Routes européennes de la culture coopérative

The overall objective was to establish a European network of cooperatives that train their members in cooperative culture through visits and direct exchanges between cooperative members. 1) To id...

The overall objective was to establish a European network of cooperatives that train their members in cooperative culture through visits and direct exchanges between cooperative members. 1) To identify the relevance of ‘learning trips’ as a means of transmitting cooperative culture to people of different profiles, levels and nationalities. Our cooperatives welcome a wide variety of people, some of whom are not familiar with training. They rely on encounters and exposure to otherness to transmit cooperative culture. The innovative learning method that we sought to transmit and promote in this project was the experience of ‘learning trips,’ a form of training accessible to all. 2) To prepare the structuring of a longer-term ‘European cooperative culture route’ project and its expansion to other European actors. Among the seven principles that define cooperatives is a mission to educate their members and encourage exchanges between them (intercooperation). The idea is to expand these encounters to the European level and build a network that facilitates exchanges.

- Learning trips: Each of the three partners organised a learning trip in their own region: one in France (Drôme-Ardèche), one in Barcelona (in the city and its suburbs) and one in Lombardy (Milan, Monza and around Lake Como). The four-day trips included visits to cooperatives and workshops to exchange practices on the themes of transmitting cooperative culture and social inclusion. Each partner produced a booklet presenting the meetings. Four people from each cooperative took part in the trip and sometimes mobilised other people to prepare the next stages of the project. - Promotion of the project: Podcasts, social media posts, press articles, etc. A six-minute film was made to present the idea of a European route of cooperative culture, which was published on YouTube and shared within our network. - Improving skills in Erasmus+ programmes: As first-time applicants, putting the programme into practice was a great learning experience for everyone. Knowledge of other programmes has increased. A mobility project has been submitted. - Coordination: coordination of the entire project and of each partner ensured good organisation and understanding for the success of the project.

The 3 trips of this project enabled us to discover the specific characteristics of cooperation in each country and to identify what we have in common. We discovered the close partnerships between cooperatives and local authorities in Lombardy, the concept of ‘cooperative territory’ in Barcelona, and the capacity for action and ecological transition of cooperation in rural areas in France. We were able to explore the role of cooperatives in including diverse groups of people who are distant from training, and discussed ways of transmitting the cooperative culture. As first-time applicants to the Erasmus+ programme, we familiarised ourselves with the programme. We explored its different facets and discovered other cooperation and mobility partnership programmes. Our project has reinforced our hope of structuring a broader network with a view to creating a ‘European route of cooperative culture’. As a follow-up to the project, a strategic meeting will be held in Brussels at the end of November 2025. It will bring together representatives of cooperatives from five European countries and federations at regional, national, European and international level.