New Youth Advisory Group announced for Co-operatives UK

Giving youth a voice was a key theme in this year’s Co-op Congress which, for the first time, was held alongside the National Youth Summit. 

The purpose of Co-operatives UK’s National Youth Summit is to increase young people’s understanding of and passion for co-operatives, as well as providing a learning and networking opportunity for young co-operators. Previously, decisions about the content of the sessions and structure of the event were made in collaboration with a Youth Advisory Group made up of young people aged 18 to 30. 

This year, Rose Marley announced that a new Youth Advisory Group would be formed, extending its scope in order to support Co-operatives UK in implementing one of its strategy’s core themes: empowering young people.

To address barriers to participation and in recognition of the commitments involved, members of the Youth Advisory Group will be paid for their time.

The role of the Youth Advisory Group

Advise & Enrich

Young people bring new perspectives to our work; provide valuable insight; generate new ideas; and challenge our way of thinking. The Youth Advisory Group will shape what we do to ensure it aligns with the needs of young people. Members of the Group will work alongside us to champion youth voice and advocate for meaningful participation within the co-operative movement. 

Advocate & Engage

Young people today are facing an uncertain future, where climate anxiety and job insecurity are major factors in their lives. While we know that the co-operative movement offers solutions to enable a fairer future, many young people are unaware. A key role of the Youth Advisory Group will be to advocate for the movement, spreading the word about co-ops and promoting the values of co-operation within youth networks outside the movement.

Applications will close on 28 July. We encourage all young people to apply, whether active members of a co-operative, or completely new to the movement.