The co-operative form of organisation gives ownership of the enterprise to the people who are closest to it - whether as employees, as customers or as suppliers – as that a co-op creates a triple benefit for its community. Co-operatives give people control over things that matter to them.
Learn moreThe European Union is the region, globally, that is has the most rapidly aging population and is facing complex challenges due to this profound demographic transformation. By 2050 30 million Europeans of working age will ‘disappear’. At the same time, retirement will be lasting decades longer as the number of people in their 80s and 90s increases dramatically.
Learn moreWe believe, that co-operatives are the best tools to respond to these difficult realities they can:
1. Empower the citizens to help to make needed societal changes to adapt the challenges
2. Enable active citizens to create, test and learn new and innovative solutions so that all citizens can continue to live their lives with dignity and respect for basic human rights.
Johannes has special areas of activity and special professional experience in management of senior citizen and care companies in development and rehabilitation process, managing care companies, law. He is actively involved in building the business model for seniors’ residences in Germany.
Learn moreZivile's involvement in research of safe food with safe materials started in 2007 when she was undertaking doctoral studies at the Institute of Agricultural and Food Sciences of the University of Aleksandras Stulginskis. The main fields of activity were production, quality, storage and processing of fruits, berries and vegetables.
Ramune gained the qualification of general practice doctor in Kaunas Medicine Institute in 1982
and provided primary and continuing medical care for patients in the community. In 1995 she obtained the Masters of Social Work degree and in 2003 she defended her dissertation on social innovation, earning a doctorate in Social Sciences.
Jurgita is the coordinator of a social consortium "Healthy diet for aging society". She is a researcher in the field of safety and quality evaluation of food raw materials and products at the Aleksandras Stulginskis University of Lithuania.
Lina is the head of the nursing clinic of the Public Kaunas hospital. She is also a one of the founders of the clinic. From the very beginning of her career she has been putting effort into helping severely ill elderly people and their relatives.
Learn moreVanessa's involvement with the co-op sector started when she was a farm child in Ireland, wanting to earn pocket money by selling eggs.
Over many decades she has helped to develop and strengthen co-ops in the consumer, farming, production and health co-op sectors in over 30 countries.
Joan’s involvement with the co-op sector started when she bought car insurance for her first car in Ontario. She also belonged to a local credit union. She has successfully incorporated a women’s worker co-op as part of her Community Centre’s business plan.
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