SCO Family of Services’ Center for Family Life program in Sunset Park will provide training to community based organizations to help foster the development of new worker-owned businesses.<\/p>\n
New York, NY – Today, City Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn, along with SCO Family of Services’ Center for Family Life program in Sunset Park announced the selection of two community based organizations in the Bronx and Queens to receive training and capacity building so they can then train New Yorkers and help develop worker-owned businesses across the five boroughs. Employee-owned businesses tend to serve low-income communities and on average, provide higher wages, better job stability, and more benefits than self-employed businesses, many of whom are vulnerable to economic shocks and exploitative working conditions. The two selected organizations are Make the Road New York in Jackson Heights Queens and the Westchester Square Partnership in the Bronx. The New York City Worker Cooperative Development Initiative was first announced in Speaker Quinn\u2019s address before the Association for a Better New York in October 2011.<\/p>\n
This Initiative provides technical assistance, training, consultation, and legal services for one year through the Center for Family Life, a Program of SCO Family of Services, and the Urban Justice Center\u2019s Community Development Project. Two selected community based organizations, Westchester Square Partnership and Make the Road New York, will receive 12 months of in-kind technical program support and legal services to support the development of worker cooperatives among their members and community. <\/p>\n
The cooperative development process involves outreach to community members, a selection process, and a 12-week cooperative orientation training for founding members. Newly formed worker cooperatives are expected to launch early in 2013.<\/p>\n
\u201cBy teaching more organizations how to train New Yorkers to develop worker-owned cooperative businesses, we\u2019re helping create more stable, better paying jobs in the communities that need them most,\u201d said Speaker Christine C. Quinn. \u201cI am incredibly proud of the Council\u2019s partnership with Center for Family Life to help expand the worker cooperative model across the five boroughs and look forward to seeing the businesses created out of this initiative.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Center for Family Life is poised to transfer our know-how to two wonderful CBOs who with neighborhood residents will create local businesses, increase income and develop entrepreneurs in communities where good jobs are sorely needed,\u201d said SCO Family of Services Executive Director Gail B. Nayowith.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt Westchester Square Partnership, we use a holistic empowerment approach to work with unemployed, low-income and underserved South Asian women,\u201d said Alison Karasz, Executive Director and Co-Founder. \u201cA top priority of ours is to promote economic security and independence for these women and participating in the worker cooperative development program helps us move forward with this important mission.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cLow-income communities continue to be hit hard by the economic recession,\u201d said Saduf Sayul, Make the Road Workforce Development Coordinator. \u201cWe applaud the leadership of Speaker Quinn and the Center for Family Life for prioritizing low-income communities in this tough economic climate by utilizing the innovative and sustainable worker cooperative model. This initiative will help aspiring business owners who would otherwise never achieve business ownership to work collectively towards economic stability.\u201d<\/p>\n
Based in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, SCO Family of Services’ Center for Family Life has provided family and social services to the local community since 1978. The organization takes a comprehensive neighborhood-based approach to providing social services in Sunset Park helping empower young people and recent immigrants through a variety of services including cultural, educational and recreational programming and skills development.<\/p>\n
Westchester Square Partnership, based in the Bronx, has a strong history of exploring workforce development or entrepreneurship training within their organization. The Partnership has been serving the social and health care needs of South Asian immigrants living in the Westchester Square and Parkchester neighborhoods of the Bronx since 2008.<\/p>\n
Working with Latino and working class community members, Make the Road New York provides workforce development, education, advocacy and social services for members in Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island and Long Island.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was proud to support Make the Road New York\u2019s application for funding through the Council\u2019s Worker Cooperative Development Training initiative,\u201d said Council Member Julissa Ferreras. \u201cThis funding will help build the power of Latino and working class communities and will help meet a pressing need in immigrant communities \u2013 that of sustainable jobs.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI am thrilled that the Westchester Square Partnership will be able to build on their already effective workforce development and entrepreneurship training services through their partnership with Center for Family Life,\u201d said Council Member Annabel Palma. \u201cBy receiving training and capacity building Westchester Square Partnership will be able to help foster the creation of worker-owned businesses and help more Bronxites access sustainable employment opportunities. I want to thank Speaker Quinn for supporting this innovative and sustainable worker cooperative model and without whose support this program – which provides important technical program support and legal services – would not have come to the Bronx.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen Speaker Quinn and I visited the Workers Cooperative program participants at CFL in my District, in November of 2011, it was a unique program,\u201d said Councilwoman Sara M. Gonz\u00e1lez. \u201cWe were very impressed as we listened carefully to their stories of the difficulties they had to overcome and the success they have enjoyed since committing to the program. The women spoke of their journey from being workers in a business to being owners of a business, while helping others in their own neighborhood. Thanks to the Speaker\u2019s leadership and CFL\u2019s partnership, I am extremely proud that this concept will soon be available city-wide.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe City should be doing everything in its power to foster and support entrepreneurs, especially among those who are at greatest risk of economic disenfranchisement,\u201d said Council Member Diana Reyna, Chair of the Committee on Small Business. \u201cThe goals of this incubator program speak directly to economic and community development at its purest level: creating independence and self-sustainability among workers, entrepreneurs, women and immigrants.\u201d
\n\u201cThe City Council is proud in its effort to prioritize initiatives that provides opportunities for the unemployed and low income residents,\u201d said Council Committee on Economic Development Chair Karen Koslowtiz. \u201cI am grateful to Speaker Quinn and Center for Family life for spearheading this important partnership that will encourage the creation of worker-owned businesses throughout the City and fostering more employment opportunities.\u201d<\/p>\n
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SCO Family of Services’ Center for Family Life program in Sunset Park will provide training to community based organizations to help foster the development of new worker-owned businesses.<\/p>\n
New York, NY – Today, City Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn, along with SCO Family of Services’ Center for Family Life program in Sunset Park announced the selection of two community based organizations in the Bronx and Queens to receive training and capacity building so they can then train New Yorkers and help develop worker-owned businesses across the five boroughs.<\/p>\n
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