Your Youth Co-operative Action programme helps young people to become an outstanding leaders, develop new skills, and take their CVs to a whole new level.

Who's involved?

Our London based Youth Co-operative Action programme is delivered in partnership with 7PK, a social enterprise run by local entrepreneur Louis Howell (himself born and raised in Lewisham). YCA equips young people with the skills needed to become true changemakers, and we've already seen two groups of young people set up enterprises that have become the talk of the town.

What is YCA?

This isn’t just a programme where young people ‘learn some new stuff’ - this is about empowerment. Their experience, views and perspectives make them the experts and this journey is about creating a platform for them to make a real impact. During the programme participants:

• Realise their leadership potential
• Develop entrepreneurial skills and start projects and enterprises that will benefit their community, with the opportunity to use digital skills and channels like podcasting, filming and more!
• Explore co-operative values, including why they matter and how they can apply them to their life, career and community.
• Create, campaign, collaborate and connect with a range of people and professionals who can help them to tackle the issues that matter to them.

YCA in action

One of the best parts of Youth Co-operative Action is that each group of learners gets to discuss what issues are impacting them and their communities - and then they get to do something about it! So far, the issues tackled by YCA cohorts include youth loneliness, the environment, poverty, homelessness and crime. Have a look at a previous YCA London project:

Leading change

If you would like to speak to us about our youth empowerment work email [email protected] 

This project has been made possible thanks to the support of the #iwill Fund and Co-op Foundation