Co-ops: Giving young people a fairer future

One of a series of webinars brought to you by The Hive, a programme of support for new and existing co-ops delivered by Co-operatives UK in partnership with The Co-operative Bank.

About the webinar

People aged 18‑24 have been the most likely to lose work due to the Covid‑19 pandemic, according to recent studies. But there is a way to empower and create opportunity for the younger generation: co‑ops.

Whether it’s student housing co‑ops that break the cycle of high‑cost private rents and put tenants in control, or co‑op businesses that provide sustainable careers – co‑operatives offer fairer, ethical and more decent alternatives.

This webinar, hosted by Simin Wadiwala, introduces young adults to co‑ops. Simin is a founder member of Seasalt Housing co‑operative in Brighton. She will talk about her own co‑op experiences and introduce a number of speakers who will share how being part of a co‑op has improved their lives: 

• Lucy King is a member of InFact Co-op, “a design and development co-operative using technology in service of humans and nature.” She’ll be sharing her experiences of setting up a co-op business as a young person in the digital and creative sector. Lucy will also explain how the co-op model differs from other creative/digital agencies and how their co-op is a force against a precarious livelihood.

• Connie Finney is a member of Out of Town, a Brighton-based co-operative that’s been providing democratically run housing for 28 years – giving homes to more than 60 members in that time. She’ll explain the benefits of co-op housing, and how being a member has enabled her to develop a range of valuable skills, from practical maintenance to active communication and team working.

Format

• An online one-hour webinar on Zoom
• Presentations from several speakers

How much does it cost?

This webinar is FREE to everyone who wants to attend.

What attendees will learn:

• What a co-op is and why it’s different from other business models
• About the experiences of young people who have set up co-ops
• How co-ops address the issues faced by young people, such as the lack of affordable housing
• What it’s like to be a member of a co-op
• How co-ops differ from traditional career routes
• What support is available for those wishing to set up a co‑op, including The Hive business support programme

Who should attend?

Young people keen to learn more about co‑operatives, this includes:

• Individuals and groups looking to start‑up a business
• New start‑ups and young businesses
• Anyone wanting to learn more about how co‑ops can empower young people: educators, local authorities, youth community leaders, charities, voluntary sector support agencies, etc

About the host

Simin Wadiwala is a founder member of Seasalt Housing co‑operative in Brighton. She’s also a member of the Young Co‑operators Network, which supports young co‑operators through outreach, friendship, collaboration and knowledge sharing – and empowers people to join, form and champion co‑operatives.

Recording the webinar

This webinar will be recorded. We will share the recording with participants shortly afterwards. This webinar is part of a series. If you cannot attend this one, we hope you can join us for another webinar. Alternatively, visit our step by step: start a co-op tool or read about the business support available to start-up co-ops.