What are Community Cooperatives.
By the citizens, for the citizens
Citizens are the engines of change in their community
A community cooperative is a model of social innovation in which citizens are producers and consumers of goods and services.
Their goal is to safeguard disadvantaged territorial contexts and inland areas, preserving them from depopulation by incentivizing local economies.
Community cooperatives are “collaborative” enterprises, where the activities of individual citizens, businesses, associations, and institutions are integrated into a system to respond to multiple needs, provide services and products to local communities, and revitalize social cohesion.
Explore the interactive map of community cooperatives: https://coopcomunita.aiccon.it/, a project promoted by AICCON and supported by Legacoop Emilia-Romagna and Legacoop Nazionale
How community cooperatives
impact the territory
Supporting the local economy, promoting the social fabric
Community cooperatives support the local economy and promote social and cultural cohesion in the general interest, within a democratic and participatory context.
- Community cooperatives play a vital role in counteracting phenomena such as depopulation and economic isolation. Thanks to services like healthcare, transport, education, and retail trade, these cooperatives contribute to improving the lives of residents.
- Community cooperatives stimulate the local economy through job creation. Furthermore, they enhance local resources such as agriculture, craftsmanship, and tourism. A precious contribution that helps keep local traditions alive and boosts the territory's economic satellite activities.
- Community cooperatives foster social inclusion: they strengthen the sense of belonging and offer residents the opportunity to participate actively in the decision-making process. A participatory governance model that is invaluable in contexts like these, where distance from decision-making centers often leads to detachment and rejection.
- Community cooperatives are an example of sustainable development, demonstrating how social inclusion models can be implemented and how the cooperative system can be a solution for facing contemporary rural development challenges. An example that can inspire other regions and contexts.
The mapping of community cooperatives is available to monitor their evolution – a project promoted by AICCON and supported by Legacoop Emilia-Romagna and Legacoop Nazionale.
FAQ Community Cooperatives
How did community cooperatives originate?
The first Italian community cooperatives were founded in rural zones, areas at risk of depopulation due to a lack of essential infrastructure for community life, such as retail shops, social gathering hubs, and dining facilities.
Why form a community cooperative?
Community cooperatives provide an appropriate legal and economic framework for citizens wishing to carry out this type of project. Thanks to community cooperatives, it is possible to implement projects that are of no interest to the private market or the public sector, while also countering speculation by profit-oriented private actors.
What are the strengths of community cooperatives?
They are democratic and supportive organizations that work in the interest of the community. They respond to the concrete needs of citizens and strengthen local development to improve people’s quality of life.
Community cooperatives distribute resources equitably and represent a model of sustainable economic and social development.
Do you have a cooperative in a small rural or mountain area? Do you want to open one?