Hackney Co-operative Developments Trust is a charitable organisation run by volunteers involved in developing the skills of unemployed and other disadvantaged local people by encouraging and supporting them to volunteer, to access employment/further education or consider the option of self-employment.
The principal objective for which HCDT established is to relieve poverty and to advance public education in the principles, establishments and operation of co-operation and common ownership among the Hackney community. Hackney Co-operative Developments Trust is an independent charity established through surpluses previously acquired by Hackney Co-operative Developments in 1986.
In order to realise its’ objectives, the company HCD plays an active and leading role in the promotion of community cohesion by supporting the establishment of local social enterprises, co-operatives and community businesses Hackney. But HCD is not funded to provide local people with the basic employment, organisational and business management skills to enable them to set up their own community enterprise.
For the past four years, HCDT has accessed small grants from Hackney Council, Awards for All and other funders to provide workshops, training and one-to-one advice to local people seeking work, or considering setting up social enterprises or considering setting up a local co-operative or community business.