Leeds Mindfulness Co-operative offers mindfulness activities and training for individuals, community groups, schools and workplaces in Leeds, Bradford, and Yorkshire particularly in areas with high levels of deprivation. It is incorporated as Community Interest Company (CIC) but operates as a worker co-operative (owned and operated by its employees) to provide services to community stakeholders.
The team of 4 sessional workers and 3 volunteers came together as a co-operative because they enjoy working together and had found that practicing mindfulness had been transformative in their own lives, and they were passionate about sharing this with others.
Laura Smith, Director and Breathworks Mindfulness teacher said, ‘Several of us live in a co-op and understand the benefits of a flat structure. We want all members to have responsibility for running the business and believe that shared decision-making leads to better decision-making. We use the co-op principles as part of our ethical framework.
We are proud of what we do, how we share responsibility and control and have the freedom to work in a way that is in line with our core values.’
The organisation receives grants and has some trading income, for example from offering workplace training and a weekly drop-in meditation session. Prior to setting up the co-op the group had been teaching mindfulness courses from a local Buddhist centre as volunteers, but wanted to expand the reach of their work to people who would benefit but were unable to pay. The CIC legal structure with its asset lock helps them secure grant funding, and the co-operative company structure is the vehicle that allows them to deliver their aims. They work with other co-ops eg Horton Community Farm in Bradford.
‘Money is not the point of our business. It’s a means to an end. We want to share the tools we have which can reduce suffering We are empowered by shared decision-making, we don’t feel that anyone in the business has power over us, rather we have power by working together.’
They deliver around twelve 8-week courses a year, some outdoors, for people facing disadvantage, poverty, isolation, pain and long-term illness, sensory impairment, bereavement, racism and those who identify as LGBTQ+ and neurodiverse. Often these factors impact negatively on mental health, and they teach people the skills to live well, even when things are difficult. They collect written and video feedback from all participants to help demonstrate impact.
They needed help from BFGWY to:
- Work out what are the next steps towards becoming a resilient and sustainable organisation.
The help they received was:
- 1-1 coaching
- 6-months of specialist training, development and networking via the BFGWY Growth & Resilience Programme
Laura’s Top Tips
- Consider being a worker co-operative – it’s a really empowering structure to work in and makes sure that everyone who is part of the organisation shares responsibility.
- The downsides are that decision making can be slower and we do a lot of work unpaid as it’s much harder to get funding to cover core costs rather than project delivery.
- The key to success is delivering a high-quality product and establishing a reputation for delivering something of value whilst not overstretching, keeping outgoings low and communicating effectively.
Find out more:
• Website: https://mindfulnesscoop.co.uk/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mindfulnesscoop