After a year of development, pilots and recalibration, ACCESS is ready for BCCA members! In honour of co-op week and a strong desire to put the 6th Co-operative Principle into action, ACCESS invites BCCA Members to learn more about us and how shared services can help build community through collaboration.

On behalf of BCCA and ACCA, Corinne Remple, Director of Communications and Shared Services, has been working tirelessly behind the scenes with project partners Volunteer Alberta and Econocoop to launch a new shared services platform over the past year. With the primary mission of putting the 6th Co-operative Principle into action, ACCESS offers a team of specialized service providers to share among nonprofits, co-ops, and social enterprises – reducing organizational pressures and filling operational gaps!

Shared services puts the 6th Co-operative Principle into action

In 2022, a cross-sector team gathered to develop a nonprofit shared services co-operative model. Their goal? To offer professional administrative back-office support for civil society organizations through Allied Community & Co-operative Shared Services or ACCESS.

Guided by the 6th Co-operative Principle, ACCESS offers an innovative, collaborative solution that fills service gaps and increases efficiencies – inviting BCCA & ACCA members to “cooperate among co-operatives.”

Quoting Ontario Co-operative Association: “Another way that co‑ops can cooperate with and support each other is by doing business with each other.”

“By choosing to do business with co‑ops above other types of businesses, co‑ops can demonstrate the importance of doing business in the co‑operative manner and that supporting the sector is essential. This also shows support for financial, social and environmental concerns and emphasizes that the financial bottom line is not the one of sole importance.” (https://ontario.coop/co-operative-principles)

Co-op Principle 6 provided the catalyst. ACCESS provides the platform.

BCCA & ACCA members share back-office administrative and professional services, benefiting from service providers with a breadth of experience and qualifications working with organizations like their own. The services through ACCESS can streamline an organization’s operations, ultimately relieving pressure to deliver on its core missions.

ACCESS offers accessibility, alignment, and flexibility

“Accessibility, alignment, and flexibility are key to the development of our new services, and we have several new services in development,” said Corinne Remple, Director of Shared Services.” We endeavour to build, seek and adapt to feedback from our potential and current clients – members’ inquiries and suggestions are essential to the ACCESS team.”

Join ACCESS for free

Through your membership with BCCA or ACCA and our current and future partner member associations, your organization can obtain services through ACCESS at no additional fees. You only pay for the services you use!

Are you interested in connecting with ACCESS about available services or providing direction about other services you may need? Please visit sharedservices.coop.

Current Services:

• Accounting

• Legal

• Managed IT