A modest radio show about co-operatives, broadcasting on a Victoria community station, will soon be heard on the airwaves across the nation.

For the past four months CFUV 101.9 FM has been broadcasting Each for All: The Co-operative Connection every Thursday afternoon. The half-hour show is hosted by BCICS’s own Robin Puga and Eryk Martin and serves as an educational tool to empower individuals seeking co-operative solutions.

The show mixes musical content with discussion about social awareness and co-operative themes. Often the hosts conduct a feature interview with a prominent member of the co-operative community. “This was the first time either of us have ever hosted a radio show,” said Robin. “I was really nervous at first, but the initial show went smoothly. Since then it has only been getting better.” For the first month it was on the air, Each for All did a series called ‘Co-operatives 101’. These shows featured interviews with people involved in local co-ops at all levels, local co-op developers and Ian MacPherson. The series provided listeners with a solid understanding of what the co-operative movement is about, who is involved, its history in Canada, and what co-operatives are currently doing at home and abroad.

This first series of shows was very well received. Both BCICS and CFUV received positive phone calls and e-mails from listeners and the Each for All website has had close to a 1,000 hits since coming online.“The show has been a big success,” Robin says. “The amount of feedback and support we’ve received has been phenomenal. We’re currently revamping the original episodes of Co-operatives 101, adding new and engaging content to pack more educational resources into the episodes to make them ready for syndication to other radio stations.”

This past month Each for All focused on Credit Unions and had such distinguished guests as Henri Wetselaar, Board of Directors of Greater Victoria Savings Credit Union, Bill Wellburn, Chair of the Board of Directors of Coast Capital Savings, Danella Parks and Marta Bukmieir from Vancity Credit Union, and Robby Tulus, who pioneered the Credit Union movement in Asia during the early 1960s.

All episodes of the show are available for download on the comprehensive Each for All website which is maintained by BCICS. On the site, listeners can find supplementary information on each show and download extended interviews. You can also subscribe to the Each for All podcast to automatically download episodes when they are posted. There is also additional information on how to create your own podcasts - if you are interested. Starting in September, Each for All will be switching to a bi-weekly format. But Robin says not to worry, having an extra week to prepare for the shows means they will be jam-packed with more great interviews and information. Be sure to tune in, and don’t forget to visit their website too.

Visit Each for All online and sign up for a user account to read and make comments: bcics.uvic.ca/radio/