More and more often, alternatives to provide the survival of the most needy part of the Brazilian population have been searched. Amongst these strategies, solidary organizations accomplish an outstanding work. Recently, these organizations have been developing and increasing in popularity, as well as providing alternatives in employment and income for workers excluded from the formal and the informal labour market. Given this scenario, there are contributions which social and occupational psychology can make to these self-managing organizations. This article begins proposing a discussion about the current situation of solidary economies and the definition of the psychologist's role in this sector. This discussion is based on a research regarding the history of solidary economies in Brazil, its meaning and related concepts, such as self-management, cooperatives and associative organizations. The combination of the knowledge acquired through the research and the psychology provides a new field of possible interventions.
solidary economy; cooperatives; social and occupational psychology