Article by Apes

The purpose
It is about developing the solidarity economy in a territory, by attaching ourselves more to the spirit of the SSE rather than to its letter. It is a process that requires a long time, lasting from 1 to 6 years. Beyond the SSE criteria (status, etc.), we will give importance to the purpose of the projects (response to the needs of residents for example), to their mode of governance (by verifying that all parties stakeholders are taken into account) and the economic model (which will hybridize resources from the market, redistribution and reciprocity).

Objectives
1) Create a collective  to bring the protagonists of a territory to cooperate together: SSE actors (associations, cooperatives, companies, project leaders, etc.), local authorities, world of research, etc. This collective identifies priorities with residents and/or stakeholders.

2) Develop useful and supportive solutions for better living in the region by initiating collective work between stakeholders.

3) Work on the economic model of these solutions to ensure their long-term sustainability.
Apes then intervenes to support a “cooperation ecosystem” which can be created around a theme (food, integration, etc.) or around a project carried out by one actor or several. It enters into agreements with local authorities so that they engage in the development of the SSE.

The process
Depending on the realities of the territories, it can be spread over one to six years.

1) Awareness
It is a question of ensuring that the actors of a territory identify themselves as belonging to the SSE: some are not aware of this state of affairs and/or are not aware of the SSE.
It is also a question of encouraging local authorities to integrate the SSE into their policies.

2) Interacquaintance
SSE actors and/or local authorities identify opportunities to carry out joint projects, and cooperation is set up.

3) Networking and the adoption of a cooperative posture
The collective of the territory is organized: it determines themes for reflection and activity(ies).

4) Opening up to new partners
It is then a question of extending the space of cooperation to other structures: public authorities, companies in the conventional economy, the world of research, SSE actors in other fields.

5) This process gives rise to solidarity initiatives and companies.

6) Apes consolidates and equips all the solidarity activities in the territory.

7) Emancipation of the collective
Apes has completed its mission and is leaving to intervene in other territories!

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Find the people in charge of the territories on the image opposite and their contact details here.