The Youth Network is part of the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA) - a non-profit international association established in 1895 to advance the cooperative enterprise model around the world. It is the global voice of the cooperative movement, uniting, representing, and serving its members (which are national level federations of cooperatives and individual cooperative organisations).
The ICA is organised with a global office, four regional offices (Europe, Africa, Americas, and Asia-Pacific), eight sectoral organisations (Banking, Agriculture, Fisheries, Insurance, Health, Housing, Consumer Cooperatives, and Worker Cooperatives) and various thematic committees.
These thematic committees include the Youth Network, which was set up in 2003 as an advisory, assistance and representation body for the cooperative youth movement.
Its role is to:
- organise the youth movement, taking into account how complex it is, and how its interests set it apart from the rest of the movement;
- promote education and cooperative principles among young people;
- encourage the participation and development of youth from all around the world
- and undertake actions to build more just and equitable societies.
The ICA Youth Network is structured as follows:
- Executive Committee:
- The President of the ICA Youth Network is elected in the General Assembly of the International Cooperative Alliance by voting members.
- The 4 Chairpersons of each region are ratified to be the Vice Presidents of the Executive Committee.
- The 4 members-at-large, one from each region, elected by the voting members.
- Advisors as necessary.
- Liaison Officer assigned from the ICA to provide support to the youth network.
- Voting Members.
- Adherents.
Regional Youth Committees and Networks
There are four Regional Youth Committees and Networks. Below are the contact details and links that will allow you to contact and participate in your regional network:
- Africa: Africa Regional Youth Committee Geoffrey Asira, asira@icaafrica.coop, Telephone: +254 20 2323489, Cell phone: +254 715 376313, Skype: geoffrey.asira
- Americas: Americas Regional Youth Committee (Facebook: crj.coop), Luisa Fernanda Gallo Herrán, Tel. 506 2290 1714, luisa.gherran@aciamericas.coop
- Asia & Pacific: ICA-AP Committee on Youth Cooperation (ICYC), Facebook: ICA AP Committee on Youth Co-operation. Shree Padmanabhan, Tel: +91 9717802408, Shree.Padmanabhan@icaap.coop
- Europe: YECN – Young European Cooperators Network. Lorenzo Novaro, facilitator, l.novaro@coopseurope.coop, Tel. +32 2 213 00 83. Contact the Youth Network Executive Committee members in Europe if you want to get involved.
Each region has its priorities and responds to youth needs and particularities. It is our aim to articulate goals, coordinate actions and collaborate with each other as much as possible.