Ashley Simpson – speech transcript
Co-operative democracy in practice – A learner’s perspective
First and foremost I would like to thank Mervyn and The Co-operative College for
giving me this opportunity. But there is a wider debt of gratitude toward Mervyn and
the College, I have seen up and down the county through my work as an associate
of the Co-operative College that Co-operation in schools is working as it is inspiring
young people to change their communities.
The talk I am presenting to you will first focus on the background to Reddish Vale
and how we become England’s first Co-operative Trust school in 2008. I will then go
on to explore the impacts that had on the school and the wider stakeholders
highlighting how this transformation enabled practical solutions to problems within
the school. Then I will give you my interpretation of what I think Co-operative
education is, from the perspective of someone who has gone through this process of
radical change. Finally I will give some concluding remarks on how co-operative
education can be a driver of societal change.
The standpoint of my talk will focus on young people – and to mainstream cooperation the focus needs to be on young people, this is about creating intergenerational equity and intra-generational equity, creating a sustainable society
through co-operative education.
Co-operative education is about justice and rights – the rights of young people, the
rights of young people to govern their own education, and empowering them to
govern their own lives.
But first we must go back to 2008 and the creation of England’s first Co-operative
Trust School.
Reddish is situated in the North of the Metropolitan Borough of Stockport, bordering
Manchester and Tameside.
Reddish Suffers from high unemployment and low aspirations, the school –Reddish
Vale, recognised the social crisis ensuing and aimed to radically change this through
alternative means.
Those within the school recognised the self-responsibility in needing to come
together for the mutual benefit of the community.
Therefore the status quo could no longer prevail, the wider social crisis had come,
and a radical alternative was needed. The proposed solution was a democratically
controlled co-operative school, where parents, pupils, staff and community members
had a voice. Critically, there was a need to engage and empower the previously
isolated and disillusioned sections of the Reddish community as obstacles felt on the
outside were being expressed inside the school, the affect was utter disengagement
by all stakeholders – we recognised we had to give these stakeholders a democratic
and representative voice.
Therefore in 2008 all stakeholders agreed to the Co-operative structures and
governance, Reddish Vale became England’s first Co-operative Trust School.
The educational impact of the co-operative approach at Reddish Vale was that the
boundaries of learning were breached and young people felt that they could now
influence and change their world. The school ethos altered completely and was
bringing about a gradual strategic process of transforming lives through
empowerment, engagement, participation and innovation.
This is epitomised by the projects and micro social enterprises which the young
people began to enact.
The first project the young people initiated was the establishment of a fairtrade
coffee Co-operative, selling the produce of Ethiopian coffee growers. The enterprise
is exclusively ran by pupils of Reddish thus creating transferable skills for those
involved in the project.
Moreover another group of young people established a creative arts and media cooperative whose aim is to challenge negative stereotypes of young people, using
performing arts to empower young people.
Recently a new enterprise has been established, it is called Youth Space.
Youth
Space is a concept designed to give young people a ‘space’ which they can use as a
platform for reaching their goals and to exceed society’s expectations. Youth Space
is all about opportunity, innovation, engagement and encouragement. Some of their
key outcomes include; The delivery of a modern approach to youth support service
that is widely accessible, and, To Develop a new dialogue between young people
and civil society.
These are examples of democracy, empowerment and participation in co-operative
education. For me, this is an integral process of mainstreaming co-operation, tying
the values and principles with practical tangible outcomes.
All of these examples create social value and are part of creating a sustainable
framework for education in communities.
Co-operative education as viewed from the perspective from someone who has gone
through this process has 4 elements; values, structure, curriculum, pedagogy.
Co-operative education can be seen as;
1, An ethos based on globally shared co-operative values.
2, A genuine structure that directly engages the key stakeholders of the school
through membership – those key stakeholders being parents/carers, staff, learners
and the local community.
3, A curriculum that reflects co-operative values, not necessarily through specialist
subject areas such as co-operative studies, but by using co-operative values and
examples throughout the curriculum.
4, A Co-operative pedagogy – using teaching and learning methods that develop the
skills and competencies that are essential in a modern society – breaking
institutional and hierarchical practices that have previously dogmatised young
people.
These four elements, for me, are key in implementing a Co-operative school, and will
be the foundations of delivering a mainstream approach.
This Co-operative framework works – I have seen the transformational effect on my
community, and individuals within my community, and even me – without this
democratic voice I would not be stood before you today.
This framework enables young people to change their communities, their lives, and
their world.
By giving young people a framework for change, underpinned by a set of values and
principles.
Co-operation for me is about the big picture - working together to find solutions, to
find long term success by investing in all our futures.