Co-op Columbus Hosts Three-Part Workshop on Group Cooperation

Co-op Columbus will host a three-part workshop series on building cooperative culture, starting Thursday, Nov. 5, at the Grandview Heights Public Library. The sessions will be led by Roger Wilkens, PhD, who directs the Center for the Creation of Cooperation. Each meeting begins at 6 p.m. at 1685 W 1st Ave. in Columbus, Ohio.

The first session, titled “Self development and stress regression,” examines how individual growth serves as the base for group cooperation. Wilkens will explain how stress reduces a group’s ability to interact effectively. The second session on Nov. 19 focuses on “Power plays and cooperative negotiation.” This part explores why power struggles hinder cooperation and how cooperative negotiation offers an alternative for resolving differences.

The final session occurs on Dec. 3 and covers “Positional bargaining, personal rescue and wrap-up.” The series is designed to be hands-on and reflective. Participants will learn how meaning, norms, and social practices combine to form group culture. The workshops aim to help attendees shape their group dynamics intentionally rather than letting them evolve by chance.

The series targets anyone involved in co-ops, community organizing, mutual aid, nonprofits, collaborative teams, or neighborhood groups. It also welcomes individuals who want to understand the mechanics of cooperation. Most group cultures form unconsciously, influenced by stress, habit, and the surrounding competitive environment. This workshop series provides a space to pause and build a resilient culture grounded in shared meaning.

Wilkens describes the framework as practical and eye-opening. It offers a way to understand how group culture forms and how members can shape it. The organizers encourage attendees to join all three sessions because each one builds on the previous material. The series runs every other week through December.

The Grandview Heights Public Library will host the events in its usual meeting spaces. No specific room number is listed in the announcement. The series is part of Co-op Columbus’s efforts to support local groups in developing stronger internal practices. The workshops focus on practical tools for resolving differences and maintaining cooperative relationships within teams and communities.