Organising and Educating Organising and Educating Youth for Worker Youth for Worker

OwnershipOwnership

Canadian Worker Co-operative Federation AGM 2005

Presenters:• Ajamu Nangwaya: Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (University of

Toronto)

• David Daughton: MYDAS Program Co-ordinator / CWCF Director (Atlantic Provinces)

• Michel Bouchard: RQCT

• Colin MacDougall: La Siembra Co-operative / CWCF Board Advisor (Youth)

Organising and Educating Youth for Worker OwnershipOrganising and Educating Youth for Worker Ownership

Presenter Bios:

Presentation Content:• Colin MacDougall: Introduction to Youth Issues in Co-operatives

• Ajamu Nangwaya: Promoting Worker Ownership Among Youth

• Michel Bouchard: Youth Job Co-operatives project

• David Daughton: MYDAS Program overview

• Everyone ! : Discussion

Organising and Educating Youth for Worker OwnershipOrganising and Educating Youth for Worker Ownership

Introduction: Youth Issues in Co-operatives

• Definition of “Youth”

• Co-operatives and youth:

1. Youth organising themselves into co-operatives to meet needs (employment, entrepreneurship, education)

2. Existing Co-operatives reaching out to young people (secure youth business, succession issues, value youth energy / ideas, flavour of the day?) (ILO, ICA, CCA/CCC, On Co-op, CWCF)

3. Economic and Social factors: Unemployment , hunger, war, etc.

4. Activism, optimism and determination:

Organising and Educating Youth for Worker OwnershipOrganising and Educating Youth for Worker Ownership

Introduction: Youth Issues in Co-operatives• Definition of “Youth”

• Co-operatives and youth:

1. Youth organising themselves into co-operatives to meet needs (employment, entrepreneurship, education)

2. Existing Co-operatives reaching out to young people (secure youth business, succession issues, value youth energy / ideas, flavour of the day?)

3. Economic and Social factors: Unemployment , hunger, war, etc.

4. Activism, optimism and determination

Organising and Educating Youth for Worker OwnershipOrganising and Educating Youth for Worker Ownership

La Siembra Co-operative: Youth? Who me?• Brief history of La Siembra

• Business incorporation:

• Link with Southern producers

• Values Match

• Today:

• Average La Siembrite age: 31.8

• Average Co-op knowledge prior to employment: 31.8%

• Why join: Natural fit

Organising and Educating Youth for Worker OwnershipOrganising and Educating Youth for Worker Ownership

Conclusion: Recommendations 1. International and national organisations to continue expanding their youth

initiatives

2. Additional research into existing youth programs

3. Sharing of information (web sites, Co-op Learning Centre, various AGM workshop perhaps dealing with topics such as Organising and Educating Youth for Worker Ownership)

4. Regular organisational review of youth activities

5. Increased co-operative education in elementary, secondary, post-secondary, technical and adult education programmes.

Organising and Educating Youth for Worker OwnershipOrganising and Educating Youth for Worker Ownership