Rome, 8 July 2024 - We are pleased to announce the official launch of the project "YouCool, Youth in Cooperatives as actors of digital transformation of Local communities" in partnership with the Vietnamese Cooperatives Alliance (member of ICA) and Haliéus, funded by the European Union through the "Enhancing CSOs' Contribution to Governance and Development Processes in Viet Nam" program. The project officially starts on July 8th, with a Kick off Meeting scheduled for September in Hanoi.
The project is based on an integrated approach to address the challenges of youth participation in governance and development processes, focusing on digital education and the digitalization process of cooperatives, with a particular focus on the coffee supply chain, through participatory processes and sharing of good practices with Italian and global youth cooperative networks.
The project is the result of a long and solid collaboration between Legacoop and the International Cooperative Alliance, which has made it possible to create synergies and an effective exchange of know-how between Italian and Vietnamese cooperation. The project includes a series of training activities aimed at developing the digital skills of young members of Vietnamese cooperatives, with a specific pilot action focused on the coffee supply chain. In particular, the project benefits from the interest and support of Italian cooperatives active in the coffee value chain, from processing, to sale, to export to fair trade certification, which will be involved in the project, from Coop Italia, to Fairtrade Italia, also involving the cooperative Unione del porto from Legacoop Liguria.
The project creates synergies with expertise and structures of Legacoop, in line with the mission of Haliéus; indeed the initiative will include training and digital skills activity facilitated by 4Form, Legacoop national entity, with the aim to equip young people with advanced digital tools that will improve the management, production and marketing of coffee, thus promoting sustainable and inclusive development of the sector.
This initiative represents a significant step towards the empowerment of young people and the sustainable development of local communities, helping to strengthen ties with the International Cooperative Alliance and promoting a business model according to cooperative principles.
This project reflects the continuous commitment of Legacoop, through the NGO Haliéus, to promote the development of skills and opportunities for economic, social and sustainable development of local communities through innovative and inclusive cooperative models.