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This document has been made available in electronic format 
by the International Co-operative Alliance (ICA)
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December, 1996
(Source: Asia-Pacific Co-op News, Vol.3, No.1
Sept-Dec.,1996, p.7-9)



Youth Vision for the Year 2000
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151 participants from 9 countries in Asia - India, Indonesia,
Japan, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam and
Singapore gathered at NTUC Pasir Ris Resort in Singapore from
21-24, November 1996 to evolve a vision for youth participation 
in co-operatives by the year 2000. They were mainly from the 
university campus and college co-operatives in the countries. 
ICA ROAP Sub-Committee on  University/ College Co-operatives 
for Asia and the Pacific, NFUCA Japan and the SNCF, Singapore 
sponsored the event. The main theme was "Youth of Today - 
Co-operative Leaders of Tomorrow".

Dr. Aline Wong, senior minister of state for Health and
Education, who was the chief guest said in her inaugural 
address "The Movement is a value laden institution. It is not 
just about doing business. It is based on the values of self 
help and mutual help. The movement promotes self reliance, 
enterprise and resilience. It also stands for the ideal of a 
democratic participation and just society. These values can 
equip our youth with a reliable bearing and help them tackle 
various challenges and problems when they become leaders of tomorrow."

Mr. Tan Kim Lian, the chairman of SNCF, and Mr. Robby Tulus,
Regional Director of ICA ROAP too addressed the large gathering 
on 21st November 1996.

Supported by the key note address delivered by Prof. Ungku Aziz, 
Chairman ANGKASA, Malaysia who is also the Chairman of the Regional 
Assembly of the ICA ROAP, Mr. K. Okayasu, Managing Director, NFUCA 
Japan, and Mr. W.U. Herath, Regional Advisor on Consumer Co-operative 
Development, the small working groups worked for two days to arrive at 
conclusions and consensus on the issues faced by the university/college
 co-operatives. They arrived at the following conclusions:


Youth and the New Co-operative Identity
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-	Membership in student/university co-operativesshould be
     open and voluntary and the management be taken up by the
     elected body.

-    The campus/university co-operatives should essentially be 
autonomous bodies; the academic institutions and the
     governments should create a conductive environment for their function.

-    In many countries co-operation among co-operatives exists in form of 
Federations or Unions. In the case of
     campus/university co-operatives, functional co-operation is a missing link.

-    The campus/university co-operatives should incorporate the value of 
concern for community to enhance their social role.

-    It is necessary to organise education and awareness
     programmes on the new co-operative identity and principles by promotional 
agencies.

-    The practice of co-operative values can be understood, and introduced 
through inter-cooperative interactions, exchange of members and leaders.

-    Membership in student/university co-operatives hrough inter-co-op 
interactions, exchange of members and leaders.

-    There is a need to re-register the campus/university co-operatives 
on the basis of the new identity.

Need of Youth in the Campus/University Co-ops.
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-    Campus co-operatives should organise more educational
     programmes and create opportunities for youth to participate in 
policy making and operational activities.

-    In order to fulfil the need for belongingness, the apex
     organisations should recognise active members and reward
     them.

-    There is a need for business alliances among co-operatives. Joint 
buying is one such activity that can be introduced.

-    The members' expanded requirements should be met by the
     campus co-operatives.

-    The members have a need to gain management skills for future 
active roles. It is important to organise such programmes.

-    There is a considerable students population left out from 
campus co-operatives. Special attention should be made to organise 
programmes to attract them.

-    Transparency in management and open communication are
     immediate needs among management and members.

Co-op. Services in the Campus
-----------------------------
-    The essential service by campus co-ops is the supply of
     consumer commodities, housing, insurance, and career
     guidance, travel, publications and banking are other
     services.

-    Providing training on computer applications is an important service.

-    The objective of the campus co-ops. is to ensure comfortable daily 
life in the campus.

-    Preparation of members for future careers through
     entrepreneurship development is an important service.

-    It has been observed that many campus co-ops. have not been able to 
fulfil the comprehensive service to members. There is a need for business expansion.

Member Participation and Leadership
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-    Few members have participated in policy making and business. They 
have played a passive role in many co-operatives.

-    Many co-operatives have limited number of members in
     comparison to campus population.

-    The members should be given understanding of co-operative values a
nd practices to enable them to take active role in the management.

-    Making co-operation as a subject in the curriculum is one of the 
strategies.

-    Strategies should be adopted to inculcate co-operative
     culture among students.

-    Member participation can be increased through their exposure to 
study visits, and exchange programmes.


Vision 2000 for Campus Co-ops.- services, career & social roles
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Services:

-    Improve retailing industry so as to become competitive

-    Introduce computer network

-    Introduce electronic data exchange

-    Introduce vending machines

-    Introduce tele-cards

-    Improve the quality of service to become customer oriented

Membership:

-    At least 50% increase in membership required.

-    Active member participation

-    Career development for members

Institutional Development:

-    Introduce horizontal and vertical integration among campus co-operatives

-    Formulate youth development plan

-    Introduce awareness building programmes among student
     population

-    Networking of campus co-operatives for competitive strength.

-    Introduce co-operatives at the secondary school level.

-    Improved and expanded community services by campus co-
     operatives.

-    Youth exchange programmes at the national and international level.

-    Setting up of a joint purchase system and distribution
     centres.

-    Inter-country business alliances.

-    Introduce long term strategic planning for the development of 
youth co-operatives and the increased participation of youth in co-operatives.

-    Introduce community concerns such as environment,
     handicapped persons welfare, services for disadvantaged in 
campus/youth co-operatives.

General
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NFUCA and SNCF urges the elders concerned with campus co-ops:

-    to provide necessary support, and, 

-    to create conducive environment for the implementation of recommendations of the seminar.

The seminar recommended to create an informal network among
participating countries by organising a group of country based youth leaders 
from campus/youth co-operatives.