International Year of Cooperatives

Strengthening institutional capacities on cooperative development in the State of Palestine

ILO supports new trainers from the Cooperative Work Agency and Al-Quds University.

31 August 2025

Ramallah (ILO News) – The International Labour Organization (ILO), through its Cooperative Support Programme in the State of Palestine, supported by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI) via the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS), organized a Training of Trainers (ToT) workshop on Think.COOP, Start.COOP and My.COOP cooperative development tools.

Training of trainers on cooperative development at Al Quds University.

The workshop brought together 13 trainers – seven from the Cooperative Work Agency (CWA) and six from Al-Quds University – who have now completed the first step toward becoming ILO-certified national trainers. This ToT is a milestone in strengthening capacities of Palestinian institutions to support cooperatives toward building resilient and sustainable enterprises.

Led by an ILO-certified Master Trainer, the workshop combined technical modules with participatory adult-learning methods. Participants worked through Think.COOP (cooperative values, principles, and collective action), Start.COOP (governance and business planning), and My.COOP (agricultural service provision and marketing).

Session on Fundamental Principles and Rights and Work and Facilitation Techniques provided by Mr. Dan Cork, ILO Representative in Jerusalem

The programme also emphasized rights-based learning approaches and raised awareness on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work (FPRW), highlighting the role of cooperatives as key drivers in disseminating and embedding into the principles of their members. A dedicated session by Mr. Dan Cork, ILO Representative in Jerusalem, highlighted how participatory training methods can be used to promote teamwork, equality and good governance in cooperative education.

Established in 2018, CWA is the national authority for cooperative registration and oversight, playing a central role in supporting Palestinian cooperatives. Al-Quds University complements this role by expanding cooperative education through academic programmes and entrepreneurship incubators. Trainers from the university are already applying their new skills by mentoring students participating in the CoopRise competition, a joint initiative of the ILO and Al-Quds University. Eighteen youth-led teams – selected from 155 applicants – are currently pitching innovative cooperative projects in agriculture, renewable energy, health, education, and fashion.

By completing this ToT, the trainers have taken the first step towards certification as ILO national trainers on cooperative development tools. Once fully certified, they will be able to deliver localized, high-quality training that combines technical expertise with values of participation, equality and decent work, thereby strengthening the cooperative movement as a driver of inclusive and sustainable development in Palestine.