“The kind of concrete knowledge I have now is empowering because it’s helping my co-op understand what it actually takes to be successful and develop past the initial stages.” — Charnal, BOLD Yoga
BCI launched the first cohort of the Solidarity Economy Apprentice Program in February, which provides business development skills and member leadership development to cooperative members and small business owners in our regional ecosystem.
The inaugural group of five apprentices joined BCI for a year of learning, practice, and training in coop development, business development, and Participatory Action Research.
We launched the Solidarity Economy Apprenticeship program out of a recognition that the DC region needs more cooperative developers, especially developers who have trained to work with worker-owners who have historically been excluded from the traditional workforce.
“We can do cooperative work quicker if people unite. If there can be five, there can be ten, and there can be bigger numbers that support an entire community.” — Miriam, Little Bites Catering
The Solidarity Economy Apprentice Program began with coop developer training over the winter and spring, and the program continues with a summer of regional listening using Participatory Action Research (PAR).
We wanted to mark the first four months of the program by sharing reflections from a few of the apprentices on what they’ve learned so far, and what the solidarity economy and cooperative development means to them.
“Capitalism isn’t inevitable. We’re inundated with the idea that life is the way it has to be, but we’ll never have the armor to do anything differently if we don’t do something about that idea.” — Kristen Kane, Rise Up Fitness