Celebrating Student Entrepreneurship in Fuerteventura: A Look at the Feria de Cooperativas

On a vibrant Wednesday, the capital of Fuerteventura buzzed with excitement as a total of fifteen school cooperatives, led by 235 enthusiastic students and 22 dedicated teachers, gathered for the Feria de Cooperativas de Enseñar para Emprender. This lively event, now in its fourteenth edition, is a hallmark of the Enseñar para Emprender program, which encourages entrepreneurial education among the youth of the Canary Islands. It is a collaborative effort managed by the university foundations of the two Canarian universities and funded by the Government of the Canary Islands’ Ministry of Tourism and Employment through the Servicio Canario de Empleo.

Demonstrating Entrepreneurial Skills

The fair showcased the culmination of a year’s hard work from participating students. Throughout the academic year, they had been immersed in simulating the creation and management of their own business projects. On display at the event, held on the bustling street of Primero de Mayo in Puerto del Rosario, attendees eagerly explored the students’ booths, where they sold innovative products and services born from their entrepreneurial imaginations.

Inauguration with Dignitaries

The inauguration was graced by notable figures, including José Ramón Rodríguez, the General Director of Labor for the Government of the Canary Islands. He emphasized that “through the project Enseñar para Emprender, the Ministry of Tourism and Employment introduces the idea of entrepreneurship to students at all educational levels in a fun and engaging way.”

Rodríguez highlighted the dual benefits of this initiative, stating, “The educational use of the cooperatives created by the students not only immerses them in their first experience of the business world but also helps them develop skills crucial for entrepreneurship, such as teamwork.”

Community Support for Young Entrepreneurs

Adargoma Hernández, the Fuerteventura Councilor for Education and Youth, also attended the opening ceremony, showing gratitude to the Fundación Universitaria de Las Palmas (FULP) for bringing the fourteenth edition of Enseñar para Emprender to the island. He acknowledged the hard work of local educational institutions in promoting student entrepreneurship and instilling essential values like responsibility and teamwork.

Hernández further remarked on the long-standing collaboration between the Cabildo and FULP to foster training and employment programs within Fuerteventura.

Érica González, the Councilor for Local Development in Puerto del Rosario, echoed these sentiments. She pointed out that “this project adds significant value by allowing students to experience cooperative entrepreneurship firsthand, understanding how a business operates from the inside while promoting social and community values.”

David Jubera, the director of Cajasiete, a local collaborating entity, noted the importance of such initiatives in offering students an alternative learning experience compared to traditional education methods.

Engaging Local Institutions

This year’s fair featured the active participation of five schools from the island. Four schools from Puerto del Rosario—IES Puerto Cabras Rafael Báez, Puerto del Rosario, San Diego de Alcalá, and Santo Tomás de Aquino—were involved, along with the IES Vigán from the municipality of Tuineje. Each institute brought its unique flair to the cooperative experience.

Fostering an Entrepreneurial Culture

Enseñar para Emprender aims to spread entrepreneurial culture from an inclusive and cooperative perspective. It champions collaborative behaviors, conflict resolution, and responsibility among participants. The project caters to students across all educational levels and operates concurrently in both Canarian provinces. In Las Palmas, it is managed by FULP, while the Fundación General of the University of La Laguna (FGULL) oversees it in Santa Cruz de Tenerife.

In Las Palmas, the initiative is supported through a €165,580 grant from the Servicio Canario de Empleo (SCE), enabling approximately 1,500 students across 43 centers to engage in around a hundred cooperative projects.

Strategies to Enhance Economic Social Framework

Enseñar para Emprender aligns with the strategies implemented by the Ministry of Tourism and Employment of the Canary Islands to boost social economy initiatives in the archipelago. The core objective is to introduce this economic model into classrooms, encouraging not only teamwork but also sustainability within students’ immediate environments.

Through the Ministry’s efforts, the islands have witnessed significant progress in social economy sectors during this legislative period. Key achievements include establishing the Commission of Social Economy of the Canary Islands, publishing the first White Paper and Catalog of Social Economy Entities in the islands, hosting the inaugural Autonomous Forum on Social Economy, and launching the first Expert Diploma in Social Economy offered by the University of La Laguna.

By embracing this innovative educational approach, the Feria de Cooperativas not only empowers students to become adept future entrepreneurs but also strengthens the local economy and cultivates a spirit of collaboration and community engagement among the youth of Fuerteventura.