Dear Valued Supporters and Friends,
   
Welcome to the August 2012 issue of Social Business Australia's IYC 2012 Australia e-newsletter:

Leadership matters
    
Working co-operatively to fulfill a group need – that's the ethos driving co-ops. But do we get the chance to shine a light on those who have put in the hard yards, set the standards and nurtured our beginnings? Leadership is not about 'who', it's about 'how and why'.
    
Australia's first leadership gongs are just three months away. Co-operatives are invited to recognise the outstanding work of their peers and bring attention to their co-op at Australia's first Co-operative Leadership Awards. The Leader of the Year Award will be presented by 2010 Senior Australian of the Year, Maggie Beer AM at the Awards Gala Dinner 25th Oct on the closing night of the IYC 2012 Conference.
     
STOP PRESS – AWARDS NOMINATIONS DEADLINE EXTENDED UNTIL 10 SEPTEMBER
     
Future Leaders
    
It's been said that youth are the future of our co-operative enterprises. Future Leaders, the youth category of the 2012 Co-operative Leadership Awards will discover and reward an outstanding young person (16–35 years) who is an inspirational role model for other young co-operators.
     
Do you know a rising star?  Don't delay – nominate them for the inaugural Future Leaders Award – deadline 10 September.
     
Judging panel announced
   
We are proud to announce the judging panel for the 2012 Co-operative Leadership Awards is respected co-operative law specialist, Tony Addison of Addisons Lawyers; the Centre for Social Impact Director of Social Business, academic and former politician, Cheryl Kernot; and eminent co-operative researcher Jo Barraket, Associate Professor Queensland University of Technology.

Early birds get the worm
    
The IYC 2012 National Conference will be held in Port Macquarie on 24 and 25 October. The premier Australian co-operative event, it features more than 50 national and international speakers, the industry trade showcase, co-operative business clinics, Australia's first national Youth Summit and the National Co-operative Leadership Awards.
     
More international speakers confirmed
    
Brian Branch, CEO and president of the World Council of Credit Unions, joins Mondragon Corporation's Mikel Lezamiz (Spain) and Canada's Jack Wilkinson at the IYC 2012 National Conference in October.
    
Co-operative economics, sustainable towns, national co-ops law, new industry research, food security and the future of agriculture, green energy, health, manufacturing and food co-ops are among the topics to be debated and discussed over two exciting days.
    
Register now to secure early bird rates

National research – closing soon
    
The deadline for Australia's first national mapping research project has been extended until COB this Friday, 3 August. All Australian co-op and mutual businesses are invited to fill in the research survey – it takes just 5 minutes to complete.
    
Take the survey now

Next Gen Capitalism
    
Next Generation Capitalism – profit, people, planet (7 August, Melbourne) will bring together leading thinkers to discuss a socially responsible model of capitalism for the future.

Economics for the 99%
   
Economics for the 99% (11 August, Melbourne) looks at the past, present and future of co-ops through the lens of pioneering co-op activists and scholars. Keynote speakers include the Hon Race Mathews, author of Jobs of Our Own, and Dave Kerin from Earthworker Co-operative. Register

Interested in renewable energy?
    
The Co-operatives Research Group (CRG) University of Sydney is holding an energy symposium on Monday, 3 September to discuss the role of co-ops in energy and sustainability. It will feature a presentation from Hepburn Wind, Australia's first community-owned wind farm.

Victoria establishes co-operative marketing grant program
    
The Victorian Government has committed $5 million towards a grants program for Food and Fibre Marketing Co-operatives. The program will allow co-operative marketing groups to be eligible for grants of up to $50,000.

Co-ops Fortnight on the horizon
   
National Co-operatives Fortnight runs from September 10–24 with the theme of "open your doors". Co-operatives around the country are encouraged to use the opportunity to engage with their local communities on what makes co-operatives so important in the local economy and community.
    
Co-ops Fortnight Events diary
   
10-11 September, Paul Hazen, EO Overseas Cooperative Development Council and former CEO of the National Cooperative Business Association (USA) will visit Sydney to speak on co-operatives and international development – please email for an invitation.
    
22 September, Co-ops4Change Festival, Maleny Qld
   
Also in September…
   
22-26 September, Abacus AM Institute Convention, Gold Coast Qld (Credit Union sector)
   
Running an event during co-ops fortnight? Email iyc@sociabusiness.coop the details and we will add it to the National Calendar.
   
Stop press: An online resource kit for the Fortnight will be available from mid-August.

In the news
     
Jobs that we own
C-Mac Industries, a speaker at the IYC 2012 National Conference, was featured in this Australian Financial Review article on their employee ownership structure
    
Can co-ops save the planet?
Pick up this month's New Internationalist, which is all about IYC 2012 and a co-operative future.

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