Valls, Catalonia. CoopCamp and the Valls City Council, through the Municipal Institute for Local Development Vallsgenera, have launched a new edition of the "Engeguem" programme. This initiative aims to promote entrepreneurship in co-operativism and the Social and Solidarity Economy.

The programme's main goal is to provide the necessary tools for social economy business ideas to develop a business plan and build a viable business model. This marks the 16th edition of the "Engeguem" itinerary organised by CoopCamp since 2017, which has led to the creation of 79 co-operatives and associations with economic activity, generating 409 new jobs.

Vallsgenera has consistently supported the values of a social and fair economy to strengthen local projects. By joining this training itinerary, Vallsgenera seeks to equip entrepreneurs with more tools and consolidate the co-operative ecosystem in Alt Camp. The programme is free and offers support for Social and Solidarity Economy projects in Valls and the surrounding areas.

Supporting New Co-operative Models

The itinerary helps participants build self-organised labour alternatives that create more dignified jobs. These projects prioritise people, with partners and workers organising horizontally and equally. It also caters to entities wishing to incorporate Social and Solidarity Economy values into their projects, or businesses looking to transform into co-operatives, particularly as a solution to closure situations.

This year's edition is the first time CoopCamp has organised the programme in Valls jointly with Vallsgenera. A significant new feature is the introduction of the CoopCamp Awards, offering financial and support prizes for the best participating projects.

CoopCamp Awards for Best Projects

The CoopCamp Awards recognise and boost the most promising projects in the programme. They are open to new collective initiatives, or those up to 18 months old, that have completed at least 75% of the itinerary sessions.

A total of €3,000 will be awarded, comprising a first prize of €2,000 and a second prize of €1,000. Prizes will be judged on the quality of the viability plan, the work completed during the itinerary, and the impact in terms of partners and jobs. Beyond financial aid, the awards aim to strengthen the consolidation of projects rooted in the region and committed to Social and Solidarity Economy values. Award rules are available on the CoopCamp website.

Programme Structure and Sessions

The new "Engeguem" edition consists of five in-person training sessions, running from 3 February to 3 March. Each session is two hours long and is designed for entrepreneurs with business ideas based on Social and Solidarity Economy principles.

The training programme includes:

  • Tuesday 3 February, 5pm to 7pm: Session 1. Introduction to the Social and Solidarity Economy and business model definition, led by Tais Bastida.
  • Tuesday 10 February, 5pm to 7pm: Session 2. Administrative, fiscal, and labour management (5pm to 6pm) with Mario González, followed by a visit to the Valls Co-operative Hub (6pm to 7pm).
  • Tuesday 17 February, 5pm to 7pm: Session 3. Introduction to marketing, led by Adrià Sánchez Rosa.
  • Tuesday 24 February, 5pm to 7pm: Session 4. Project economic viability, focusing on tools to explore economic feasibility, led by Jordi Escoda.
  • Tuesday 3 March, 5pm to 7pm: Session 5. Team sustainability with a feminist perspective, assessing human viability, led by Anna Rodríguez and Jordi Escoda.

Participation in the training itinerary is free, but pre-registration is required.

CoopCamp, the Co-operative Ateneu of Camp de Tarragona, is one of 14 such centres across Catalonia. It promotes new transformative socio-economic initiatives linked to the region and the creation of quality employment. These Co-operative Ateneus are meeting points and reference services for fostering the Social, Solidarity, and Co-operative Economy, as part of the Social Economy Programme promoted by the Department of Business and Work of the Generalitat de Catalunya.