Community Shares: Practitioner Training

About the programme

This training programme will consist of content led by Alice Wharton (Community Shares Standards and Investment Manager, Co-operatives UK) and a team of community shares experts. It will cover the breadth of topics required to develop and launch a community shares offer.

Following this training, participants will be able to complete assessments, to become a Registered practitioners deemed competent to provide community shares advice, guidance and mentoring to new and established community businesses. 

Following becoming accredited as a Registered practitioner, there will also be the opportunity to train to become a Fully Licensed practitioner, who is additionally accredited to award the Community Shares Standard Mark.

Format

• This training course will take place online, each session running from 9.30am to 1.30pm
• The sessions will consist of presentations, guest speakers and Q&A sessions
• The participants will be provided with pre- and post-session reading

What attendees will learn

How to support a group to develop and launch a successful community shares offer.

Who should attend

This training programme is aimed at practitioners who already provide business and funding support in the social, community, and voluntary sectors, or who are involved in running co-operative or community businesses.

It assumes some prior knowledge in the above areas but not any in-depth understanding of community shares. We aim to attract a diverse range of practitioners who can bring their own distinct experience and expertise to community shares.

The programme will be delivered to a cohort of successful applicants who will work through the content together and be able to network and learn from each other throughout the process. There will also be an introductory session prior to the formal workshops to allow the cohort to get to know each other and their backgrounds and experiences.

The sessions

1. Introductory session (online, 7 January)

An introduction to community shares, covering their origins, the Community Shares Standard Mark, available support, and the role, training and accreditation of Community Shares Practitioners.

2. Community engagement (online, 21 January)

Explores how community engagement can create competitive advantage, identify potential investors, build inclusive participation, and convert community support into investment.

3. Governance (online, 18 February)

An overview of the legal and governance framework for community benefit and co-operative societies, including rules, asset locks, registration, conversion, and share offer document requirements.

4. Business planning (online, 18 March)

Introduces business planning for community enterprises, including key plan components, the role of capital, available funding sources, and the place of withdrawable share capital.

5. Financial forecasting (online, 25 March)

Covers the financial forecasts required for community share offers, including profit and loss, cash flow, balance sheets, share interest, withdrawals, and finance summaries.

6. Share offer document and the Standard Mark (online, 22 April)

Examines investor behaviour, legal fundraising limits, the share offer document, preparing for an offer launch, fundraising platforms, DIY websites, and Shariah compliance.

7. Managing share capital (online, 20 May)

Covers the ongoing legal, policy and operational requirements for managing community share capital, including member investments and subsequent share offers.

Book your place

Book your place on the community shares practitioners training. There are two options when booking:

• £1,400 + VAT for the workshops only
• £1,500 + VAT for the workshops and assessment to become a registered community shares practitioner

The price includes one year's free Co-operatives UK Supporter subscription.