On 3rd March 2021, the #coops4dev team launched the global thematic research report on 'Young People and Cooperatives: A Perfect Match?'. The report presents the results of a research study on cooperatives and youth, undertaken by the ICA and its four regional offices under the ICA-EU Partnership on Cooperatives in Development. The report was completed with external support from the Co-operative College (UK) and inputs from the ICA Youth Network.
On 24th March 2021, an international webinar on ‘Digging into the Global Research on Youth and Co-ops’ was hosted by the International Centre for Co-operative Management, St Mary’s University, Canada. The #coops4dev research team - Mr. Jeffrey Moxom (ICA Global), Mr. Melvin Khabenje (ICA Africa), and Ms. Simren Singh (ICA Asia and Pacific) presented the key findings from the research study. It was moderated by Ms. Erin Hancock (Program Manager, Co-operative Management Education, International Centre for Co-operative Management, Sobey School of Business, Saint Mary’s University) The webinar had 50% participation from the age group of 18-35 years. The full recording of the webinar can be accessed here.
Based on 420 responses from young people in 20 countries, the report provides a global snapshot of young people’s views and opinions from within and outside the cooperative movement. In Asia and Pacific, responses were collected from youth in India, Indonesia, Iran, the Philippines, and South Korea.
The report is structured into five chapters, referred to as the five ‘E’s - Employment, Education, (In)Equalities, Engagement, and Entrepreneurship. Each chapter was developed based on the direct inputs of youth and highlights interesting examples and insights from youth cooperation. Priorities for young people include the pursuit of decent work opportunities, quality and accessible education, economic and social inclusion, as well as inclusive participation in civic and political life. Young people note that much of this is currently jeopardised by multi-dimensional forms of poverty, inequities, and pressures of the current global economic system, as well as unsustainable practices that lead to unprecedented levels of environmental destruction and degradation. Cooperatives, as people-centred and democratic enterprises, can and should play a greater role in a transition towards a more sustainable way of life. It is evident that existing youth engagement and support from the cooperative movement needs to be improved. Potential action can be taken in several areas, which are further developed within the report.
The main areas identified include but are not limited to:
- Improving knowledge of cooperatives amongst young people
- Boosting the image of cooperatives and communicating it effectively
- Developing genuine youth-orientated structures within cooperatives
- Building genuine democratic and inclusive cultures of cooperation
- Promoting decent work opportunities for young people through cooperatives
- Facilitating cooperative entrepreneurship through adequate enabling environments
- Building and strengthening constructive partnerships to achieve common objectives.
The five chapters, which can be read together or as stand-alone pieces, assess the survey results to establish how the cooperative movement, often in collaborative partnerships with other organisations, can do more to help young people address the challenges affecting them. The work has the overarching goal of improving engagement between young people and cooperatives and providing actionable conclusions and recommendations, which are shared in the latter sections of the report.
The full report can be accessed here.
On 26th March 2021, the key findings of the research were discussed by the #coops4dev team in the global workshop on ‘Report Lab: Young People and Cooperatives: A perfect Match?’ conducted during the GYF21. Dr. Sarah Alldred (Co-operative College, UK), Ms. Celina Butali (Regional Gender, Children, and Youth Advisor, Vi Agroforestry, Kenya), and Ms. Angélica Soberanes (President of the Regional Youth Committee for the Americas and Vice President of the ICA Global Youth Network) were the guest speakers of the workshop. Mr. Khabenje presented the findings and Ms. Singh facilitated discussions on youth engagement in cooperatives, the role of education and training, youth advocacy, and an enabling environment to promote youth integration in the cooperative movement with the guest speakers.
