IO 2 – COPE

GAP ANALYSIS

The GAP analysis has been the initial investigation in the framework of the Erasmus + COPE project, aimed at contributing to strengthen a competitive social economy in Europe through the
spread of new cooperatives and achieving the project’s objectives.
With the IO2 the partners develop a GAP analysis report including the results of the analysis conducted by each partner, aimed at collecting information on the training needs of those who
already offer training on the cooperative model.
The GAP analysis defines cooperatives, outlines the history of cooperativism in Europe since the birth of the first cooperatives, providing useful information to anyone who intends to delve
deeper into the topic.
The GAP analysis then resumes the data collected through interviews, online questionnaires and focus groups in the 4 countries of the project partners. All the 7 partners Coompanion
Östergötland (SE), Bifrost University (IS), SERN, Consorzio Icaro (IT), CARDET (CY), Confcooperative Romagna (IT), Mikrofonden Väst (SE) contributed to the collection of qualitative and quantitative data and to their analysis. The interviews and the focus groups were all conducted with individuals who have experience with social entrepreneurship and the co-operative business model.
The interviews, focus groups and online questionnaires which reached a total of around 230 interviewees in 4 countries, were based on questions defined together by the project partners, aimed at highlighting the type of target group requiring information on the cooperative world, training methods already used, aspects to be explored and challenges.
The GAP analysis document then reported the results of the questionnaires, identifying the major difficulties faced by the trainers, the most common methodology, the gaps and the training needs in each country. Interviews and surveys carried out by each partner organization are compiled in 7 reports. These are attached to the final report.

The GAP analysis allowed a good comparison between methodologies and tools adopted in different countries, highlighted the common training needs for trainers which were the ones on
which the project group worked to develop the training modules (IO1).
We generally received a good response during our interviews and surveys among advisers within the cooperation in connection with the GAP analysis within IO2. The initiative was much appreciated and long awaited. The GAP gave us great potential to build a good model within IO1 based on the commitment and interest in the issues we identified together in the project group.
Through external monitoring, we discover things that we need to make available to more people, including how the social economy can find sources of funding. Very new ideas and thoughts from
various organizations for restarting cooperation in Iceland are especially noted.
In general, there is great interest and anticipation of what COPE will deliver in our respective countries and organizations. It feels fun and important to come forward and deliver within the project group. It has been rewarding so far to get to know each other’s skills and to make each other stronger.