ICYC Pilot project on Financial Literacy for Youth Co-operation
The ICA-AP Committee on Youth Co-operation has initiated pilot projects in Bhutan, India and Nepal to establish youth and youth-led co-operatives across the three countries. The theme of its 7th Annual Meeting – Financial Literacy for Youth Co-operation is also the topic of the proposed ICYC Project. Seminars were held in Kathmandu (7 December 2014), Thimpu (11 January 2015) and New Delhi (4 February 2015).
Over 300 people attended the workshops in Kathmandu, including school and university students, parents and teachers. The one-day seminars were organised by Ms Indira Panta, who volunteered to help run the events. Government officials also attended the workshops. With support from local credit unions, other workshops were hosted in Chitwan and Pokhra.
Participants made a number of recommendations, including amending the legislation regarding savings amongst youth. They also suggested that national co-operative federations should partner to support the financial institutions created by young people.
The seminar in Thimpu focused on youth led social co-operatives and putting in practice principle seven – concern for community. Mr Balu Iyer, regional director of the Alliance, also an honorary member of the ICYC, delivered the keynote address on the theme. He highlighted the core values of co-operation and gave examples of successful youth led co-operative movements in Japan as well as in the western hemisphere. He spoke of the cohesion in the philosophies of ‘Co-operatives’ and ‘Gross National Happiness’ as propounded by Bhutanese Royalty in the 1960s, to be of great value for the youth of Bhutan in nation building. Mr Sangay Rinchen, along with youth movement activists, presented their experiences with social pressures and entrepreneurship and Mr P. Santosh Kumar, secretary of ICYC made a thematic presentation highlighting youth led co-operative enterprises and co-operative law & policies from Asia that were conducive for youth co-operation. The Resolution of the seminar was to set up a core group of youth volunteers and mobilise youth movements into a social benefit co-operative.
The Pilot Activity in India was carried out by the students of the Shriram College of Commerce (SRCC) under the guidance of Dr Mallika Kumar, Assistant Professor, SRCC on 4 February, 2015 in the Seminar Hall of the college. The seminar was chaired by Dr Sukesh Zamwar, chair of ICYC. Balu Iyer delivered a special address on co-operative awareness and the benefits of working together as part of a co-operative, rather than for someone else’s enterprise. Heads of various societies of the SRCC such as societies on economics, commerce, theatre and literature shared their achievements and challenges as student groups functioning in the campus. Mr P. Santosh Kumar, secretary of ICYC gave a thematic presentation on the situation of youth-led and youth-based co-operatives in the Asia Pacific region and urged the students to partner in the proposed ICYC project. Dr Navin Anand, moderator of the Microfinance Community of the UNDP Solution Exchange shared his thoughts on co-operatives and areas of work in financial sector for youth. This was followed by a panel discussion chaired by Mrs Savitri Singh, advisor – gender Programmes and Communications, International Co-operative Alliance for Asia and Pacific. The panel was comprised of Dr Dinesh, chief executive, National Co-operative Union of India; Dr Navin Anand and Dr Sukesh Zamwar. Participants committed to forming working groups at the SRCC to further the work areas of the proposed project.
Based on the key recommendations of the pilot activities in Nepal, Bhutan and India, the Youth Project of the International Co-operative Alliance for Asia and Pacific will continue to develop new initiatives related to establishing thematic youth co-operatives and tailored to local interests.
Photo: young people attending the seminar in New Delhi.
