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Case Study 1: Thomas Adams School
Case Study 2: St. Benedict’s College
Case Study 3: The Young Co-operatives
Case Study 4: Whitby High School
Fairtrade products and suppliers
Dubble stockists
This report is from the Young Co-operatives project:
It’s not just the farmers of Kuapa Kokoo who are working co-operatively and promoting Fairtrade. In more than 130 schools across the UK, students are running their own Young Co-operatives, selling only Fairtrade products.
The Young Co-operatives project started in Hartlepool when 12 enterprising teenagers formed two co-operative businesses, The Chocolateers and Coco Banana. Word of their success spread and now more and more schools and youth groups are signing up to the project every week.
When a group of students form a young co-operative they have to work together and to reach democratic decisions – there are no bosses in a young co-operative, or you could say that everyone is the boss!
By running their young co-operative, students learn how to run a business – they decide what stock to buy, how much to sell products for, how to keep their own cash records, etc. The young co-operatives can buy stock at discounted rates from Co-op stores (which is really handy for buying Fairtrade fruit) and from Traidcraft – or from other suppliers if they prefer.
Most young co-operatives run a stall or tuckshop in school, and Divine and Dubble bars are usually among the best sellers. Young Co-operative members decide for themselves what to do with their profits – some pay themselves a small amount, others save up for an end of year treat and some donate profits to charity.
Young people learn all sorts of things by being part of a young co-operative – things that can help them in their schoolwork and later on in life. But, most importantly of all, they have loads of fun.
The members of the Stonelaw High Fair Traders in Rutherglen, near Glasgow, have a lot to be proud of. In just 16 months, this young co-operative has sold more than £14,000 worth of Fairtrade products. Their top selling product is Co-op own brand chocolate but the group also sells jewellery produced in South Africa. The group has established a link with a nurse working with orphans of AIDS sufferers in the country and donates all its profits to support her work.
One of the co-op members Lynda Whiteford says “As part of Stonelaw High Fair Traders, working co-operatively plays a major part in our business. We have learned to give everyone an equal say and make our business decisions democratically. I feel this democracy is why our group works so well, as our friendly relationships are not put at risk by any one person being in charge.
“Co-operative working has also taught us to respect each others’ opinions and listen to and even learn from them. This helps us both as entrepreneurs and as members of today’s society where equality is becoming more and more important.”
Photo: Stonelaw High, Rutherglen, near Glasgow : Fair Traders
Photo: Members of the Clapton Girls Technology College young co-operative at House of Commons launch.
[Photo: Two satisfied customers in Hartlepool]
© copyright 2005 Comic Relief, registered charity 326568.
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