Co-op News - February 2020

EDUCATION
Youth power fuelled by new co-operative project
January saw the launch of a project across
England to empower young people in
their communities.
The programme, led by the
Co-operative College, is launching in
Hartlepool, Rochdale and Bury, with
a focus on youth activism, inspiring a
new generation to use co-op values and
principles to make a change where they
live. Supported by a £170,000 grant from
the Co-op Foundation’s #iwill Fund, each
cohort is encouraged to think differently
to solve problems in their community and
understand the real power of their voice.
Those involved will learn new skills,
meet new people and have fun, using
team work and problem solving to
tackle the issues that matter to them,
such as loneliness, highlighted as a
key issue among young people and
emphasised using the project’s hashtag
#TogetherNotAlone.
The project builds on the success of
the College’s previous scheme in Greater
Manchester which saw young care leavers
to tackle loneliness in their community
through a unique theatre production.
Gemma Obeng, UK programme
manager at the College, said: “We know
the difference that youth social action can
make in tackling loneliness and have seen
first-hand the transformational impact
that our original programme had across
Greater Manchester.
“By spreading the message of
co-operation across England, we’re
empowering a new generation to tackle
the issues that matter to them, utilising
co-operative values and principles
just like the original pioneers did 175
years ago.”
The #iwill Fund supports the aims of the
#iwill campaign – to make involvement
in social action a part of life for young
people, by recognising the benefit for both
young people and their communities.
u Young people can get involved in the
project by visiting www.co-op.ac.uk/yca
SOCIAL ENTERPRISE
Free events for Welsh
entrepreneurs wishing
to set up co-ops
Wales Co-operative Centre starting 2020
with a series free events to encourage
aspiring entrepreneurs to set up new
social businesses.
The January events were hosted by the
Social Business Wales programme, led by
the Wales Co-operative Centre and part of
the Business Wales service.
Funded by the European Regional
Development Fund, the project aims to
create 200 brand new social businesses
in Wales over the next three years,
providing jobs and services anchored
in communities.
The events featured presentations from
entrepreneurs who have successfully
established social businesses, including
representatives from PeopleSpeakUp
(Llanelli), Canolfan Beaumaris (Anglesey)
and Riverside Market Garden (Cardiff).
Those attending also got to engage
with their local Social Business Wales
team, which also provides free specialist
support, such as advice on different legal
structures, writing business plans and
governing documents and developing an
investment strategy.
Glenn Bowen, enterprise programme
director at the Wales Co-operative Centre,
said: “At the Wales Co-operative Centre
we’ve been right at the heart of Wales’
vibrant social economy since the 1980s
and have helped to create hundreds of
new businesses, providing important
services and creating much needed jobs
for some of our poorest communities.
“We know what’s needed to start
a successful social enterprise and
with over 150 individuals signed up to
attend our New Start events over the
next two weeks, we can already see the
appetite from entrepreneurs to join this
growing movement.”
Carly McCreesh, project manager for
new start support within Social Business
Wales, said: “At Social Business Wales
we want to work with passionate and
ambitious social entrepreneurs that
want to start strong and sustainable
social businesses.”
12 | FEBRUARY 2020