Abstract

This manual is a resource for teachers of students in second level schools who are delivering the
Co-operatives for Sustainability programme. There are seven core lessons in this manual that
explore the work of co-operatives – in Ireland as well as globally.

The aim is to give students the opportunity to explore the co-operative model, its values and
principles, and to consider their relevance to the lives of young people, as well as the issues that
affect them and the world. Its hope is to inspire young people to think about whether cooperatives can have a positive impact on their lives, and ultimately to consider forming cooperatives.

The concepts and approaches in this manual closely align with the European Entrepreneurship
Competence Framework (EntreComp). This is a reference framework for people interested in
learning, teaching and fostering the knowledge, skills and attitudes that make up an
entrepreneurial mindset. It defines entrepreneurship as the capacity to act upon opportunities
and ideas and to transform them into values for others. This value can be financial, cultural, or
social. It establishes fifteen competencies. 

The programme places co-operatives in the context of issues facing the world, in particular
their role in contributing to the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The
goals include eliminating poverty, decent work, reducing inequalities, climate action, gender
equality. Each of the chapters in this manual that relate to these goals are self-contained, and
teachers can decide which of them to use and the order in which to use them.

The manual and lessons are designed primarily for use with students in Transition Year, but
there are also clear links to and with junior cycle subjects such as Civic, Social and Political
Education (CSPE) and could also be useful for those completing Leaving Certificate Applied
(LCA) or Leaving Certificate Vocational Programmes (LCVP), as well as Business Studies.

There are seven units. In total, the units are estimated to take 12 hours to deliver (across 12 class
sessions). There are also sample assignments which could be used for the programme (in the
appendices). If there are time constraints, the teacher can select the units that they wish to cover
(however, units 1 – 3 are recommended as they are introductory).

The segments in the units are timed (please note that these are estimates), so that teachers can
adapt the lessons to suit their needs, and the duration of their session and courses. Each lesson
has a lesson plan which outlines its learning objectives for the teacher.

The manual is practical and student-centred – activities and lesson plans intend to maximise
interaction, feedback, discussion, and collaboration through group activities. Some of the
exercises require the use of audio-visual equipment and WIFI (as videos and YouTube clips are
used).

There are teacher notes in relation to some of the topics covered, and it is intended that this
programme can be used by all – whether or not teachers have prior knowledge or experience of
co-operatives.

As this is the first edition of this manual, the SCSI would welcome feedback from those who use
it, so that it can be revised and developed, based on the needs of students, teachers, and the
curriculum. To give feedback, contact the SCSI@