What are co-operatives?
The cooperative movement began in Europe during the 19th century, primarily in Britain and France, as a response to the Industrial Revolution. This period saw significant social and economic changes, with many workers facing harsh conditions and economic instability. The movement aimed to protect workers’ rights and improve their livelihoods through collective ownership and democratic management of businesses. One of the earliest successful cooperatives was the Rochdale Society of Equitable Pioneers, founded in 1844 by a group of 28 weavers in Rochdale, England. They established the “Rochdale Principles,” which became the foundation for modern cooperative practices12.
Our Co-op has been in service to the 2SLGBTQIA+ community since 2013 when Rainbow Health Cooperative arose out of a community initiative, and we began training facilitators and hosting peer support groups.
ChrŸs Tei, as a person in recovery and co-founder of Rainbow Health Cooperative, came to trust the transformational nature of chaordic, group-based peer support through her own experience in AA’s 12 Step Program.
Reflecting this, Rainbow Health Cooperative developed and delivered peer support programs that covered interests from neurodiversity to all gender vocal practices. At the core of all of these circles is the Hans Kai Wellness program.
Rainbow Health was retired from service at the end of 2023 and replaced with two cooperatives that together model a new kind of community services organization to address the loss of personnel across the entire healthcare sector. The two coops are:
Tau Wellness Cooperative (TAU) is a cross-generational nonprofit workers co-op. Tau is gender/neuro diverse/Indigenous centric. Our focus is gender wellness that integrates mind, body, and spirit.
Our_Community Health Initiative Cooperative (O_CHI) is our (pending) charity for funding purposes and manages our training and research.
As an evidence-based community services developer, we use quantitative and qualitative data to design our programs.
We are ‘systemic-change initiators’.
Our Work Today
We transform our theories of systemic change into community improvements through reciprocal, reiterative, pilot programs that strive to be present more than perfect.
These pilot programs create living wage livelihood for equity deserving community members through development and delivery of:
Community wellness services
3 Mothers Medicine Camps are a new standard of community wellness programming grown in a cross-generational, self-sustaining ecosystem that includes pre/post natal care, a youth performing arts troupe, and elder’s self-care practice through arts and crafts.
Community Knowledge Exchanges
Spectrum Quarterly is Western Canada’s Community Services Directory and Diversity Network. Spectrum Q provides the answer to the “10 Things Everyone Should Know About Where They Live.”
Community Wellness Training
Community Wellness Worker (CWW) training is a three year, self-directed, program that combines online and in person training in therapeutic touch, therapeutic arts, and therapeutic trance.
Co-ops provide opportunities where none existed, Get Started Today
Address
PO Box 694, T’Sou-ke Nation Territories, Sooke BC V9Z1H6
Phone
888 241-2992
