Announced by the United Nations 2012 - International Year of Cooperatives is a significant event in the history of the global cooperative movement, which gives cooperatives an opportunity, through various initiatives, to strengthen the awareness of the society as to the role and importance of the cooperative business model for the economic and social development. However, it is even more important to succeed in finding the right approach to attract and motivate young people, who are to keep alive the "flame" of the cooperative idea and to make the IYC slogan "Cooperative enterprises build a better world" come true.
How would this happen?
The youth are the carrier of creativity, ideas, and innovation that are vitally important for the further successful development of the cooperatives as a democratic, responsible and ethical organisation, but in order to reach their potential they have to be actively involved in the decision making process within the cooperatives.
On this occasion, the Central Cooperative Union, Bulgaria, launched the initiative to host the Youth Cooperative Leaders Forum for the second time, in partnership with Cooperatives Europe - European Region of the International Cooperative Alliance and the European Community of Consumer Cooperatives (EURO COOP). The forum was held on 14 and 15 June 2012 in COOP Kiten Hotel Complex and representatives of 12 European national cooperative organisations took part in it:
Cooperative group - UK
Eleanor Carey - Graduate Projects Officer
Joseph Walker - Graduate Projects Officer
ZDK Germany
Ninetta Schäfer - Lawyer
Cooperative printing company "Eks-skolens Trykkeri", Denmark
Christina Carlson - Graphic Designer
The Federation Serving the Cooperative Housing Movement, Ireland
Dermot Sellars - Policy and Communications Officer
Ammochostou Saving Cooperative, Cyprus
Andreas Vyras - General Manager
Central Union of Consumer Cooperatives, Moldova
Andrey Andriesh - Director "COOP Advertising"
Yon Juli - Expert "International Affairs and President of Youth Organization"
National Auditing Union of Workers' Cooperatives, Poland
Joanna Widor - HR Specialist
Karolina Rojek - Personal Assistant to the President
Students from Russian University of Cooperatives, Russia
Alexander Samoukin - "Enterprise Management"
Agnessa Mokraia - "Enterprise Management"
Roman Morozov - "World Economics"
Vadim Gerasimov - "World Economics"
Alexey Matyushin - "Applied informatics in economics"
Viktor Puchkov - "Applied informatics in economics"
Central Union of Consumer Societies, Ukraine
Nazarii Tulika - Director of Department "Organizational and cooperative policy"
Oksana Sukhovetska - Director of Department "Organizational and cooperative policy"
Coompanion, Sweden
Emilia Darsell - Project Advisor
Jacob Brydolf - Project Manager, Rabash Web and Design Cooperative
National Cooperative Council, Sri Lanka
Dnasekara Bandara - Director "Youth Affairs"
Jayasekara Asanka - Coordinator "Youth Affairs and Media"
Central Cooperative Union, Bulgaria
Boyka Dobreva - Head "Statistics, analyzes and prognoses" Department
Nevena Bukova - Senior Expert, "International Affairs" General Directorate
Todor Ivanov - Senior Expert, "International Affairs" General Directorate
Magdalina Muneva - Senior Legal Advisor, "Legal" Department
Tihomir Angelov- Senior Expert, "Cooperative Policy" Department
Polina Shishkova - Expert, "International Affairs" General Directorate
Desislava Spasova - Expert, "Tourism" Department
Katya Nikolova - Expert, "PR and advertising" Directorate
Krasimir Ignatov - Manager, Trade center "COOP"
The guests of honour of the Forum:
Klaus Niеderländer - Director, Cooperatives Europe - European Region of ICA
Ros Tennyson - Independent Consultant, United Kingdom
Mirko Nodari - Communications officer, Cooperatives Europe - European region of ICA
Fran Mccrae - Communications officer, EURO COOP
Evgeni Kuznecov - President, Centrosojuz Russia and member of the Board of the International Cooperative Alliance
Vincenzo Ingraldi - President, Legacoop Trapani Sicily, Italy
Vasil Bukovski - President, Cooperative Union, Burgas
Katya Kirova - President, Consumer Cooperative, Ahtopol
Peter Stefanov - President of the Central Cooperative Union in his address to the participants said „.... we frequently hear the message that young people are our future, but it loses its meaning if they are not also our present. Generations of cooperators have devoted much of their lives to keep the flame of the cooperative idea alive, a significant dividend today, and it is on the youth to invest this dividend prudently and to give their contribution to the sustainable development of the cooperative business, founded on values and principles that have been current for almost two centuries."
What was the objective of the Forum?
Partnership and networking to exchange information, good practices and various forms of online training were the key aspects of the presentations and the fruitful discussions. The creative atmosphere provoked the participants to express their opinion on the various topics actively. Ros Tennyson, an internationally recognised advisor on partnership for leading companies, non-government organisations in various areas of the economic and social life was the keynote speaker, who shared specific examples for partnership building, negotiations and sustainable networks. Using various interactive approaches and role-playing games, the all participants were involved.
What is the direction?
The young people have potential, but to be able to realise it they have to be sufficiently motivated, motivated through work corresponding to their knowledge, which they are interested in and in which they see a development perspective. It is particularly important to create an environment in which they can express their opinion freely and to take responsibility in the process of the management decision making within the cooperatives.
The confidence and aspirations of the young people in building a better world encourage the positive and constructive drives in them, expressed through the seven key messages of the Forum - inspiration, training, decision-making, innovation, collaboration, commitment and action. This is a chance to draw in the generations coming after them.
After the official business sessions, the young people visited the consumer cooperative in the town of Ahtopol, where they were warmly and cheerfully welcomed by Katya Kirova, Chair of the Consumer Cooperative. An unforgettable memory in the hearts of the participants will leave the visit to the historical sights in the Old City in Sozopol, the sports games and entertainment, the evenings of friendship and amity.
Resolutions, passed by the participants in the Youth Cooperative Leaders Forum - 14-15 June 2012,"COOP KITEN", Bulgaria
1. The main menu "Policy topics" on the website of Cooperatives Europe - European Region of ICA should include a sub-menu "Youth policy" and an online forum for exchange of information and good practices in the development of the European and global cooperative movement have to be established.
2. The representation of the cooperative movement in projects funded by the European Union in the area of youth policies is to be encouraged, for example the "Youth in Action" Programme.
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