By Miles Hadfield
The Co-op College has launched a free online course launched to train teachers on co-operative entrepreneurship.
The course – an integral part of the YOUCOOPE project – has been developed in collaboration with partners from five countries. It focuses on training teachers in co-operative entrepreneurship and encourages educational institutions to include the co-operative model in their curricula.
Co-operative Entrepreneurship in Education: Tools and Resources is a short digital course oriented to secondary and university education professionals interested in entrepreneurial education using the co-operative perspective.
The Massive Online Open Course (MOOC) is available to access now and provides participants with the knowledge, tools and innovative material to incorporate co-operative entrepreneurship concepts, skills and real-life experiences into their lessons.
Teachers interested in taking the digital training can sign up for free on the YOUCOOPE website and take the MOOC in English, Italian or Spanish. This also allows them to apply for exclusive online workshops where they will be able to dive into co-operative entrepreneurial education, meet other educators with their same interests and learn new ways to introduce these methodologies in the classroom.
The online course, downloadable digital content and workshops take into account the EntreComp European Framework for the development of entrepreneurial skills, supported by the European Commission, which includes essential soft skills for the personal and professional future of young people.
Sarah Alldred, international programmes manager at the College, said: “It’s great for the College to be a key partner in YOUCOOPE, a project that’s making real progress in ensuring the co-operative business model is highlighted in curricula across the world.
“We know the real difference that co-operatives can make and it’s important we spread the message as far and wide as possible.”
The resources generated during the project will also encourage educational institutions to look for collaboration with existing local co-operatives, giving young people an insight on the importance and efficiency of the model, as well as facilitating the transition from the classroom to the working context.
