Think.CareCoop and Start.CareCoop

As part of the “Cooperative Care Provision as a Gender-Transformative Decent Work Solution” – a cross-regional, multi-country programme led by ILO’s Cooperative, Social and Solidarity Economy Unit (COOP/SSE) of the Enterprises Department and the ILO’s Gender, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Branch (GEDI) of the WORKQUALITY Department – the ILO is promoting a care provision model through cooperatives and other social and solidarity economy (SSE) entities.

To support this effort, the ILO has developed two practical capacity building tools: Think.CareCoop and Start.CareCoop. The tools are aimed primarily at care workers – both unpaid and paid who are interested in understanding how the cooperative model can be used to meet community care needs and/or establish a care cooperative. The tools may also be used by existing cooperatives, trade unions, local governments and other organizations.

Each tool includes a training guide and a facilitator’s guide to train both trainers and end beneficiaries.

The tools are accessible in English and Spanish, with the Arabic version to be released soon.

Think.CareCOOP and Start.CareCOOP follow an institutional approach and multiplier strategy grounded in a Training of Trainers (ToT) methodology. Both tools are designed to build the capacity of local support institutions and/or individual trainers enabling them to independently run Think.CareCOOP and Start.CareCOOP training activities, followed by a formal certification process.

The tools may only be delivered by ILO Certified Master Trainers, who are authorized to conduct ToT workshops and certify national trainers. The certification of national trainers is subject to final approval by the COOP/SSE Unit and the GEDI Branch based on recommendations from the Master Trainers.

These tools support ILO Member States and Constituents in integrating SSE provision into care systems. They are in line with the ILO Resolution concerning decent work and the social and solidarity economy (2002), and the ILO Resolution concerning decent work and the care economy (2024) as well as the Promotion of Cooperatives Recommendation, 2002 (No. 193).

For more information, please contact the COOP/SSE Unit at [email protected] and the GEDI Branch at [email protected]