education

working with young
people at schools
across the UK

We’re putting co-operative values at the heart of school-life. And, whether visiting a Co-operative farm, or seeing renewable energy in action, we’re helping young people to discover a passion for the environment

The Co-operative Schools

We believe that when co-operative values, such as self-responsibility, democracy and solidarity, are embraced at the heart of school life, it creates a culture that benefits all those involved with the school, from pupils to the local community. With this aim, we’re working in partnership with The Co-operative College to create a network of Co-operative Trust schools; and sponsoring 10 Business & Enterprise Colleges and are two academies.

Find out more about The Co-operative Schools.

The Co-operative Green Schools

The Co-operative Green Schools encompasses a range of initiatives designed to raise young peoples’ awareness of the environment. We do this in a variety of ways, from funding renewable energy installations at schools, to inviting young people to learn about 'closing the loop' at our waste recycling centre in Manchester, where we collect paper from our offices for use in our own-brand toilet rolls. We even invite young people to pull on their wellies and visit one of our farms. Find out more about The Co-operative Green Schools initiatives by clicking the links below.

Green Energy for Schools

We’ve kitted out 185 schools with renewable energy installations, helping almost 90,000 children to learn about their carbon footprint.

From Farm to Fork

30,000 children have visited our farms to learn about where their food comes from, and 20,000 are set to visit this year.

Walking Buses

More than 2,000 children walk to school in a Co-operative Walking Bus, saving 180,000 car journeys every year.

Waste Works

10,000 children have learnt how to reduce, reuse and recycle thanks to The Co-operative’s Waste Works project.

Energy Works

The education programme at our Coldham wind farm has inspired over 3,000 young people to help combat climate change.

Sustainable Tourism

Young people are finding out how they can make their holidays more sustainable, through a pilot project with The Co-operative Travel.

Skills4Schools

The Co-operative Financial Services’ Skills4Schools programme comprises a range of education initiatives focusing on money management, responsible driving and future employability. Through Skills4Schools, colleagues visit schools in their local area to deliver interactive workshops, covering topics such as interview skills, financial jargon and numeracy.

Background

At The Co-operative, we’re led by our values and principles, which include a commitment to education. Our founders, The Rochdale Pioneers, had a vision of a fairer society, and saw education as a vital tool in enabling people to lift themselves out of poverty. Five of the Pioneers were themselves aged 25 or under. By the 1860s, the Pioneers had installed reading rooms in all our food stores, where members could learn languages, arts and sciences.