GLOBAL YOUTH FORUM
Siôn Whellens is a worker co-operator with Calverts, a graphic design and printing co-op in London, UK. He is a Vice President of CECOP, the European network of cooperatives in industry and services, and also serves on the board of CICOPA, the global federation.
Siôn is also a cooperative organiser and advocate with the Principle Six partnership. He specialises in advising and training community and worker coop startup groups, and helping with coop business conversions.
GYF20 was a unique opportunity to share experiences and knowledge with young co-operators, across four days that combined formal workshops with social interaction in a relaxed and beautiful setting. It was a privilege to be invited to deliver my training on the subject of ‘practical governance’. My groups were engaged and critical. We looked at different types of democracy and cultures of participation in coops of different types and sizes, focussing finally on the emerging practice of dynamic governance, or ‘sociocracy’, in coops and ending with a lively practical session on consent-based decision making in small groups.
