Four Skills You’ll Learn As An Associate Member

Cohousing groups work because the whole group literally learns how to work together - not by guesswork, but by levelling up and learning practical new skills.

Becoming an Associate Member is a three-month opportunity to get to know Esquimalt Village Cohousing’s community, to see if it’s the right fit for you. One of the benefits you get - along with participating in real community decision making about what our units will look like, and design workshops with our professional team - is our Member Workshop series. Margaret Critchlow will teach you practical, collaborative ways of getting things started done in a group — while staying true to yourself. 

Here are four skills you’ll learn in our Member workshop series:

Making Decisions In A Group (Consensus Decision Making) 

This workshop teaches you the nuts and bolts of how our group makes decisions - and once you learn this skill, any group you belong to can really start to get stuff done together! 

Consensus is a way to make decisions as a group where everyone’s voice matters—not just the majority. Instead of voting and going with whatever option gets the most hands raised, consensus decision making focuses on supporting the group to find a solution everyone can agree on (even if it’s not everyone’s first choice). Being able to make decisions comfortably with other people is a skill you can develop - and it’ll benefit you anytime you’re working with a group! 

Facilitation 

Effective meetings are the heartbeat of a healthy community. This workshop develops your capacity to be a great meeting participant even if you never want to facilitate. Want to lead a good meeting without Robert’s Rules? Learn the basics about how to lead enjoyable, effective meetings for groups of all sizes, from small teams to full business gatherings. You will learn to summarize complex discussions, manage group energy, and navigate emotional content, ensuring every voice is heard while keeping the process on track.

Effective Communication

Clear, self-responsible communication is essential for any relationship. This kind of communication is a skill you can learn - and, it’s helpful in all kinds of settings, from work to family! This workshop offers a map to understanding how people connect, along with navigating perception, interpretation and the power of curiosity to help you through tricky moments.

Managing Conflict 

Conflict is inevitable, but it doesn’t have to be destructive. We teach a specific model (called “Clearing”) that’s based on the Effective Communication workshop. Clearing helps maintain and even deepen connections during challenging circumstances. You’ll learn how to stay steady and true to yourself in conflict, listen carefully even when conversations feel difficult, and approach conflict as something that can lead to better understanding and stronger relationships.

What are the other two workshops in the Members workshop series? Associate Members take our “Is Cohousing for You” workshop that helps you explore if the cohousing lifestyle aligns with how you want to live. We examine the realities of sharing decision-making with neighbours, the balance of amenities versus compact living, and how to reduce social isolation without compromising personal privacy. And our “Aging Well in Community” looks at how cohousing and intentional design can support flourishing at all ages. This workshop addresses the pitfalls of social isolation and the benefits of "co-care"—voluntary mutual neighbourly support balanced with self-responsibility. These last two workshops aren’t skills you learn, but they offer ways to think through what’s important to you. 

If you’re curious to hear more, check out our Associate Membership and join us for an upcoming information session -  we’d love to meet you! 

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