Join the Co-op
To join the Co-op, fill out the Co-op sign up form and submit it to the Co-op coordinator. Members will receive a weekly bulletin on all upcoming Co-op workshops and volunteer opportunities. By becoming a member, you will receive priority registration for workshop signups, WMG will track your hours, and you will receive announcements of special opportunities and discounts.
Volunteer Hours Needed to Host a Workshop
|
Project |
Required Household Volunteer Hours |
# of workshops for household with 1 member |
# of workshops for household with 2 members |
# of workshops for household with 4 members |
|
Site Consultation |
4 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
Maintenance Workshop |
8 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
|
Standard Workshop (1 Day) |
16 |
4 |
2 |
1 |
|
Culvert Cistern Workshop (2 Days) |
32 |
8 |
4 |
2 |
Site Consultation: A certified workshop instructor will assist you in designing an integrative site plan for your property.
Maintenance Workshops: A certified Co-op instructor will lead 3-5 volunteers during a 2 hour project to address basic maintenance issues on your home systems.
Standard Workshop (1 Day): A certified Co-op instructor will lead 6-10 volunteers during a four hour project to implement one of the following project options: earthworks, greywater, or plastic cistern.
Culvert Cistern Workshop (2 Days): A certified Co-op instructor will lead 6-10 volunteers during two half-day workshops to install a steel culvert cistern.
Volunteer Options other than Physical Labor
The Co-op strives to include all community members, including those who cannot participate physically in workshops. As such, we offer several alternatives to earn hours, such as through recruiting new members, fundraising, event planning, and occasional office work and mailing events. If interested, please contact the Co-op coordinator to discuss how you can use your skills to earn hours and benefit the Co-op.
Cost to Participate in Co-op
To ensure that all members of the community can afford to participate, the Co-op does not charge for membership. In addition, all workshops are free and open to the public. The Co-op does depend on community support, so we ask that you consider donating at a level that makes financial sense for you and that reflects the value and enrichment that the Co-op brings into your life.
Those who host a workshop (homeowners/renters) need to cover the following costs: materials, administrative fee, snacks and drinks for member volunteers, and the workshop leader’s time ($25/hr with typically 10-20 hours per project).
Additional Subsidies for Low-Income Co-op Members
The Co-op also provides grants to low-income Co-op members regularly through the year. These funds are from grants, business sponsorships, and any funds the Co-op earns beyond yearly operational costs. These grants are offered in March, September, and January. Anyone interested in sponsoring workshops for low-income members should contact the Co-op coordinator.
Project Options Available Through WMG’s Co-op
Our highly trained instructors offer project leadership in the areas of:
- Rainwater harvesting earthworks: landscape features including basins, berms, swales, french drains, terraces, and check dams. Earthworks will be implemented with plants and mulch as desired.
- Greywater systems: gravity-fed systems to irrigate landscapes from laundry, bathroom sink, and showers. We also build outdoor showers.
- Cisterns: Plastic, steel culvert, and ferrocement tanks.
- Food Production: Veggie gardens, fruit trees, and chicken coops.
- Waste management: Composting and mulching.
You may also hire a WMG instructor as a consultant to help you design an integrated site plan for your property. Contact the Co-op coordinator to request consultation.
Difference Between Co-op Workshops and Public Workshops
Co-op workshops are residential workshops whose success is based on the input of volunteer labor to complete projects and reduce the cost of workshops. These workshops are not publicly advertised. The workshops are advertised to Co-op members. If there are not enough Co-op members to fill the workshop, WMG will advertise the workshops to our general volunteer list.
WMG offers a variety of workshops outside of the Co-op program, which include workshops developed with community groups, local businesses, and neighborhood associations. These are not considered Co-op workshops, because the host sites are not Co-op members, and therefore do not contribute their labor to the Co-op. These workshops often have different educational goals and funding sources. Often these workshops are advertised to the general public.