On the 25th of November 2013 CECOP-CICOPA ( European Confederation of Worker Cooperatives, Social Cooperatives and Social Participative Enterprises) organised a conference on cooperatives and work integration of disadvantaged persons. The representative of Barka Foundation took part in that event. Luca Jahier, from the European Economic and Social Committee opened the conference and the European Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion, László Andor gave a keynote speech in which he underlined that social cooperatives play a key role in Europe, “they bring a fresh vision and approach to the current mainstream economy.
Cooperatives and work integration of disadvantaged persons- conference in Brussels
Among others they have been capable of enhancing the ability of disadvantaged groups of people to protect their own interests, by guaranteeing self-help outside the family in accessing basic goods and services. Cooperatives hold powerful tools for social innovation”. “The considerable contribution of cooperatives to the work integration of disadvantaged people is one of the most cost-effective ways of meeting the Europe 2020 targets for employment, innovation, education and social inclusion”, concluded the Commissioner. The conference has presented good practices of cooperatives and social enterprises in different European countries. Several cooperatives presented their story, such as the worker cooperative for workers in reintegration process, Juratri (France), the social cooperative for migrant workers Ecosviluppo (Italy), Severoceske Druzstvo Zdravotne in Czech Republic, which integrates disabled workers and the cooperative consortium for ex-offenders and drug addicts Vägen ut! (Sweden).
Together a documentary film by CECOP-CICOPA Europ
You can watch the full documentary in English
You can watch the full documentary in Polish
Coops and work integration draft program
Cooperatives provide around 40.000 jobs to disadvantaged persons in Europe
