What impacts you the most about the cooperative?
The relationships that are formed between the members. Jokingly, we say that in our gym, you might shower next to someone who doesn’t have a home, or with someone who owns 50 apartments… and you wouldn’t know it. Therefore, the natural relationships that develop are based on equality, without prejudice or classism. These are people who do sports and share this activity, leading to relationships that go far beyond just sports.
When and why did you start?
Officially, the workers bought the SL that managed the Gym Sant Pau in 2012. In 2016, we transformed into a non-profit cooperative and added the word ‘Social’ to our name. However, listening to the needs of the members and the neighborhood, adapting, and collaborating to improve the lives of our neighbors, is something we’ve been doing informally since before 2012
How many members are part of the project?
At the moment, we are 4 worker-members, 2 collaborating members, and 6 employees, one of whom is in the process of becoming a member. Our goal is to continue bringing in more members to the cooperative to become stronger.
What differentiates you from similar projects?
To begin with, I would say there is no cooperative that manages a gym. Secondly, I don’t know of any gym (understood as a facility with a fitness room, scheduled activities, a pool, etc.) that is social. And what does social mean? It means listening and adapting. That’s why 30% of our members don’t pay a fee and participate in activities under the same conditions, rights, and responsibilities; or why we were the first gym to have a non-binary changing room; or…
How do you see yourselves in the future?
In a new, top-level gym, offering high-quality service, and thus improving the lives of many more people. Right now, we are in a temporary location until the renovation works of our headquarters on Ronda Sant Pau are completed.
What support have you received from Seira Impuls Cooperatiu? What have you used it for?
Until we return to Ronda Sant Pau, we are limited by the size of the temporary location. This means that our own resources are also limited. However, we are in a process of growth, both internally as a cooperative and in the volume and types of activities we carry out, and Seira is providing us with both financial support and guidance to ensure a structured growth.
