The Valley Alliance of Worker Co-operatives is rooted in the ideals of co-operation, mutuality and solidarity. VAWC is itself an expression of co-operative principles — a “co-op of worker co-ops” that have come together as a means of strengthening the efforts of our individual co-ops to develop their businesses, serve their members, and contribute to the wider co-operative economy. Our core goal is to provide ourselves with the resources and support we need to advance our co-operatives, empower our members, and benefit more people in our communities.
We envision a co-operative economy where one can live an entirely co-operative day: An economy built on workers’ self-determination and freedom of action and association; An economy of breadth and depth that puts working people in control of their economic destiny while serving their communities in accordance with the co-operative values and principles.
The Valley Alliance of Worker Co-operatives is dedicated to building a sustainable local economy by facilitating the growth and development of worker cooperatives in Western Massachusetts and Southern Vermont. To realize this, we will:
1. provide support for our members. This includes maintaining and sharing information relevant to worker co-operatives, providing technical and organizational assistance, offering joint marketing and promotional services, developing group benefits, improving access to financial resources, strengthening ties between worker co-operatives, and developing relationships with other segments of the co-operative/labor community.
2. develop new worker co-operatives and offer mentoring and skill-sharing to those developing worker co-operatives.
3. promote worker co-operatives in our region. This includes educating and developing community awareness of worker co-operatives as sources of meaningful employment and economic empowerment, providers of quality goods and services, and viable alternatives to conventionally owned and managed businesses.
About Cooperatives and .coop
The global Cooperative community has more than 1 billion members, representing 12% of the world’s employed population. All Cooperatives verify their identity when selecting a .coop web address. Your unique business identity is recognized online with a .coop domain name – your digital brand – a brand known for its economic advantages to its community, consumers, and members.
If you would like your cooperative featured, click on this link to submit your story.
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