Young co-operators from across Europe gathered this month for the Young European Cooperators Network (YECN) General Assembly.
Held in Porto between 5 and 7 November, the event formalised the YECN a decade after its inception and three years after its relaunch in Cardiff.
The YECN is a network composed of young co-operators under the age of 40 from all over Europe, aiming to strengthen youth participation in the co-operative movement, create learning and exchange opportunities, and promote co-operation as a democratic and sustainable model of enterprise.
The network acts as the regional youth committee of Cooperatives Europe and is represented at the ICA Youth Executive Committee.
The YECN General Assembly was hosted by Cases (Cooperativa António Sérgio para a Economia Social), co-organised with Cooperatives Europe, and supported by the City Council of Porto, in collaboration with Cooperativa Povo Portuense, Alternâcina, and other local co-ops.
The event gathered more than 35 young people from 14 countries, representing 17 nationalities, to celebrate Europe’s new generation of co-operators, and to discuss challenges such as the inclusion of young people and generational renewal in the co-op movement.
As well as participating in formal sessions, the group made a number of site visits to Portuguese co-ops including Cooperativa Povo Portuense, CerciGaia, and Maiêutica.
The opening session included a video message from Cooperatives Europe president Giuseppe Guerini, and contributions from Eduardo Graça, president of Cases, and Mariam Gabrielyan, Cooperatives Europe board member.
Related: Nurturing the next generation of co-operation in Europe
“The event is an opportunity to use the YECN as a bridge to connect with existing experience, but also to provide innovative new ideas and spirit,” said Gabrielyan.
“We come from different backgrounds and cultures, but I believe, because we are all here, that we share a set of common values: co-operation and belief in the co-operative model.”
During the assembly, delegates unanimously approved the YECN Terms of Reference, which outlines the objectives, membership, and voting rules of the network, as well as its working relationship with Cooperatives Europe. This decision, says the YECN, marks a key step in the network’s consolidation, paving the way for the election of the first steering committee and the development of joint projects under the YECN framework.
YECN president Anna Loscalzo, said: “This is truly a historic moment for the YECN. Over the past few years, we have worked side by side to bring this network to life, and seeing it formalised today is both emotional and inspiring. It shows what young co-operators can achieve when we collaborate with trust, creativity, and a shared belief in the co-operative model.”
The YECN’s next steps are to develop activities, delegate roles and responsibilities, and consolidate its membership base in the coming year.
