On air : the European Young Cooperators Network has been officially launched
28 Apr 2015
The European Young Cooperators Network has been officially launched in the framework of Cooperatives Europe General Assembly in Paris on 23 April. The day before, 70 people from 10 different countries across Europe, representing thousands of European youths, gathered to decide on the aims and actions of this network. Worker and social cooperators have actively participated at the first meeting of the network. Young leaders from Italy, different French regions, Spain and the UK move to Paris to build it.
This is the case of Ana Aguirre and Jon Ander Musatadi from taZEBAez (Why not, in Basque) an innovative consulting worker cooperative from Spain and Chiara Laghi from the Italian cooperative Cultura Popolare which manages libraries and offers cultural services in Faenza. The network aims to share knowledge and best practice, promote innovative young cooperatives and work together to get better youth representation within boards, institutions and conferences in the cooperative movement.
This first meeting was organised by the British worker cooperative AltGen, the French social cooperative Solidarité Etudiante and the organisations promoting cooperative enterprises among the youth in Italy OOP ! – Confcooperative and Generazioni – Legacoop.
The members of the European Young Cooperator network demand the international cooperative movement to support the establishment of structures that facilitate intergenerational exchange of knowledge and resources, to integrate the concept of social and environmental responsibility into the cooperative movement, business and institutions, better racial and gender equality on boards of cooperative businesses and institutions, 30% representation of youth on boards of cooperative businesses and institutions and the full integration and representation of youth on panels at European and International conferences among others.
The European Young Cooperator network emerged following the Youth Statement during the International Summit of Cooperatives (Quebec, October 2014). Meet some worker and social cooperators from the European Young Cooperators Network here
Read and sign the Young European Co-operators Network Opening Statement here