Following Anne Miller's request for help with rural regeneration, here's something fromthe co-operators that might help. xx's j ***************** ---------- From: Ron Levesque <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: Cooperative-bus <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Readers' Focus Date: Tue, Oct 5, 1999, 7:31 pm Hello all, Our first foray into soliciting comments on the �cooperative-bus� for our Reader�s Focus section went well enough for us to attempt to make it a regular occurrence (so long as people contribute, but that�s the goal of this list). With that said, The Atlantic Co-operator will be doing a special section on Rural Atlantic Canada for its November issue. We�d like to invite comments on the following Readers� Focus question: How can co-operatives and credit unions effect positive change in rural communities? (you may also read the question as �How can co-operatives and credit unions counter negative change in rural communities?�) Can they do it on their own? What needs to happen for rural communities to survive? Give some examples from your part of the world where co-operatives and credit unions have made a difference in rural communities. At the risk of leading the answers, I found a list of "20 clues to rural community survival" published in Making Waves (a Canadian CED publication but in the context of an interview with a founder of the Heartland Center for Leadership Development - http://www.infoanalytic.com/heartland ) that I�m reproducing here to help spur discussion... 20 clues to rural community survival... 1. Evidence of community pride 2. Emphasis on quality in business and community life 3. Willingness to invest in the future 4. Participatory approach to community decision making 5. Co-operative community spirit 6. Realistic appraisal of future opportunities 7. Awareness of competitive positioning 8. Knowledge of the physical environment 9. Active economic development program 10. Deliberate transition of power to a younger generation of leaders 11. Acceptance of women in leadership roles 12. Strong belief in and support for education 13. Problem-solving approach to providing health care 14. Strong multi-generational family orientation. 15. Strong presence of traditional institutions that are integral to community life 16. Attention to sound and well-maintained infrastructure 17. Careful use of fiscal resources 18. Sophisticated use of information resources 19. Willingness to seek help from the outside 20. Conviction that, in the long run, you have to do it yourself. As always, all comments and suggestions are welcome... Ron Levesque, Managing editor
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