2 – 4 September 2024
More locations, Slovenia

The Association EPEKA, a social enterprise, is hosting an expert in the field of housing cooperatives from Ireland, Mr Jose Louis Ospina, from 2 to 4 September 2024, in the framework of the EPEKA – Housing Cooperative for All project.

During his visit, we will hold a number of meetings and events around Slovenia, where the public will have the opportunity to learn more about housing associations through examples of good practice from both Ireland and England, where Jose Ospina has worked. He will present the successful projects he has been involved in (cooperative activities, financial mechanisms, community activities, problems on the ground and their solutions, etc.) and answer questions from the public.

Programme of the visit:

  • Ljubljana
  • 2 September 2024, Monday
  • Student Campus, Social Enterprise, Pivovarniška 6, Ljubljana at 6 pm
  • Lecture
  • Ptuj
  • 3 September 2024, Tuesday
  • Povod Institute, social enterprise, Čučkova ulica 3, Ptuj at 5 p.m.
  • Maribor
  • 4 September 2024, Wednesday
  • Association EPEKA, social enterprise, Tyrševa 15, Maribor at 10 am
  • Lecture and discussion
  • Celje
  • 4 September 2024, Wednesday
  • Celje Youth Centre, Mariborska cesta 2, Celje at 16.00
  • Lecture

About the Expert:

José Luis Ospina is a Sustainable Development Consultant from Skibbereen, County Cork, Ireland. Ospina is a founding member of Carbery Housing Association, which focuses on preventing homelessness through the purchase of property. He has also been involved in various European Union projects related to eco-design and the circular economy. In 1972, while still a student at the University of Bristol, he founded the Bristol Self Help Housing Association. In the 1960s, he worked with a government housing agency in Colombia and later served as a director of the Colombian Federation of Self-Build Communities. On returning to England, José went on to study architecture, housing association development and finance. He was Development Manager at CHISEL (South East London Housing Association and South London Family Housing Association in London) where he was responsible for securing short-term tenancies, purchasing properties for refurbishment and overseeing self-build housing projects. After moving to Ireland, José worked with the Novas Group to set up Tir An Droichead, a project aimed at providing housing for the homeless. He then managed the TRANSFORM project within Cork County Council (Western Region). In addition, he managed the HEATSUN project at the Waste Management Department of Dublin City Council, where the project focused on promoting the recycling of electronics, reuse, including computers. In 2001, José co-founded the Carbery Housing Association. For over a decade, he has also contributed his expertise as an expert evaluator for various European Commission technology programmes. José currently manages projects for the Centre for Architectural Education (UCC) in Cork, MicroPro Computers and NCE Insulation. In addition to his extensive project management and consultancy work, José is also an author. He wrote the book “Housing Ourselves”, published in 198, based on his comparative study of community housing development models in Colombia and the UK. This publication highlights his deep commitment to housing and social development and further establishes him as an important figure in the field of sustainable housing initiatives.

The EPEKA project – a housing cooperative for all, was launched in 2023 and is funded by the Ministry of Economy, Tourism and Sport of the Republic of Slovenia. It is part of the Decent Life for All strand of the Slovenian Development Strategy 2030.

The project is supported by the Ministry of Economy, Tourism and Sport of the Republic of Slovenia, the Youth Office of the Republic of Slovenia, the Culture and Youth Office of the Municipality of Maribor, the Student Campus, and the Ljubljana School of Economics.

www.epeka.si and www.epekacoop.si