Training: Community Shares - An Introduction

About the training

Community shares have proven to be a game-changer for local economies. By providing a route to raise patient, democratic capital, they reduce dependence on grants and enable businesses to grow sustainably through trading.

These community-owned businesses are co-operatively designed and democratically-run by local people, and built to re-invest value back into their communities – the very opposite of extractive models that drain wealth from places. 

Format

• This training course will take place online for 1.5 hours
• A presentation will be delivered, followed by a Q&A session

How much does it cost?

This is a free event.

What attendees will learn

The basics of community shares funding. This is essential learning for community groups, grant funders, infrastructure bodies, and business development practitioners interested in specialising in community shares.

Who should attend

• Community groups considering sustainable funding and governance options
• Societies considering launching a community share offer
• Business development practitioners considering specialising in community shares
• Infrastructure bodies who want to better understand how to support groups move away from grant dependency

About the trainers

Alice Wharton specialises in standards relating to the use of community shares (with-drawable, non-transferable share capital). She leads on the continued development, innovation and management of best practice guidance and ethical regulations and standards, including the Standard Mark and the Community Shares Handbook.

John Dawson works with external partners to raise the profile of community shares, and internal colleagues to deliver our work to inspire more communities to use this unique form of investment. John has a career history working in community enterprise, with a focus on business planning and investment. Previously John has worked for the funder Power to Change leading a number of their social investment programmes and has worked hands-on supporting community organisations, including as a licensed community shares practitioner.