The Just Ask membership toolkit is a resource to help co-operative and social enterprises recruit and develop active members. We have designed it for use by both activists and professional staff.

We now invite you to take a journey with us although you will be in the driving seat. The toolkit can be treated as a complete journey in which you travel from the start to the finish or you may prefer to jump on and off at various points in the journey. The main sections are:

• Background.
• Vision – where do you want to be?
• Where are you now?
• Recruitment – if you want people join.
• Participation – if you want people to join in.
• Governance – if you want people to get more involved.
• Review and evaluation – if you want to check how you are doing.

We use a number of different methods to assist you including activities, metaphors, case studies, research and examples of good practice. For ease of use, we have provided a visual key which indicates, at a glance, whether you are, for example, reading a case study or completing an activity.

The toolkit complements our first publication, Getting Involved, which consisted of two papers. The first outlined the current position of membership in the region and the second looked at what motivates members to become and remain active in co-operatives. Although the toolkit arises out of a regional project it is relevant to all member-based social enterprises. Copies of Getting Involved are available from the Co-operative College Bookstore.

The project is supported by these organisations. Please click the logos to visit their websites.