Does anyone use or work for a co-operative nursery?

[Katymac]

Apologies if I have asked this before but this seems like a way of structuring my nursery.

I did search the archives but couldn't find anything relevent

How does it work?
Does it make a difference?
If so how?

TIA
KMc

I use one - ours is not for profit, and parents work shifts. (It used to technically be a cooperative, but as it never made a profit, we stopped that.)

If you want to feel it is your nursery, and if you want/need to make a profit, then cooperative isn't the way forward.

Ours is run by, and owned by, the parents. The parents even used to do the ofsted stuff, although we don't any more, thank god. (We have a nursery manager for that.)

It does work really well, and parents are very involved. I think it makes settling in a bit harder, though, as we can't send away children, and of course their parents sometimes stay to work their shifts.

Thanks NQC - I think ours might be different as it will be the staff that will be in the co-op I think

Ah, right, that's a different beast.

Hmmm, putting staff in the co-op would make them more interested in the nursery's success. Would you retain a controlling interest? Would you expect new staff to buy shares?

No - my input would be as a loan, so even if I was voted out as a manager the loan would still have to be repaid

I hope I don't get voted out as manager & we are discussing that if I were voted out the loan would immediatley be repayable (but that seems a bit mean, although would 'protect' me)

Then the staff would vote in a board (I would be MD) & the board would make the decisions

Hmmm, I think it sounds more 'natural' if you actually own a good chunk of the nursery ... dunno. I like clear control structures.

Me too

But if we are a co-op we can borrow the money with a better deal (eg over 20 yrs instead of 10) which is much more viable

No one will leand me money on a building I do not own (25yr lease)

Ah, now I see the point.

I can see it could help with staff retention, and having your staff feel truly involved in the nursery, both of which are real issues with nurseries, from what I know.

I am hoping it will encourage 'ownership' - it is their nursery

If they let stuff get damaged that will directly impact on their bonus that year (iyswim)

Also if the nursery does well it impacts directly on them as it is theirs - do you think?

Yes, absolutely. This makes total sense.

Staff retention and happiness is such a struggle for nurseries. The market pay rate is dreadful, but of course nurseries can't afford to pay more, so staff feel undervalued, and move jobs easily.

It's funny employers believe that money is the prime motivator, when actually being told you have done a good job and being appreciated it far more important.

I hope that ownership will help with that

The co-op lady is coming to talk to me tomorrow

Fingers crossed