---
title: '1: Coop Principles & Power'
collection: Cooperative Foundations
path: 'Cooperative Foundations/Peer Support Playbook/1: Coop Principles & Power'
parentDocument: Peer Support Playbook
outlineId: 835d4a9f-a45c-4880-a739-e5c74e41e772
updatedAt: '2026-03-02T17:43:21.809Z'
createdBy: Jennie R.F.
---
## **What happens in session**

In this session, we cover cooperative history and lineages, crediting Global South, Indigenous, Black, women's traditions, not just Rochdale. We also review the 7 ICA Principles.

The theme is moving from principles to personal values.



:::tip
**Homework assigned:** individual journaling, team values map (with PS), and individual prep for The Talk (Session 2).

:::


### :eyes: **Your role during session**

* Observe small group activity (cooperative lineage sharing) - note whose stories are shared
* Listen for how studios talk about values - vague or specific?


## **This week's Studio Support Meeting: Values Mapping**

### **📚 Materials**

* Studio Miro board with Values Mapping template
* 7 Principles reference


### **👆 Before the session**

* Confirm everyone completed their individual journaling (Session 1 homework)
* Ensure the studio Miro board has the template
* Have the 7 Principles visible (on the board or screen-shared)


### **🌊 Session flow**

#### **Check-in (5 min)**

Individual sharing (15-20 min) - Each person shares 3-5 values from their individual reflection.

Prompts:

* "What values came up when you did the journaling?"
* "You don't need to explain or justify."

As they share: each person adds values to the Miro board (stickies in their colour/section). No discussion - just capture.

Watch for: someone dominating or going first every time; someone staying quiet - invite them in gently; values that sound the same but might mean different things to different people.


#### **Noticing patterns (10-15 min)**

Look at the board together.

Prompts:

* "What do you notice?"
* "Where do you see overlap?"
* "Any surprises?"
* "Are there values that seem similar but might mean different things to different people?"

  \

> Example to offer: "Transparency" - does it mean open documents? Open conversations? Both? Neither? What exactly is meant?


**Connecting to the 7 Principles (10 min)**

Look at the ICA principles together.

**Prompts**:

* "Do you see connections between your values and these principles?"
* "Draw lines or group things if it helps."
  * This can be loose - don't let them fixate on making a beautiful diagram. The point is seeing that their values connect to a larger cooperative tradition.


#### **To bring back to Session 2 (5 min)**

**Prompts**:

* "What's one thing you learned about where your team aligns or diverges?"
* * *You'll share this in Session 2 - doesn't need to be polished.*
  * Have someone write it down or capture it on the board.


#### **Community agreements contribution (5 min)**

"Based on this conversation, are there 1-2 values you'd propose adding to the cohort community agreements?" Capture these to bring back to the full group.


### :star: **Tips**


If someone is dominating:

* "Let's hear from someone who hasn't shared yet."


If no one talks… awkward silence:

* "Take a minute to look at the board silently. What stands out?"


If tension emerges

* "Sounds like there are some different perspectives here. That's useful but we don't need to resolve it today."


If they want to debate definitions:

* "It's okay to mean different things. The goal is simply to notice where you might need to clarify later."


If time runs short:

* Prioritize steps 2-3 (sharing and noticing). The principles connection and agreements contribution can be done async if needed.

  \

### **🏁After the session**

* Note any tensions/surprises for your PS check-in
* Remind the team to bring their learnings to Session 2\n

### **👉 Also this week**

#### **Make sure they're prepping for The Talk**

Session 2 homework includes individual prep on four topics: financial reality, time/availability, skills/contributions, decision-making styles. 



:::warning
They need to *write their answers down* before Session 2. Check that they're doing this!

:::


### :triangular_flag_on_post: **Red flags to watch for**

* A studio that can't name any values beyond "we want to make good games" - don't we all! Too vague.
* One person speaking for the group about "our" values
* Values that are all abstract with no grounding in practice