We believe the people who run and control care companies should be the people who give and receive care.
Our Mission:
To provide Great Care and Great Jobs
Our Values:
Choice, Connection, Cooperation, Community
Our Vision:
To create a trusted home care community based on respecting the human rights and dignity of all involved in care
What is the Co-operative Difference?
Co-operatives are democratically run not-for-profit organisations that focus on meeting their members’ needs while serving social, economic or environmental purposes. We differ from for-profit businesses because we only seek to generate enough surplus to maintain reserves, invest in growing our services to members and delivering on our social purpose. We differ from nonprofits because we are a self-help membership organisation that relies on our trading income and not on grants or donations.
7 Co-operative Principles
As a member of a co-operative, you are a member of a worldwide movement, which seeks to put people and planet before profit.
Co-operatives worldwide have agreed to follow these common principles:
Open and Voluntary Membership
Co-operatives are voluntary organisations, open to all persons able to use their services and willing to accept the responsibilities of membership, without gender, social, racial, political or religious discrimination.
Members' Economic Participation
Members contribute equitably to, and democratically control, the capital of their co-operative. At least part of that capital is usually the common property of the co-operative. Members usually receive limited compensation, if any, on capital subscribed as a condition of membership.
Democratic Member Control
Co-operatives are democratic organisations controlled by their members, who actively participate in setting their policies and making decisions. Men and women serving as elected representatives are accountable to the membership. Co-operative members have equal voting rights – one member, one vote.
Education, Training and Information
Co-operatives provide education and training for their members, elected representatives, managers, and employees so they can contribute effectively to the development of their co-operatives. They inform the general public – particularly young people and opinion leaders – about the nature and benefits of co-operation.
Autonomy and Independence
Co-operatives are autonomous, self-help organisations controlled by their members. If they enter into agreements with other organisations, including governments, or raise capital from external sources, they do so on terms that ensure democratic control by their members and maintain their co-operative autonomy.
Co-operation Among Co-operatives
Co-operatives serve their members most effectively and strengthen the co-operative movement by working together through local, national, regional and international structures.
Concern for Community
Co-operatives work for the sustainable development of their communities through policies approved by their members.
One Member, One Vote
Carer Owned
Not-for-profit
Our co-op’s legal constitution clearly states all the activities that the co-operative has been set up to undertake. The co-op co-founders agreed these as core to the co-op’s purpose.
The main object is:
To establish a worker-owned cooperative social enterprise in home care to protect the rights and dignity of all actors in home care, including the care staff and the service user, to ensure quality care provision and quality employment in care, and to combat labour market disadvantage of migrant women engaged in care work.
Other objects are:
to promote diversity and equality across home care and within social enterprise;
to provide the best terms and conditions of employment and pay for members and care workers;
to advocate on behalf of migrant care workers and care workers in general;
to promote social enterprise as an approach to combat migrant women’s labour market disadvantage;
to collaborate with other entities that share, partially or fully, the vision of the social enterprise;
to promote the best use of all existing and new resources and technologies to enhance value for carers, clients, beneficiaries and customers;
to promote the wellbeing and independence of older people and service users;
to promote the wellbeing of all care staff;
to provide training and education to address the needs of carers and migrant carers;
to network and build solidarity with other groups, organisations and communities to advance the needs of all carers; to engage and seek the views of stakeholders continuously to improve policies and procedures; and
to work for the mutual benefit of the members and the wider community in accordance with cooperative principles