co-op; Its simpler than you think

This session from the OPEN2017 – Platform Co-ops conference in London looks at the various legal models co-ops can take and how easy it is to set up as a co-op, featuring:
– Rory Ridley-Duff, Reader in Co-operative and Social Enterprise, Sheffield Hallam University
– Dave Boyle, Director, The Community Shares Company
– Solange De Mesmaeker, Head of Communication, SMart
– Sean Dagan Wood, Editor-in-chief, Positive News

A new role for unions?

Shape up or become irrelevant? Unions have a tough choice ahead and gig economy workers need representation! This video features talks from:
– John Park, Assistant General Secretary, Community
– Sarah Ledant, Operations Project Manager, SMartBE
– Jonathan Katona, Pushbike Courier & Vice President, IWGB
– Mags Dewhurst, Bike Courier, CitySprint
As well as a lively discussion on the topic of co-ops and unions in the age of the gig economy.

Linked Open Data for the solidarity economy

A presentation and discussion on Linked Open Data for the solidarity economy with Matt Wallis, Worker, Institute for Solidarity Economics and Jen Williams, Software Developer & Data Consultant, Networked Planet – This was the first time the Map of UK Co-ops project had been shown and discussed in public.

Bringing principle five to life: co-operative education, training and information

A panel session and Q&A with:
– Simon Borkin, Programme Development Lead, Co-operatives UK
– Dr Richard Hull, Programme Director, MA Social Entrepreneurship, Goldsmiths, University of London
– Constance Laisné, Co-Director, Altgen
– Simon Parkinson, Chief Executive & Principal, Co-operative College