National Youth Co-operative Network
Members
The organisation has 32 members.
Purpose
The National Youth Co-operative Network organises projects and activities to promote co-operativism among youth.
Service Area
The organisation serves Bogotá (Capital of Columbia, Cundinamarca Department), Cali (Valle Department), Medellín (Antioquia Department) and Bucaramanga (Santander Department)
Identified Needs
The organisation has identified the following needs:
- More youth participation in the operation of the co-operatives;
- Leadership succession planning within the co-operatives by encouraging intergenerational connections; and
- More information sessions about co-operative issues within the community in general and among the people who make up the co-operative sector in particular.
Context Within Which the Network Evolved
Meetings in which young Columbians participated (including those who currently constitute the NETWORK) were held in Bogotá (1998), México (1998), Korea (2001) Cajicá (2003), Buenos Aires (2004) and Cajicá (2004).
In 1998 the first National Youth Co-operative Workshop, which examined how young people can work in innovative ways, was held in Bogotá. Fundequidad supported the workshop.
In 1998 at the Regional Conference of the International Co-operative Alliance (ICA) of the Americas in Mexico it was concluded that the concerns that most affected youth (apart from ecology) were issues of employment, education, and participation in co-operatives.
In October 2001, young delegates of more than 20 countries attended a one-day seminar under the framework of the World Conference of the ICA in Seoul, Korea. Speakers included Roberto Rodríguez, then president of the ICA, and Ian MacPherson of the University of Victoria.
In December 2003, Seguros la Equidad and Fundequidad, organised a meeting with young co-operative leaders in Cajicá - Cundinamarca, to organize what today is the NATIONAL YOUTH CO-OPERATIVE NETWORK.
In November 2004, the participants of the Latin America Meeting of Young Co-operativists of the ICA in Buenos Aires, Argentina, concluded that young people should be included in a coherent and constant political process within co-operatives.
In December of 2004, the second meeting of the NATIONAL YOUTH CO-OPERATIVE NETWORK took place. It considered issues of legality, organization and communication and discussed possible future projects. The young people reaffirmed their commitment to contribute their abilities and knowledge to the development of the organisation.
VISION 2006
The NETWORK will be a legally constituted youth organisation that brings together regional interests for national promotion and strengthening of the commitment to solidarity among young people.
Mission
The NETWORK is an autonomous youth organisation promoting the co-operative movement through the participation, education, and employment of Columbian youth.
Model
In order to develop national unity, the NATIONAL YOUTH CO-OPERATIVE NETWORK functions as an organisation based on the support of regional chapters and the trust of its members.
Needs
The needs of the young people in the NETWORK in Columbia are to have opportunities for education and employment for themselves within their communities. They aspire to participate actively in the democratic processes of the co-operatives and of society.
Knowledge of Needs
In Columbia the executive boards of some co-operatives have a serious and coherent commitment to involving youth in their operations. Nevertheless, the great majority of organisations in the sector have yet to promote an awareness of co-operativism and an understanding of the solidarity philosophy among young people. That is why we recognised the need to form an autonomous organisation of young people that can work with other organisations in the co-operative sector to help promote co-operative identity from the grassroots level.
Benefits
- Involves young people in the co-operative movement
- Improves training and employment opportunities for NETWORK members
- Encourages political participation in Columbian society
- Provides communication channels to articulate youth perspectives in co-operatives
- Promotes co-operative philosophy
- Proposes and develops social projects with co-operatives
Obstacles
Lack of information concerning legal, organisational, and administrative issues within co-operatives by the youngest members of the organisation - Weak communication among members, although ways to do so are available (internet, cellular telephone system)
Facilitating Aspects of Development
- The workgroup has informal dynamics motivated and based on teamwork
- NETWORK members support the philosophy of co-operativism
- The support and backing of representative co-operatives within the movement in Columbia
Strategies of the Organisation
We intend to continue our work of building and consolidating the NETWORK in three ways:
- Consolidate chapters
- Consolidate the National Network
- Promote benefits and services
Structure of the Organisation
The organisation works in chapters. Four are presently being formed (Bogotá, Bucaramanga, Cali, and Medellín), and they are all are guided by the value system and the processes described above.
