2010 ACYL SEMINARS ACYL Canoe Cove Canoe Cove, Prince Edward Island April 15-18, 2010 ACYL Wildwood Bouctouche, New Brunswick May 13-16, 2010 Interested in participating? Sign up here: PARTICIPANT APPLICATION

	Contact Atlantic Co-operative Youth Leadership (ACYL) program Trevor MacDougall Project Coordinator P.O. Box 750 123 Halifax Street Moncton, NB E1C 8N5 Tel: (506) 862-0737 Fax: (506) 858-6555 email: Website: www.acyl.coop

	Are you looking for that ‘LIFE ALTERING EXPERIENCE”?  You may have found it! The Atlantic Cooperative Youth Leadership is an exciting, creative and interactive leadership camp.  A typical ACYL camp is 3 ½ days of exhilarating co-operative activities that will contribute to your personal development.  The Atlantic Co-operative Youth Leadership (ACYL) is a program designed for the purpose of co-operative youth development in the Atlantic Provinces.  Our objective is to provide a creative and exciting learning environment that will encourage youth to become leaders in their community and co-operative organizations. ACYL is putting on the finishing touches of a ½-day and 1 day interactive, co-operative workshop for interested Co-operatives, Credit Unions, school, non-profit groups and other like-mind youth organizations. Youth in your community could benefit – contact us for more details. ‘Co-operatives provide vital health, housing and banking services; they protect the environment and worker rights.  Through these and a range of other activities they help people better their lives and those of their community!’  Kofi Annan – Secretary General of the United Nations

	We host young, vibrant co-operative minded guest speakers that have had the opportunities to experience the co-operative movement first hand, including individuals who have had the chance to attend a 6 month co-op work term in Ghana, Africa to individuals who have created their own co-ops. Here are just a few of the topics that ACYL has presented in the past; Exploring leadership, Effective Communication, Public Speaking, Diversity, Youth Experience International, Values, Volunteerism, Show Me the Money and Let’s Talk Co-ops. The ACYL seminar continues to be described as “life-changing”.  The success is due to volunteers within the Co-op community.  These people are eager to share their time, knowledge, skills, talents and sense of humor with youth across the Atlantic Provinces.

	ACYL Facts Inception, 1994 , first seminar Tignish, Prince Edward Island 1500+ participants to Seminars 200+ volunteers from Co-operatives and credit union 28 co-operative education seminars throughout Atlantic Canada Serving youth in four Atlantic Provinces

	What is a co-operative?  Co-ops are founded on a common idea – that people recognize what is best for themselves. They are founded with the understanding that people can work together to meet their own needs. A co-operative is any enterprise that is collectively owned and democratically controlled by its members for their mutual benefit. In a co-operative each member has one vote, regardless of their investment they have made in their co-op. Co-op members are not controlled by outside owners or government bodies. The members decide how the co-op will be run, what changes should be made if any, elect the board of directors and decide what to do with any surplus (profit) that may be generated. Co-ops are the best example of how democratic principles can be applied to economic life.  Co-operation means people working together to meet common goals and needs. Co-operatives provide opportunities for people to direct what happens in all aspects of their lives. Within a co-operative, people find strength in collective action and the powerful motivation of mutual support. Not only do co-operatives respect local communities they understand the need to support the international community.  Co-operatives continue to build on their belief that it should be developing a fair and equitable world.  Social minded professionals for the co-operative sector continue to travel the world and help build a strong global community.  Youth have that opportunity as well.  Visit the Canadian Co-operative Association’s YOUTH EXPERIENCE INTERNATIONAL for more details, and maybe someday have the opportunity to be a part of a cooperative or even do an internship yourself. Over 800 million people are members of a co-operative. Co-operatives provide 100 million jobs worldwide, 20% more than multinational enterprises. In Canada, co-operatives and credit unions employ over 155,000 people.

	Experience the Credit Union Difference! Credit Unions are unique from other financial institutions in many ways.  Firstly, they are unique because they share the Co-operative Principles.    Voluntary & Open Membership Democratic Member Control Member economic participation Autonomy & Independence Education, Training & Information Cooperation among Cooperatives Concern for Community Integral to these principles is the fact that Credit Unions, unlike other financial institutions, are not owned by shareholders.  Credit Unions are operated democratically and owned by their customers.  This means, that as an owner of a Credit Union, your needs are priority and you have a voice.  Credit Unions put their owners first.  And putting you first allows you to take ownership of your future.  What better feeling than knowing you are in the driver’s seat? “People helping People” is one of the guiding principles behind the Credit Union system and another of their unique characteristics.  Volunteerism, community projects, public financial education, and community economic development are just a few of the ways Credit Unions in Atlantic Canada and across the world are giving back to the communities in which they operate.  The international Credit Union system is made up of 91 countries, 43,000 Credit Unions and 136 million owners.  As a Credit Union owner, you can make a difference in your community and you will be a welcome addition to a strong global network of people helping people. For information on Credit Unions in Atlantic Canada please visit “atlantic canadian website”