The Role of Worker Cooperatives in the Post Covid-19 Recovery

Introduction

In this moment of crisis, worker cooperatives are a reliable, proven solution to address the loss of jobs and income inequality. COVID-19 has devastated the small business community, and the clock is ticking on permanent shutdowns of small businesses. 45 percent of businesses believe they have less than six months until a permanent shutdown is unavoidable (Democracy at Work Institute, 2021). The world all over millions are still unemployed. Worker cooperatives, fundamentally centered on the needs of workers, have quickly pivoted to meet the needs of their communities during the pandemic, implementing collective decision-making, mutual aid, and resilient business planning to save jobs and stabilize their workforces ((Democracy at Work Institute, 2021)). While they must still face tough decisions during this time, worker-owners make decisions collectively, influencing how the impact is shared across the workforce. Development of Worker cooperatives in Sub-Saharan Africa remain deterred by many factors including inadequate policies and regulations even as researchers argue that the model could provide a pathway to Covid-19 job-loss recovery.

To be proactive as young co-operative scholars and bearing in mind that the co-operative movement has been mostly reactive to economic and social crisis, we are inviting young scholars and researchers around the world to join us in this discussion. Together with leading experts and thinkers we can debate around how the worker cooperatives can lead in the post-pandemic economy and catch the wave of interest for a more equitable economy and society. Significantly, we will focus on worker co-operatives in the developing world and on opinions and visions of young people. Co-operatives are the essence of working together to reach a common goal thus they can be the solution to the current pandemic since the world is seeking to build a more sustainable and equitable world for everyone. To achieve this we need data based evidence and recommendations that can only come from researchers and more specifically from cooperative scholars.

What to expect

The Young Scholars Initiative in Collaboration with the Global Communities (USAID-CLEAR Program) and The Co-operative University of Kenya will host the 4th Africa Young Scholars Workshop on Co-operatives 2022 under the theme “Platform Co-operativism: The Role of Worker Cooperatives in the Post Covid-19 Recovery” will bring together young professionals and development practitioners from the African region. The event will facilitate the exchange of knowledge and ideas amongst youth, promote networking among them and other professionals in the field of co-operatives and also strengthen youth participation in the debates on co-operative development.

Plenaries

The event will be opened and closed with a high plenary session focussed on youth and the co-operatives in post-crises period. These sessions will bring together all the participants, keynote speakers from the government and the non-governmental institutions.

Presenters and Presentations

The 4th Africa Young Scholars Workshop on Co-operatives 2022 is a two-day workshop that will run concurrently with the Co-operative University of Kenya, (CUK) 6th Annual International Conference at the Co-operative University of Kenya, Nairobi, Kenya. There will be two invited local presenters (seasoned scholars in co-operatives) who will also act the role of mentors and one regional presenter (mentor). These scholars will give their overview on worker co-operatives in the Post Covid-19 Recovery’ in round tables-discussions. There will be eight presentation sessions from some selected young scholars. Each session is specifically designed to help young scholars improve their knowledge and skills through interactive workshops, brainstorming and presentations. The contributions from each group will be presented in a loop session where each participant will have an opportunity to hear from all the groups.

Selection Criteria

We invite young scholars between the age of 20 to 35 years, working, studying or researching on cooperatives to submit abstracts for presentation under the following themes:

1. Supply chains recovery options for building resilience to future shocks
   • Covid-19 impact on supply-chain
   • Options to address the fragilities which Covid-19 pandemic has exposed in supply chains
   • Supply-chain strategies and restructuring adopted by businesses
   • Ability of SSE organization to anticipate, prepare for, respond to and adapt to sudden disruptions;
   • Recovery options which SSEOs can adapt to ensure resilience of supply chains to future disruptions.

2. ICT in catalyzing economic recovery and building back better from impacts of covid-19 *
• ICT-based innovations and applications as a tool against the COVID-19 crisis
• ICT and infodemic
• Opportunities for application of ICT to promote economic recovery
• Role of ICT in recovery and building back better to ensure the resilience***

3. Strategic thinking as a pillar in economic recovery and building back better
   • Place of strategic recovery planning in recovery and building back better
   • Approaches SSEOs can adopt to institutionalize strategic thinking to safeguard against future shocks

4. The Role of Worker Cooperatives in the Post Covid-19 Recovery
   • Worker Cooperatives in the Post Covid-19 Recovery
   • Resilience of worker cooperatives to shocks
   • Factors affecting development of worker cooperatives
   • Measures to be undertaken for worker cooperatives to provide a pathway to post Covid-19 recovery

Let’s network

Throughout the two-day workshop, participants will have opportunities to exchange and connect with other youths and professionals with similar interests from Africa and beyond. Other networking opportunities include the workshop dinner which will be held on 27th July 2022.

Proposed Mentors

Prof. Wycliffe Oboka, Kenya (Director Institute of Co-operative Development, CUK)
Prof. Mohamed Maie, Somalia (Director Malaq Maye Cooperative and Technical Institute)
Mr. Silas Maiyo , Kenya ( Co-ordinator Research and Innovation, CUK & Chairperson Africa Co-operative Consortium)
Dr. Terence Muzorewa, Zimbabwe (Midland State University, Coordinator YSI)
Ms. Olga Prushinskaya, United States (Metrics and Impact Analyst, Democracy at Work Institute, U.S.A.)

Participants

Prospective workshop participants are expected to submit an abstract (maximum of 300 words) of their paper to: coop@youngscholarsinitiative.org and copy abstracts@cuk.ac.ke by 1st July 2022. (please code name your file 4TH AFRICA YSI WORKSHOP@CUK22)

Accommodation and travel support will be offered to a limited number of registered members of the YSI.