Overview

The Caboolture Workers Cooperative is a certified social enterprise, established by local people for local people, and registered as a non-trading cooperative in July 2006. It is a not-for-profit, worker’s cooperative, and a registered as a deductible gift recipient with the Australian Charities Network. Additionally, the Co-op is an executive member of the Greater Caboolture Chamber of Commerce and an active member of the Queensland Social Enterprise Council and Social Traders Limited. Working from an inclusive, cooperative spirit, the Co-op's mission is to provide meaningful employment opportunities for people with intellectual disabilities and mental health issues in the Moreton Bay Region. The cooperative works from the principle that meaningful employment is a socially valued role for all people and essential for optimum well-being, self-esteem, and mental health. When people with disabilities are given valued roles like employment, society perceives them in a more positive way and they experience less discrimination, greater opportunities for social inclusion, and less financial hardship. The core values of the Co-op are that people with disabilities have the right to earn a living and to work on an equal basis with others in an open, inclusive, accessible environment. Protecting and promoting the Convention on Rights of People with Disabilities, the Caboolture Co-op is strongly aligned with the social model of disability and demonstrates this by removing barriers which restrict them from participating in employment by providing supportive, flexible, employment where they feel safe, welcome, and valued. At the Co-op people are supported to build skills and knowledge and to achieve their employment goals. Currently the Caboolture Workers Co-op provides employment opportunities for people with disabilities through the Lagoon Creek Cafe and the Caboolture Mowing Co-op.