A study carried out by CG Scop, the French confederation of worker co-operatives, has revealed that co-operative enterprises are more likely to have young people in leadership positions than other enterprises. According to the research, the French co-operative movement counts on 420 young leaders aged 35 or under, which represents 15.5% of leaders, as opposed to just 11.3% in other types of businesses. As people-centred enterprises that place a strong emphasis on participative management, co-operatives provide an alternative enterprise model for young people.
"Having signed the Young Leaders' Declaration 'co-operating to transform the society' drafted at the second International Summit of Cooperatives in Quebec, CG Scop is strongly in favour of creating co-operative enterprises for young people", said Patrick Lenancker, president of CG Scop. France has now around 2,250 worker co-operatives with 46,000 employees.
Over 71% of co-operatives led by young people sprung out of nothing while 9% are healthy enterprises that have been taken over by young people. Around 57% of co-operatives led by young people are active in the service sector, with another 13% are in construction and 12% in trade.
One such co-operative is Les-Tilleus, an enterprise with an average member age of 25 years. The co-op was set up in 2011 by three young web experts. The enterprise employs 12 people who work together to develop web projects and grow the enterprise. Managing director Kevin Dunglas thinks the success of the enterprise is owed to its co-operative model. "The decision makers know the enterprise by heart. And there is also an element of safety: the enterprise cannot be re-sold without the consent of employees".
The role of young people in co-operatives was also on the agenda at the general assembly of Cooperatives Europe, which took place in Paris on 23-24 April. The general assembly featured a pre event workshop on how to build a European network of young co-operators as well as a roundtable on the challenges and opportunities faced by young co-operators.
Photo: employees of Les Tilleuls (c) CG Scop
