DECEMBER 2016 EDITION

LETTER FROM OUR PRESIDENT

An intense year of meetings and collective work has ended, which has allowed us to share experiences and reflect on the current situation, both in the regions and at the global level, and on the strategies that co-operatives carry out to deal with a context of great uncertainty, marked by the continuity of neo-liberal policies and major changes in many countries, which in both cases continue to deepen inequalities. Data on the global employment situation is alarming; this year there were more than 200 million people unemployed, where the most vulnerable are the youngest. It is estimated that unemployment reaches 30% of the youth and particularly young women. Additionally we have to consider the terrible situation of the displaced people, who are victims of violence.

During the International Summit of Cooperatives in Quebec, Robert Reich described a world where the income of the majority declines or stagnates and the accumulation of wealth of the upper class increases. Remember that 99% of planetary wealth is concentrated in 1% of the population. Reich also stated that "Capitalism is affected by a crisis that cooperatives can help to solve." One question we can ask ourselves about the model that does not provide answers: how can we articulate an effective and collective response?

Cooperatives are not responsible for the crisis - however, they suffer the consequences and act in a coherent and supportive way to protect workers and producers. It is their role to transform the conditions that reproduce the domination of capital over people. We are convinced that self-management and democratic participation are the key to building another economy. Youth are thinking about how to strengthen these tools.

One of the central themes of this year was the UN Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development. Taking into account that the Millennium Development Goals were not met, it is necessary to reflect on the origin of this problem. We know that cooperatives contribute directly to the achievement of many of these goals, generating decent work and economic growth, promoting quality education, gender equality and reducing inequalities, among many others. However, it is a long time before we can count on the necessary conditions for a full and dignified life.

At the various summits and conferences that took place this year, the cooperative movement reaffirmed its commitment to sustainable development and a better global employment situation, encouraging and facilitating the creation of decent work, favoring education and empowerment, especially among the young. In relation to youth it was held in the Summit Declaration that "Cooperatives are committed to give importance to the active participation of young people and women in decision-making processes."

The youth of the cooperative movement continue to maintain the need to improve democratic participation and the scope of the cooperative model as the engine of cultural, political and economic transformations that guarantee a plural and united world. That is why we intend to promote these debates and participate in the platforms that the cooperative movement, its regions and sectors generate.

This newsletter is the product of the Youth Network. We hope you find it interesting and help us disseminate it. We wish you a very good year - that 2017 will find us more united so that we can continue to deepen the task of building from our daily work with others and with joy create a collective and transformative movement.

Gabriela Buffa, 
President of the Global Youth Network

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. 2017 Youth Network Work Plan
2. Report from Quebec
3. Regional Updates
   1. Africa
   2. Americas
   3. Asia-Pacific
   4. Europe
4. Network Spotlights
   1. Youth Owned Cooperatives: Challenges in Nigeria (Badejo Adeyemi, Africa) 
   2. The Cooperative Business Model (Ahsan Ali Thakur, Asia-Pacific)
   3. Caja Popular Mexicana's Commitment to Education Supports 9,000 Students (Francisco Javier Guerrero López & Rocío Flores Duran, Americas)
   4. Help Fund Worldwide Campaign Supporting Youth Creating Coops! (CICOPA, Global)
   5. Social economy in gender perspective: The Challenge of the Next Generations (Gabriela Nacht & Julia Villafañe, Americas)
   6. "Just" Money: Banking As If Society Mattered - Online Course (Vancity, Americas)
   7. Cooperatives advancing youth employment for sustainable development (ILO, Global)
   8. Upcoming Trainings with St Mary's
5. Become a Member of the Alliance CoopYouth Network!

1. 2017 Youth Network Work Plan

The Executive Committee of the Youth Network plans to focus on the following activities for 2017. We have organized ourselves into teams and need your help! If you wish to be part of this important work by joining one of the teams, please contact us.

Consultation & Mapping of Youth Globally

The Youth Network would like to draft a multi-year strategy for adoption at its next Youth Network Assembly through a consultation of the global youth network. This project will include:

• Research to create a short case profile of the co-operative youth movement in each country.

• Mapping of key contact organisations and individuals (networks, co-op colleges, and youth co-ops).

• Interviewing key contacts to ask for their input.

• Gathering available statistics such as youth employment, education, access to credit, co-operatives, etc.

• Consultation on an appropriate platform.

• Draft a multi-year strategy incorporating input from interviews, the strategy of the International Co-operative Alliance, and previous youth statements.

News & Tools for Youth

• Creation of a new website to allow us to better disseminate information and encourage networking amongst the Youth Network.

• Dissemination of important information through our newsletters.

• Collecting tools for youth to learn how to create youth co-ops or networks of co-ops. If you know of any great tools, please send them to us!

• Creation of and regular updating of social media pages.

Meetings

• Increase participation from the global youth movement by holding online discussions and assemblies.

• General Assembly & Global Conference November 2017: The International Co-operative Alliance will hold its General Assembly and Conference in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from 14-17 November 2017. The next President of the Youth Network will be elected there as Gabriella Buffa’s term has ended. There will also be a Youth Network Assembly and a networking event for youth during the conference. In order for us to ensure youth on all the conference panels, please inform us if you plan on attending.

• Global Co-operative Youth Conference in 2018: The Global Youth Network would like to organize a Global Co-operative Youth Conference in 2018 and we need your help! If you would like to be part of the organizing committee, please let us know. We tentatively plan to hold the conference in Mumbai, India, but we are still open to ideas, so please contact us if you wish to host it.

3. REGIONAL UPDATES

3.1 Africa

Check out the full report here - 1st ever coopyouth conference in the region(!), election of representative to the ICA Executive Committee, BOLESWA Tripartite Youth Forum

3.2 Americas

Check out the full report here - Americas CoopYouth Summit, José Antonio Chávez Villanueva Award, Online Training the Trainers in the Social Economy

3.3 Asia-Pacific

Check out the full report here - Executive Committee meeting, University/Campus Cooperatives meeting

3.4 Europe

Check out the full report here - Young European Cooperative Network meeting, assembly and resulting publication, "Beyond Borders" at the 2016 Summit

5. Become a member of the Network!

1. Become an adherent - join our mailing list, get invited to important events, and be consulted on important issues and projects. Just email us to join. -- or --

2. Become a voting member - you have the same benefits as adherents, but also have a vote. Voting members must be nominated by a full member of the International Co-operative Alliance. It’s easy to become a member - just fill out the membership form in English, French or Spanish.