Since spring 2023, UWCC has partnered with the Respite Care Association of Wisconsin (RCAW) and the ICA Group to expand the use of the cooperative model in Wisconsin’s respite‑care sector. This collaboration has focused on strengthening caregiver training, supporting emerging groups, and building a replicable pathway for launching worker‑owned respite businesses.
A major milestone of this work is the creation of the Co‑op Development Technical Assistance Award, now available to caregiver groups that complete RCAW’s Bringing Respite to Your Community (BRYC) Training. BRYC, a free online workshop that provides information needed to start a respite program in Wisconsin communities, now includes a clear introduction to cooperative ownership, helping caregivers explore democratic governance, shared decision‑making, and long‑term sustainability as part of their business planning.
The first award was granted this year to Full Circle Respite in Oshkosh, a caregiver‑led cooperative scheduled to launch this fall. Their progress demonstrates how targeted training, technical assistance, and cooperative education can accelerate new community‑based respite options.
To expand access even further, UWCC and RCAW are currently working with Frida Ballard of Worker Justice Wisconsin and Jesus Vargas of Quanticus Consulting to translate all BRYC materials and grant‑application documents into Spanish. This effort aims to ensure that Spanish‑speaking caregivers and communities can fully participate in cooperative development.
The long‑term vision is to refine this Wisconsin‑based model and replicate it nationally, strengthening the caregiving workforce while empowering caregivers through worker ownership.