VALLE VERDE : job opportunities for disabled and young people

Valle Verde Cooperative was founded in 1983. It has 26 female and 10 male members. Its objective is the creation of non-alienating job conditions for disabled and marginalised people, adopting a non-profit approach. To this purpose it promotes a number of projects in the following fields: ecological work for the management and protection of lakes, rivers, the countryside and mountain paths, roads and public and private green areas; reforestation and water management; environment and agricultural educational activities aimed at young people and new agricultural projects; cleaning services for public and private factories and bureaux; processing and marketing of the products of the cooperative; social services for underprivileged groups.

Valle Verde projects are supported by the local public health service (USL) and sometimes by local authorities. Since its first activities Valle Verde has shifted from 16 to 36 workers (and from 4 to 14 disabled workers). Workers’ salaries are similar: around 1.000.000 It. Lire (around 670 US $) a month. This is far less than the normal salaries of workers employed in similar job position and the cooperative is planning to upgrade its salaries within the next three years.

A Board of Directors takes care of general management. It decides upon basic issues, following the instructions of the General Assembly. Valle Verde as such does not promote specific training activities for its workers. The overall and financial situation is considered to be very positive thanks to the management approach concerning job creation for disabled people. For financial facilities it works with both the traditional banking mechanism and Mag 4 (Turin), an alternative savings and credit scheme. It has a budget of 659.000.000 It. Lire (around 400.000 US $) and looks for opportunities for cooperating and exchanging information with similar projects.