Over the past couple of months, the winners of the Youth Replication Project have been busy starting their cooperatives, attending training sessions and meeting with their mentors.
The Youth Network launched the Replication Project in February 2020 to support the emergence of a new generation of youth cooperatives that will strengthen the cooperative movement worldwide.
Nine winning projects were chosen to receive funding of up to EUR 10,000, along with mentorship and training. All projects have now been allocated mentors, most of whom have already met with the projects.
The young cooperators behind the projects have also attended three training sessions, with a fourth due to follow. The first three covered aspects related to cooperative development, operation, governance and marketing. The final session will look at finance and budgeting.
The winners have also received the first half of their funding, with the second to be allocated at a later stage. A mid-term review of the projects will take place in June with a final evaluation in November.
The youth network boasts a range of tools for young people wishing to start their own cooperative, including a mapping of youth cooperative, initiatives to support youth cooperatives across the world, and a list of youth cooperative development tools.