Greenwich Co-Operative Development Agency

September 7th 2008

Greenwich Co-operative Development Agency (GCDA)

GCDA is a social enterprise development agency serving the diverse communities of Greenwich. Its work is focused on development and support for democratically managed models of enterprise to meet the needs of local communities.

The key function of GCDA is the promotion, development and support of the co-operative/social enterprise sector as part of local sustainable economic development. GCDA encourages and supports potential community entrepreneurs to put their ideas into practice. The approach creates ownership of the proposal amongst all involved and commitment to the long-term sustainability of the enterprise.

GCDA services include:

General advice on co-operative/democratic/social enterprise models of managing a business. Advice is normally provided free of charge.

Development support to groups and individuals in setting up co-operative enterprises.

Start-up training programmes - from basic introductory programmes to comprehensive ones providing nationally recognised business management and administration qualifications.

Trading sector training services include a range of tailor made programmes from short one day sessions to comprehensive courses on different aspects of managing a co-operative enterprise.

Consultancy services include feasibility studies, business analysis, and management reviews.

The GCDA also runs Greenwich Community Food Initiative which initiates and supports local, independent, sustainable food businesses and projects.

Case study Bengali Workers Association:

The Bengali Workers Association (BWA) was formed in 1996 to provide a range of services to the Bengali community in the borough of Greenwich and to other Asian local communities.

These services included:

Advocacy and Counselling: preparing for job interviews, helping to write CV’s, explain employment opportunities; organising cultural and literary events; teaching Bengali heritage music (traditional, devotional, folk, classical) to the second generation Bengali children; teaching Bengali Language to second generation Bengali children.

Through these activities, they became more and more aware that the lack of textbooks for learning Bengali was a great hindrance to the progress of the students. One of the BWA’s leading members, Mrs Hosne Ara Begum, as a former schoolteacher herself, decided to write a textbook to help students to gain a GCSE qualification in Bengali. The result was a book called “Esho Bangla Porhi” which translates in English as “Let’s Learn Bengali”.

To publish the book BWA needed funds and approached Greenwich Co-operative Development Agency to ask for assistance. With their help, BWA made two successful funding applications. One application went to The South-East Co-op Community Dividend Fund and the other to the Lottery fund’s Awards for All.

With this money, BWA printed an initial run of 500 copies in 2001. This book was been a great success and almost all copies were freely distributed within a period of four months. The book won important recognition and praise from many people. Numerous articles about the book appeared in the Bengali press including Potrika, Sylheter Dak, The Notun Din, Janomot, The Surma, and Euro-Bangla. The book had a public launch at The Stepney Green School with the support of several parents associations and school governing bodies in Tower Hamlets. In recognition of her work, Hosne Begum was awarded a Certificate titled “Millennium Award” and a trophy from the Brick Lane Housing and Community Trust of London.

Following the success, BWA applied for another grant and did a larger print-run of a revised edition. This was also a great success. Having established its reputation, the book is now published on a commercial basis and is priced at £11.69 including delivery charge in the UK. More details are available from the BWA at 78 Ceres Road, Plumstead, London SE18 1HL. There is also an internet page giving more information at http://www.indian-pop.com/ on the Learn Bengali page.

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