Every cooperative, small or large, will bring in new members at one time or another. The cooperative needs to orient these new members to the goals and nature of the cooperative, and their rights and responsibilities as members. Equally important, the cooperative needs to solicit from the new members their interests, purposes, needs and special skills.
Orientation is a process of two-way communication.
Orientation should be seen as part of a continuous education process. The education process begins when a person first hears about the cooperative, and it continues for as long as the person is a member. A vital education process lays the basis for continued member loyalty and participation. Many cooperatives, particularly larger cooperatives with a steady influx of new members, develop a formal orientation session as a tool for the process. If your cooperative does not use an orientation session, you still must provide orientation to new members.