Join.
Membership in a WMG Co-op and participation in workshops is free. Select a location below to fill out an online application.
Tucson, AZ | Phoenix, AZ | Santa Barbara, CA
Once signed up, you will receive a weekly bulletin announcing upcoming Co-op volunteer opportunities to earn hours, special events, and other member benefits such as subsidies and discounts.
Volunteer.
Anyone may participate in the Co-op. Co-op members are given priority to sign up for workshops. We encourage participation regardless of race, religion, gender, ability, nationality, age, sexual orientation, ethnic background, or prior experience. Youth of any age may participate in projects, though they must be a minimum of 14 years old to earn hours. Renters may host workshops contingent upon the landlord’s permission.
Members must contribute positively to the overall progress of the workshop to be credited with hours. Members are credited with 1 Co-op hour for every hour worked. Workshops are generally 4 to 5 hours in duration. Members may donate or exchange their hours to others in the community as they please.
Members including those who cannot contribute physically at a workshop may earn credit hours by helping with special events. Please talk to us about ways you think you may be able to contribute. WMG also offers free community workshops with neighborhood and other community site partners. While these workshops offer a similar education experience, sweat equity hours can not be credited for time spent volunteering at these workshops
Host.
Homeowners can host a workshop regardless of whether they have accumulated Co-op hours, however, in order to qualify for the sweat equity discount on the workshop instructors time workshop hosts must have accumulated 16 Co-op hours for one 4-5hr workshop. Steel culvert cisterns require 2 workshops, and therefore 32 hours are required. Hosts that meet the hours requirement within 6 months of the workshop date can be reimbursed the difference in the rates.
To apply to host a workshop contact your Co-op coordinator to find out how many hours you have earned and to discuss the kind of workshop/s you are interested in.
- Tucson, AZ - contact Rhiwena Slack
- Phoenix, AZ - contact Ryan Wood
- Santa Barbara, CA - contact Barbara Wishingrad
► Cost to Participate in Co-op. We strive to make our workshops as accessible and affordable as possible. The actual costs of hosting a workshop is based on the type of workshop, materials needed, and includes the workshop leader's time for the site visit, planning, designing, preparation and workshop instruction. Projects typically require 16 to 30 hours of the instructor's time. We offer an additional discount for the workshop leader's time to low-income Co-op members. Occasionally additional financial subsidies are available to Co-op members for project implementation. These are announced in our Co-op bulletin. Anyone interested in sponsoring workshops for low-income members should contact their Co-op coordinator.
Workshop hosts are also required to provide sufficient snacks and drinks for workshop volunteers.
► Available Services for Your Community. Tucson, AZ | Phoenix, AZ | Santa Barbara, CA
► Difference Between Co-op Workshops and Public Workshops. Co-op workshops are residential workshops whose success is based on the input of volunteer labor to complete projects and reduce the cost of workshops. These workshops are not publicly advertised. The workshops are advertised to Co-op members. If there are not enough Co-op members to fill the workshop, WMG will advertise the workshops to our Action Bulletin.
WMG offers a variety of workshops outside of the Co-op program, which include workshops developed with community groups, local businesses, and neighborhood associations. These are not considered Co-op workshops, because the host sites are not Co-op members, and therefore do not contribute their labor to the Co-op. These workshops often have different educational goals and funding sources.