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Virtual MEF and CMC well attended and popular

Published July 22, 2020

The online town halls and webinars held last month to replace the education and networking originally planned for Halifax were very popular with CHF Canada members, with positive reviews from co-op members, managers and staff.

Last month, 136 co-ops signed up to attend our first-ever Virtual Member Education Forum. CHF Canada offered seven webinars over 15 days. Co-ops from across Canada signed up 267 people for a total of 470 webinar log-ins.

That’s 470 opportunities to engage with members that we were very grateful to have in these isolated times. We heard in these sessions about the housing co-op sector’s creativity and resilience, about challenges co-ops are facing, and that more education is needed.

We also learned a lot about webinars: how long they should be, how to make them more interactive and engaging, how to improve registration, and how to better support members with the technical side of things.

Here is what some webinar attendees had to say about the Virtual Member Education Forum:

“This webinar made me realize that all co-ops are having the same problems in handling this critical situation and issues in their co-ops. We can help each other by sharing ideas between our co-ops and CHF Canada.”

“I think it was great. I’m not very technically inclined and I found you catered to folks like me.”

“I love the in-person workshops, but the webinars are wonderfully accessible across the distance, and probably cost for many!”

“Being able to easily attend a national seminar like this was great. (especially a really well done one like this). There is a lot of potential here.”

The Virtual Co-op Managers Conference was also extremely popular, with 86 co-op managers and staff in attendance.

“Feedback from the Virtual CMC was very positive,” said CHF Canada Program Manager, Co-op and Planning Services, René Daoust. “We’re already planning a repeat session for the fall.”

Here’s some of the comments from managers and staff about the Virtual CMC:

Wonderfully done! I thoroughly enjoyed it. Best Zoom meeting I have had to date. Thank you.

The meeting lifted my spirits and affirmed we’re doing a good job in these difficult times.”

“It was a very good virtual meeting! Really appreciate the opportunity to hear what other co-op managers are doing.”


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