A guide to social impact measurement

May 15, 2021December 29, 2021

Social Ventures Australia (SVA) is a not-for-profit organization helping organisations, government, funders and corporates delivering better social outcomes for people.

“A guide to social impact measurement”
Sharing knowledge on impact measurement is one of the activities of Social Ventures Australia.
The organisation has written a large number of articles on how to measure social impact that can be useful for social entrepreneurs and others, who want to measure the impact of their project or enterprise.

The guide can be used buy people who has just started on measuring social impact or those that have worked with the issue and want to improve their existing evaluating system.
It consists of a range of how-to articles, covering cases where different evaluation methods has been used, and insights from Social Venture Australia´s own clients on using social impact measurement both challenges and positive results.

The guide consists of three sections with articles covering the theemes:

Design:
Here you are introduced to practical tools and advice that will help you develop your outcomes measurement, that can either be used in a programe or if you want to use an outcomes measurement approach across your organisation.
You will eg. find articles on pitfalls to avoid in outcomes measurement.

Measure & evaluate:
Here you can find examples on how data collected can be used to start measuring and evaluating your impact, and how different tools can be made to work in different contexts. You can eg. find articles on Social Return on Investment tool

Act (or learn):
Here you can find lessons and case studies on how to grow and evolve outcomes measurement practice in your own organisation.
You will eg. find articles on the value of a peer operated service.

See the whole guide on Social Venture Australia’s webpage here

Photo by: patricia serna on Unsplash

This publication has been prepared within SENBS project No. 2020- 1-EE01-KA204-077999. The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of the project coordinator and may not always reflect the views of the European Commission or the National Agency.

Blog | Educational Materials | English | Latvian | Library

Social Entrepreneurship Support in Latvia – Assessment in Short

May 10, 2021May 10, 2021

The Ministry of Welfare of the Republic of Latvia has come with the evaluation report on the Social entrepreneurship support system in Latvia (full report available in Latvian), specifically focusing on the assessment of socially responsible entrepreneurs, their impact, and support mechanisms in order to provide viable recommendations for improvement of legal framework addressing social entrepreneurship.

In spring 2017, Latvia has launched Social Entrepreneurship Law allowing social entrepreneurs registered as such to receive support in tackling social and environmental challenges more effectively. However, social entrepreneurship is still a new concept to be promoted in public, therefore research focuses on two groups of social entrepreneurs in Latvia: de jure entrepreneurs (recognized by The Ministry of Welfare) and de facto or sustainable entrepreneurs without the formal status of social entrepreneurs.

Social Entrepreneurship Law in Latvia allows applying for the state- and municipality-provided benefits, such as a grant for social entrepreneurs (Altum grant), citizen income and real estate tax credits, right to involve volunteers, opportunities to receive state grants, and rights to exploit the movable or immovable property of municipalities for free, privileges in public procurement assessment, corporate tax relief for specific expenditure groups. Also, the support of the Social Entrepreneurship Association of Latvia is provided for the members, social entrepreneurs, and their support organizations.

In general, social entrepreneurs evaluate benefits provided by state and municipalities positively, however as insufficient. Research has shown that one of the most appealing perspectives of gaining the legal status of a social entrepreneur in Latvia is an opportunity to apply for an Altum grant, as well as gain larger publicity, however not rated ambiguously. Networking and gaining new partnerships in turn are rather valued low. Moreover, changing the legal form to social entrepreneur often requires additional resources (i.e. accounting services, time) from NGOs with social entrepreneurship activities.

Although there is a significant growth in the awareness of social entrepreneurs and the number of employees working in the social economy of Latvia, the level of income is not growing, being lower than average across the country and leaving the competitiveness of the sector at risk. Moreover, the inability to share profit among shareholders makes socially responsible enterprises less attractive for investors.

These trends outline the necessity of additional state support provided for social entrepreneurs. Therefore, experts suggest to review and possibly decrease the citizen income and social security taxes and compensate them from other sources; modify the legal requirements for shareholders, partly allowing them to share the profits up to 5% for one shareholder per year; differentiate the amounts of available grants according to the years of operation etc. Also, the level of corporate profit during the first years of activity often makes corporate tax relief inapplicable to the social entrepreneurs, therefore canceling corporate tax for social entrepreneurs is not seen as significant support.

The report states that in practice often municipalities are unaware of support services available for social entrepreneurs. Sometimes happens that certain municipality is ready to rent public spaces for a lower price to social entrepreneurs, however, the legal act does not constitute the opportunity of doing so. Another aspect touches the mechanisms of informing social entrepreneurs about the available spaces and conditions, therefore the abilities of enterprises to receive some support should be communicated more effectively to both municipality representatives and social economy actors.

Although, The Ministry of Welfare provides consultancy in what comes to gaining and maintaining the status of social entrepreneur, the most common reasons for rejection are: inacurate definition of enterprises social goals, social problems to be solved, tasks to fulfill, the insufficient social impact of planned activities and application for a grant which is expected to cover the activities other than those of social impact. The report pointed out the necessity to develop clear guidelines with good practice examples of social entrepreneurs, however, at the same time, the need to simplify the application process is also on the list. That would allow more social entrepreneurs to dedicate time for justification of their social activities and strengthen their capacity on a market.

Additional attention researchers have paid to social impact measurement methodologies applied in Europe to determine the most suitable ones for the context of Latvia and conceptualize guidelines for impact measurement. It is necessary to implement clear selection and evaluation of social entrepreneurs according to their opportunities to receive state or municipality support. As there is no one universal approach that fits all, the following social impact measurement methods and tools were suggested to be applied in Latvia in relation to different processes:

Cost-Benefit or Social Return on Investments Analysis – for policy planning and assessment,
Measuring impact assessment and analysis, Rating approach – for institutional eligibility to gain social entrepreneur’s status,
Social Impact Indicators – for self-assessment of social enterprises, as well as
In-depth analysis (for specific aspects evaluation via expert assessment.

Social accountability and audit approach is suggested to be used only for large social enterprises in future, however so far it is not really applicable for Latvian context.

Although the legal framework and the support instruments implemented by the public sector of Latvia are set for already 4 years, improvements of support strategy for social entrepreneurship development are still necessary. Although there is a differentiated system of available support mechanisms, not all of them are applicable in practice, as some requirements are too specific or some opportunities are not sufficiently promoted in public. Also, the procedure of applying for the status of social entrepreneur or grant is often unclear and seems complicated, which makes social entrepreneurship less popular. Therefore, more consultancy support is necessary for social entrepreneurs to allow the facilitation of the benefits available. The procedures and necessary improvement include clear guidelines of the impact measurement methods for social entrepreneurs, that would help to strengthen the capacities of entrepreneurs themselves, as well as provide transparency in what comes to formal evaluation and reporting to the grant providers and stakeholders.

Download the full report in Latvian here.

Photo retrieved from www.pinterest.dk/pin/386042999292402607/

This publication has been prepared within SENBS project No. 2020- 1-EE01-KA204-077999. The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of the project coordinator and may not always reflect the views of the European Commission or the National Agency.

Educational Materials | English | European Union

Social enterprise finance market: analysis and recommendations for delivery options

March 31, 2021

This report by EUROPEAN COMMISSION – Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion provides a technical analysis of the finance market for social enterprises. It identifies market failures and funding gaps in social enterprise finance and proposes delivery options for the future EU level financial instruments.

You can read it here: https://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=738&langId=en&pubId=8285&furtherPubs=yes

Or download directly from our website: KE-02-19-962-EN-N

This analysis aims to identify market failures and gaps in social enterprise finance in Europe and recommend delivery options for future EU-level financial instruments. The findings will assist the European Commission in designing the investment strategy for EU-level financial instruments for social enterprise finance, and will notably feed into the preparatory work on the InvestEU Fund. Barbara Scheck and Wolfgang Spiess-Knafl at the European Center for Social Finance have been contracted by the European Commission to prepare this analysis. This publication is an outcome of an assignment financed entirely by the European Union Programme for Employment and Social Innovation “EaSI” (2014-2020). For further information, please consult: http://ec.europa.eu/social/easi

This publication has been prepared within SENBS project No. 2020- 1-EE01-KA204-077999. The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of the project coordinator and may not always reflect the views of the European Commission or the National Agency.

Educational Materials | Estonian

Sotsiaalse ettevõtluse ja sotsiaalsete ettevõtete arengu stimuleerimine Eestis

March 30, 2021March 30, 2021

Strateegia süvaanalüüs

Käesolev raport esitab Eesti sotsiaalse innovatsiooni, sotsiaalse ettevõtluse ja sotsiaalsete ettevõtete jaoks kindlaks määratud strateegilise ökosüsteemi süvaanalüüsi. See tuvastab riigi peamised tugevad ja probleemsed küljed ning esitab strateegilised soovitused tugevama strateegilise ökosüsteemi arengu toetamiseks sotsiaalseks ettevõtluseks ja sotsiaalsete ettevõtete jaoks. Peamised strateegilised probleemid, mida analüüsiti, hõlmavad: sotsiaalse innovatsiooni ja sotsiaalse ettevõtluse kultuuri loomist (osa 2); sotsiaalse ettevõtluse toetamist ametkondlike ja seadusandlike raamistike kaudu (osa 3); juurdepääsu parandamist finantseerimisele ja turgudele sotsiaalse ettevõtluse stimuleerimiseks (osad 4 ja 5) ja sotsiaalettevõtjale vajalike oskuste ja pädevuste arendamise toetamist (osa 6).

Loe veel siit

SOTSIAALSE ETTEVÕTLUSE JA SOTSIAALSETE ETTEVÕTETE ARENGU STIMULEERIMINE © OECD 2020

Educational Materials | English | Learn | Youth

Regional Strategies for the Social Economy – OECD Report with examples from France, Spain, Sweden and Poland

March 29, 2021

This paper by OECD https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/industry-and-services/regional-strategies-for-the-social-economy_76995b39-en explores the linkages between regional strategies for the social economy and regional development in four EU countries: France, Spain, Sweden and Poland. It provides a comparative perspective of regional strategies for the social economy (Section 1), based on i) the level of recognition of the social economy itself, ii) multi-level governance arrangements, iii) the regional strategic priority given to the social economy and iv) financial resources available for regional strategies. It gives examples of strategies for the social economy in selected regions in the four countries to document the diversity of practice (Section 2). It outlines conclusions and policy orientations (Section 3) to help reinforce the positive impact of regional strategies for the social economy on regional development.

This publication has been prepared within INDIGISE project. The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of the project coordinator and may not always reflect the views of the European Commission or the National Agency.

Handbook for trainers in Social Entrepreneurship

March 28, 2021March 29, 2021

The Institute of Entrepreneurship Development presents the handbook created for trainers regarding the training courses in Social Economy and Entrepreneurship.

The educational material was created in the framework of the European project ERASMUS+ entitled “Open Mind – gamified platform and open online course in Social Entrepreneurship for female learners and students from diverse fields of study”.

Open Mind project focus on the lack of entrepreneurship skills, especially seeing the differences in skills between genders, attempting to boost entrepreneurship and creativity through an innovative gamified social entrepreneurship course.

The training material which developed for social entrepreneurship, concerns a lot of individuals across Europe, trying to map the skills that are needed to start a business as well as it pursues to enhance employment in this sector.

This special educational material has created with the participation of all partners of the project, however, especially iED edited the graphic design of the handbook.

You can watch the entire educational material completely free of charge HERE.

This publication has been prepared within INDIGISE project. The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of the project coordinator and may not always reflect the views of the European Commission or the National Agency.

Educational Materials | English | Inspiration | Library

Balkan perspectives on Social Entrepreneurship

March 19, 2021April 19, 2021

Our colleagues from the Republic of North Macedonia have produced an interesting material – an overview of cases of social entrepreneurs from across the Balkans – The Voices of entrepreneurs and innovators – that can serve both as a tool for inspiration as well as training material.

Below is the link to the material, provided by Social Entrepreneurship Observatory from Skopje:

https://seobservatory.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/03_ENG_FINAL_THE-VOICE-OF-ENTREPRENEURS-AND-INNOVATORS_17.09.2020-1.pdf

Educational Materials | Library | Norway

SoImpact – tools for collaborative social innovation

March 18, 2021

Innovation work through collaborative social innovation assumes using different methods for collecting and evaluating results, both regarding values created during the process, and the effect that is a result of the ended process. Measuring effects is demanding, since the causality between effort and effect often is unclear. However, it is important to know whether the resources which are used leads to expected social results and effects.

SoImpact deals with this matter. This tool was first created by SoCentral, and has been further developed during this project. It differs from other methods of measuring effects of social innovation since this tool mainly focuses on measuring results and effects of effort, where the level of causality is high. Soimpact is a tool for choosing and identifying indicators, measuring results and effects caused by the effort put into collaborative social innovation. This tool is a ten-step-process that structures the work, from early definitions of goals, to identifying indicators which can be used for evaluation and analysis.

Find out more here! Only in Norwegian

This publication has been prepared within INDIGISE project. The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of the project coordinator and may not always reflect the views of the European Commission or the National Agency.

Educational Materials | Library | Norway

SAMSON – a tool for collaborative social innovation

March 18, 2021

Scientists found that most of the Norwegian cases had a low level of maturity. Collaborative social innovation is hard to accomplish in practice. The project showed that the general level of knowledge when it came to collaborative social innovation was low, and that the municipalities struggled to achieve true user involvement in the cases.

By combining theory and experience from the cases, there has been developed a model for local collaborative social innovation. This model has been used to create a digital processing tool for collaborative social innovation, and gives you a picture of where the collaboration stands, and which fields of action you have to work on to achieve real collaborative social innovation.

This tool makes it possible to adjust course during the process, as well as evaluate the process in hindsight, in light of both values and fields of action – what are we doing well, where do we have challenges, how did we correct things during the process, or where did we fail. The model is based on that collaborative social innovation is relational and contextual, and that positions and roles always need to be transparent in order to being handled adequately. This tool must be used by all involved participants together, and will therefore ensure a high level of equality and openness during the process.

For more information, click here! (only in Norwegian)

This publication has been prepared within INDIGISE project. The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of the project coordinator and may not always reflect the views of the European Commission or the National Agency.

The Best Podcast for Social Entrepreneurs & Changemakers

March 15, 2021March 15, 2021

Through The Social Entrepreneurship & Innovation Podcast delivered by Grow Ensemble, host Cory Ames and his expert guests shed light on social entrepreneurship, discussing the experience of running, growing, and sustaining successful sustainable businesses, social enterprises, and nonprofits.

Episodes explore a range of topics about the missions and causes these businesses have ingrained into their operations, as well as their successes and challenges in growing, expanding, and sustaining their impact. Whether it’s impact investors you want to hear from, nonprofit founders, or $100M purpose-driven CEOs, this podcast has it all.

Check the latest and most listened episodes of Grow Ensemble HERE.

You can subscribe to the Podcast on a platform of your preferences:

Besides Podcasts, Grow Ensemble promotes social entrepreneurship by sharing a blog, book recommendations and many more. Visit Grow Ensemble webpage and get familiar with the coolest social entrepreeurs and learning materials for social entrepreneurs!

Photo retrieved from: https://gaia-union.com/grow-ensemble/

This publication has been prepared within SENBS project No. 2020- 1-EE01-KA204-077999. The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of the project coordinator and may not always reflect the views of the European Commission or the National Agency.

Educational Materials | English | Learn | Library | Youth

The Sustainable Development Goals and YOUth

March 15, 2021March 15, 2021

‘The Sustainable Development Goals and YOUth’ is a material developed in 2015, just after the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have been agreed on to follow by 2030. Although some time has passed, this resource still constitutes a valuable document to be studied by children and young people, as well as youth workers to learn and teach about the SDGs. It motivates young people to think about how these goals can be incorporated into everyday lives and how key local, national, and global issues can be supported for sustainable development.

How to use this pack

This resource introduces the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. You are free to use the activities to explore human/youth/children’s rights issues, particularly those in the news or issues that you have already been working on with your group.

Each activity has a suggested age range. It is recommended to read all proposed activities and decide on which ones are appropriate to your group. Some activities can be split and the first part carried out with younger age-groups.
Each activity has some suggested questions for a final debrief with the group, but you may find it useful to check in with your groups more frequently during the activities depending on your participants.
Some issues may be sensitive among members of your group. Check through the full activity before choosing it, and also be aware of the reactions among members of your group.
There are fact boxes entitled ‘Did You Know?’ which accompany many activities and include supporting information. You can read these aloud, copy and hand them out to participants or display them in your group.
You can start with activity one and work your way through the pack. Or, you can pick and choose activities according to the interests of your group or the time and resources available.
Adapt the activities to suit your group’s needs. The important thing is to have everyone discussing and questioning what is happening in the world and how fair or unfair it is, and create a greater understanding of the links between Ireland and developing countries and how young people can bring about change.

Reference to the document: http://www.youth.ie/sites/youth.ie/files/SDGs_Youth_Resource%20_Pack.pdf

This publication has been prepared within INDIGISE project. The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of the project coordinator and may not always reflect the views of the European Commission or the National Agency.

Pioneers Post – The Social Enterprise Magazine

March 15, 2021March 15, 2021

If you are not familiar with Pioneers Post yet, we encourage you to check the independent news network for the global impact community. As a journalism platform, it provides insights for pioneers across the impact economy, from social entrepreneurs and impact investors, to changemakers working across business, civil society, philanthropy, government, and public services.

Pioneers Post is the specialist news and storytelling platform covering social enterprise, impact investing and purpose-led business around the globe, committed to using storytelling to create positive social impact. Also, it is a social enterprise with a mission to support the growth and development of social innovation and to connect changemakers across sectors and geographies through their stories. The journalists of the platform deliver written stories, videos and podcasts, special guides and a weekly e-Newsletter with the highlights from the impact economy – delivering events and award programmes to recognize and celebrate social entrepreneurs on the front lines.

Pioneers Post can be considered a valuable learning resource. It offers free access and premium content. You can sign up for an e-Newsletter to receive a roundup of the most important updates – news, views, knowledge, insights, and analysis on the social business. It includes the following informative sections:

News & Views – what happened when and what people think about it.

Business School – how did it happen and how to do it better.

Collections – thematic and partner-curated content streams.

Publications – reports, guides and multimedia features.

Videos and Podcasts – from 60-second video-bites to classic 3-minute film interviews, from 1-2-1 business profiles to 30-minute podcast discussions, our multimedia journalism team uses all the creative skills at their disposal to produce engaging audio and visual content.

About – where you can find more details about the Pioneers Post team, aims, history and values, plus important policies covering our editorial practice, privacy and diversity issues.

Impact Library – for subscribers only. Subscription to the premium content allows you to receive a personal login to access the Pioneers Post Impact Library with thousands of articles, videos, podcasts, special guides and downloadable publications and read more in-depth features, business profiles, and news stories. Hundreds of “hidden gems” and access to the global community of like-minded individuals are offered to subscribers. Subscriptions plans can be found here.

Read some of the recent free-access articles to have an insight into the content and subscribe for more!

Subscribe to the Pioneers Post Impact Library here and stay updated!

Picture retrieved from https://www.pioneerspost.com/collections/pioneers-post-the-social-enterprise-magazine

This publication has been prepared within INDIGISE project. The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of the project coordinator and may not always reflect the views of the European Commission or the National Agency.

Educational Materials | Learn | Library | Successful Business Models | Youth

THE TRIPLE LAYERED BUSINESS MODEL CANVAS – A TOOL TO DESIGN MORE SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MODELS

March 15, 2021

A creative approach to sustainability can be applied upon an organization’s business model.

Authors begin their research with the assumption that business model innovation that takes into account a triple bottom line approach will be more sustainable over time. They focus their research on the conceptual stage when business model ideas are generated, and more precisely its creative tools. Their goal is to support, with a structured canvas, organizations whom wish to innovate upon their current business model and create concepts of more sustainable business models.

In this paper, authors present and discuss the tool they have named the “triple layered business model canvas”. Authors endeavoured to ensure that business models create, deliver and capture multiple forms of value by adding a second layer with nine environmental elements that follow a lifecycle approach, and by adding a third layer with nine social elements that follow a stakeholder approach. Authors share this new triple layered business model canvas and exemplify its use with a Nespresso case. In the end, authors find new dynamics for analysis and new relationships for innovation. Authors conclude with limits and future research for more sustainable business model patterns.

In short, authors add two new layers while continuing in the structure of the original canvas. The second layer is built with life cycle thinking approach to the environment and the third layer fosters a stakeholder approach to social issues.

Business leaders can use this canvas to better understand and visualize the relationships between the economic, environmental and social aspects of their business model.

Full paper with three CANVAS templates can be found HERE.

This publication has been prepared within INDIGISE project. The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of the project coordinator and may not always reflect the views of the European Commission or the National Agency.

UpLink – a place where ideas can become a reality

March 12, 2021

Imagine you had a ‘eureka’ moment – an idea for a new way of doing something that could, in some way, make the world a better place.

How would you go about turning that idea into reality? One place you could go, is UpLink, a platform which lets anyone from anywhere in the world submit their ideas on how to solve global issues.

Announced during the 2019 Sustainable Development Impact Summit and launched at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2020, UpLink is a digital crowd-engagement platform that connects entrepreneurs and champions of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Its goal is to link-up the best SDG innovators to a growing network of experts and decision-makers who can implement the change needed for the next decade.

As a global platform, UpLink responds to the demand for a more inclusive approach to SDG action by targeting the creativity and expertise of grassroots innovators who can meaningfully contribute to the delivery of the SDGs. Through its challenges and collaborative action groups, UpLink aspires to nurture a world whereanyone with impact-oriented ideas and solutions is empowered to address the world’s most pressing challenges.

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRUsgiXUMJg[/embedyt]

UpLink is the first World Economic Forum-managed online network that anyone can sign up and contribute to. Through its challenges, UpLink seeks to connect entrepreneurs with game-changing SDG solutions to experts and investors looking to identify and scale-up the most innovative solutions. Through its action groups, UpLink offers thought leaders and activists a curated platform to discuss ongoing roadblocks to SDG attainment and build alliances with like-minded champions from across the globe. UpLink also provides clear support for organisations that are keen to surface innovations that respond to specific needs by enabling them to co-design topics and challenges.

Read more here: https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2021/03/uplink-radio-davos/

Source: https://uplink.weforum.org/uplink/s/

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This publication has been prepared within INDIGISE project. The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of the project coordinator and may not always reflect the views of the European Commission or the National Agency.

Educational Materials | English

The Good Business Roadmap

March 5, 2021March 5, 2021

Sara Sophie Osterholzer has developed The Good Business Roadmap, which is a step-by-step guide to supporting first-time social entrepreneurs in getting their business up and running quickly and helping to provide the right foundation for long-term sustainability.

The Good Business Roadmap consists of 10 steps with recommended actions to take under each step. It can be a very helpful guide to be sure to get around all the important issues, when you are going to start a social enterprise for the first time.

The 10 steps are:

1. It all starts with an idea
When you have an idea – it is important to be sure of your purpose and your WHY. Why are you doing it?

2. Set your sights on a destination
Find out where you will go with your business. Create a vision – Where will your business be in 10 year?

3. Map out your journey
Plan your journey, maybe not a 10 year plan but at least make a plan for the first year on the road to reach your vision. Include considerations on the time and the budget you have when you set directions.

4. Do your research
Make sure to know who you customers are and what their needs are. Find out who already tend to their needs.
Make a profile of customers and map your ecosystem (who are offering the same products and services?)

5. Understand the money
Be sure you know the price and cost of your product or services, the costs and how you will fund the launch of your business.
Make a strategy for pricing, create a budget for the first year and set up the tools you need for financial management.

6. Skill up and fill your knowledge gaps
You do not know everything, but you can get help.
Build an advisory board with people with skills that you don´t have, find a coach or a mentor and build a team around you.

7. Make sure you’ve got the right gear
You don´t need to get everything you can get the essentials and invest as yo grow your business.
So basics are Setup a Bank Account, get a domain name and create a basic website, set up an email account and set up a payment system, create social media accounts and finally legally register your business.

8. Let people know about what you’re up to
It is time to reach out to your existing network reach out to friends and family to let them know your plans and to share your idea and vision on social media.

9. Do a test run
Before you lunch anything it is good to run a test. It is good to know if customers are interested in your product or service. So you might want to make a small prototype test it and get feedback from customers and other important stakeholders.

10. Launch your business
You can launch in many ways, host an event or try to get in the media. But do what you think will give you the best start possible. It is always good to make a launch plan with actions that will give you the most possible success within the first couple of months.

You can find a more detailed explanation of The Good Business Roadmap here

This publication has been prepared within SENBS project No. 2020- 1-EE01-KA204-077999. The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of the project coordinator and may not always reflect the views of the European Commission or the National Agency.

Blog | Educational Materials | English | Inspiration | Library

IKEA Social Entrepreneurship

March 4, 2021

You all have probably heard of IKEA – a Swedish home furnishings company and world’s largest furniture retailer since 2008. But did you know IKEA backs and boosts social entrepreneurs all over the world?

IKEA has long since had the vision to create a better everyday life for as many people as possible. Back in 2012, the company looked at how to achieve this by including products and services from social entrepreneurs in its offer. These first collaborations resulted in over 100 jobs created. Today, these business partnerships contribute to over 20,000 jobs and incomes.

Building on the success, IKEA looked to support programmes that accelerate the movement of social entrepreneurship in general. By supporting social enterprises with a vision to create a more inclusive and equal society, IKEA hopes to have a positive impact on people’s livelihoods. At the same time, the company is continuing to look for new and innovative partnerships that will offer IKEA customers unique handmade collections and services.

By boosting social entrepreneurs all over the world, IKEA gets to be a part of creating new opportunities for vulnerable people and communities – while fighting the root causes of poverty and inequality.

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=28t-AD3vCEY[/embedyt]

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This publication has been prepared within INDIGISE project. The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of the project coordinator and may not always reflect the views of the European Commission or the National Agency.

Educational Materials | Library | Norway

Let’s do it together! Handbook for local collaborative social innovation

February 22, 2021

This handbook is written for, and in a Norwegian local context. It is namely the case that in Norway welfare is in fact created mainly locally in the country’s 426 (current) municipalities. It is therefore more meaningful to talk about the welfare municipalities rather than the welfare state in Norway.

Good collaborative social innovation work is characterized by the fact that people with different resources, experience and knowledge work together. In this handbook, we present key concepts and a model for collaborative social innovation with relevant advice and recommendations on how the model, and the knowledge it is based on, can be used.

A sense of reality and the practical relevance of the work are ensured by the fact that five municipalities with six specific social innovation projects have been linked to the project. In addition, a case from Denmark has been used as a reference model.

You find more information here.

This publication has been prepared within INDIGISE project. The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of the project coordinator and may not always reflect the views of the European Commission or the National Agency.

Educational Materials | Lithuanian

New training material for social entrepreneurs have been prepared in Lithuanian

February 20, 2021March 12, 2021

The project “Empowering Women from Ethnic Minorities through Social Business Enterprises” (EMwoSE) aims to increase the employment of women from ethnic minorities by providing them with the knowledge, practical skills and counseling needed to engage in the world of social business enterprises.

To achieve this ambitious goal, the EMwoSE project team took into account the barriers that a woman potentially faces in difficult circumstances: current employment conditions, skills gaps, psychological and cultural barriers.

The project modules provide both theoretical information and useful links to the required digital tools and videos.

At the end of each module, you will find a short test to test the knowledge gained during the modules, as well as practical advice that will allow you to test the theoretical part of the modules in practice.

Topics covered during the course:

1. The concept of a social business enterprise
2. Starting your own business
3. Marketing and communication
4. Personal business management
5. Financing
6. Networking
7. Sustainability

During the course, tests are performed to consolidate knowledge.

The curriculum is designed in such a way that your practical skills are developed on the basis of the acquired theoretical knowledge: practical examples are analyzed, interesting tasks are performed.

Note. The material was developed during the Erasmus + project “Empowering Women from Ethnic Minorities through Social Enterprise” (EMwoSE), so the course is free but does not have a tutor. Project partner in Lithuania – Public Institution Innovation Office.

The start date, time and intensity of the courses depend on your abilities and needs.

Below is the text in Lithuanian with the link to the training materials:

https://mokymaipro.lt/listings/emwose-socialinis-verslumas

Projekto „Moterų iš etninių mažumų įgalinimas per socialinio verslo įmones“ (EMwoSE) tikslas – padidinti moterų iš etninių mažumų užimtumą, suteikiant joms žinias, praktinius įgūdžius ir konsultacijas, reikalingas norint įsitraukti į socialinio verslo įmonių pasaulį.

Siekdama šio ambicingo tikslo, EMwoSE projekto komanda atsižvelgė į kliūtis, su kuriomis potencialiai susiduria sudėtingomis sąlygomis gyvenanti moteris: dabartinės įsidarbinimo sąlygos, įgūdžių spragos, psichologinės ir kultūrinės kliūtys.

Projekto moduliuose pateikiama tiek teorinė informacija, tiek ir naudingos nuorodos į reikalingas skaitmenines priemones ir vaizdo įrašus.

Kiekvieno modulio pabaigoje rasite trumpą testą, kad galėtumėte pasitikrinti modulių metu įgytas žinias, taip pat praktinius patarimus, kurie leis teorinę modulių dalį išbandyti praktiškai.

Kurso metu nagrinėjamos temos:

1. Socialinio verslo įmonės samprata
2. Nuosavo verslo įkūrimas
3. Marketingas ir komunikacija
4. Asmeninio verslo valdymas
5. Finansavimas
6. Tinklų kūrimas
7. Tvarumas

Kurso metu yra atliekami testai žinioms įtvirtinti.

Mokymosi programa yra sudaryta taip, kad įgyjamų teorinių žinių pagrindu būtų vystomi Jūsų praktiniai gebėjimai: nagrinėjami praktiniai pavyzdžiai, atliekamos įdomios užduotys.

Pastaba. Medžiaga sukurta Erasmus+ projekto „Empowering Women from ethnic minorities through Social Enterprise“ (EMwoSE) metu, todėl kursas yra nemokamas, tačiau neturi kuruojančio lektoriaus. Projekto partneris Lietuvoje – VšĮ Inovacijų biuras.

Kursų pradžios data, užsiėmimų laikas ir intensyvumas priklauso nuo Jūsų galimybių ir poreikių.

Blog | Educational Materials | English | Library

Socially Responsible Public Procurement: Its Role and Applications

February 19, 2021February 19, 2021

Public procurement affects a large number of people, whether they are users of public services, workers involved in production and delivery, or staff of the buying organisation. Public authorities can engage in Socially Responsible Public Procurement (SRPP) by buying ethical products and services, and by using public tenders to create socially just societies. Social entrepreneurship is one of the opportunities to engage in SRPP implementation.

The European Commission intends to facilitate the uptake of socially-responsible criteria in public procurement and to promote their use across the EU. But first, two main questions need to be answered: what SRPP really is and what are its known applications?

Socially Responsible Public Procurement (SRPP) is a set of social considerations in public contracts to achieve positive social outcomes. SRPP is determined by the public sector and aims to address the impact on society of the goods, works and services and works purchased it.

Buying for Social Impact (BSI) supported by the European Commission has prepared the materials explaining the meaning and the role of SRPP in detail. Download a full compilation of the main things you need to know about Socially Responsible Public Procurement:

15 Frequently Asked Questions on Socially Responsible Public Procurement

Buying for social impact

Buying for social impact. Good practice from around the EU

Making socially responsible public procurement work. 71 good practice cases

The source for more materials of the “Buying for Social Impact” project: https://ec.europa.eu/info/policies/public-procurement/support-tools-public-buyers/social-procurement_en

This publication has been prepared within SENBS project No. 2020- 1-EE01-KA204-077999. The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of the project coordinator and may not always reflect the views of the European Commission or the National Agency.

Campus StarterKit for faculty and staff

February 13, 2021

The Campus Starter Kit is designed to help higher education leaders build hubs of social innovation by tapping into the creativity and ingenuity of the campus community.

While every campus is unique in its institutional identity and culture, educational vision, and student body, we hope to provide broadly applicable resources to help foster awareness and support for social entrepreneurship and changemaking.

We offer the Starter Kit in conjunction with the following tools, which are available on the Ashoka U website at ashokau.org:

• Making the Case for Social Entrepreneurship Presentation: customizable presentation for staff or faculty to engage their institution on the concept of social entrepreneurship.

• Social Entrepreneurship 101 Presentation: customizable presentation for use in class or at events raising awareness around social entrepreneurship on campus and in the community.

• Social Entrepreneurship Education Resource Handbook: resource guide and directory for social entrepreneurship in higher education including a comprehensive listing of social entrepreneurship programs, initiatives, competitions, conferences, and more.

• Teaching Resource Guide: guidebook for teaching courses on social entrepreneurship with sample syllabi.

As you make use of the Campus Starter Kit, please feel free to customize and re-design these tools to maximize results.

Our goal at the Sullivan Foundation and Ashoka U is to grow social entrepreneurship and changemaking throughout the campus culture, transforming the educational experience into a world-changing experience.

Full document is available HERE.

This publication has been prepared within INDIGISE project. The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of the project coordinator and may not always reflect the views of the European Commission or the National Agency.

MIRO – where teams get works done

February 13, 2021April 9, 2021

The online collaborative whiteboard platform to bring teams together, anytime, anywhere.

For a while, we’ve been hearing that remote work and therefore remote jobs are the trend of the future. However, in 2020 there are enough people working across different offices, satellite hubs, coworking spaces, cafes, home offices, and backyard sheds on a given day that it’s clear: “remote work” describes the way so many of us are already working every day.

Even if you’re physically located in the same office, you may send your coworker an instant message instead of walking over to their desk. Update a project’s status in a spreadsheet. Give feedback in a comment. Put your ideas on a virtual sticky note. You’re practicing “remote collaboration.”

Despite this growing trend, many still view being part of a successful remote or distribute teams as having a Herculean challenge. At Miro, we disagree. We believe employees don’t need to be in the same location to produce their best work together, and we live our truth every day with our own internationally distributed teams. Like it or not, virtual work is here to stay—which is why we’re sharing our secret sauce so you can help your remote teams thrive, just like ours.

Mori information is available HERE.

This publication has been prepared within INDIGISE project. The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of the project coordinator and may not always reflect the views of the European Commission or the National Agency.

Handbook for trainers in Social Entrepreneurship

February 8, 2021March 2, 2021

The Institute of Entrepreneurship Development presents the handbook created for trainers regarding the training courses in Social Economy and Entrepreneurship.

The educational material was created in the framework of the European project ERASMUS+ entitled “Open Mind – gamified platform and open online course in Social Entrepreneurship for female learners and students from diverse fields of study”.

Open Mind project focus on the lack of entrepreneurship skills, especially seeing the differences in skills between genders, attempting to boost entrepreneurship and creativity through an innovative gamified social entrepreneurship course.

The training material which developed for social entrepreneurship, concerns a lot of individuals across Europe, trying to map the skills that are needed to start a business as well as it pursues to enhance employment in this sector.

This special educational material has created with the participation of all partners of the project, however, especially iED edited the graphic design of the handbook.

You can watch the entire educational material completely free of charge HERE.

This publication has been prepared within INDIGISE project. The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of the project coordinator and may not always reflect the views of the European Commission or the National Agency.

Ashoka – Everyone a Changemaker

January 31, 2021

Ashoka is an international organization that promotes social entrepreneurship by affiliating individual social entrepreneurs into the Ashoka organization. Their stated mission is “to shape a global, entrepreneurial, competitive citizen sector: one that allows social entrepreneurs to thrive and enables the world’s citizens to think and act as changemakers”. Ashoka identifies and supports the world’s leading social entrepreneurs, learns from the patterns in their innovations, and mobilizes a global community that embraces these new frameworks to build an “everyone a changemaker world.”

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfiY9rRsWqE[/embedyt]

Ashoka supports an “Everyone a Changemaker” world through its programs in more than 90 countries, building and amplifying this global movement in three stages:

Identify and support the world’s leading social entrepreneurs

Ashoka finds and cultivates social entrepreneurs in every corner of the world, whose system-changing innovations solve deep-rooted social problems. After a rigorous application process, Ashoka invites them into the Ashoka Fellowship – providing early stage financial support and a lifetime membership into an expansive network of peers and partners – enabling them to achieve their vision and have even greater impact. The organization then draws on the insights and patterns of these 3,500+ Ashoka Fellows to understand what the future needs and how to create new solutions for building a better world
Accelerate the “Everyone a Changemaker” world

Ashoka mobilizes a network of organizations to join them in shifting mindsets and reshaping how they learn, work, and live together to catalyze changemaking for the good of society. It partners with schools, universities, corporations, citizen sector organizations, media, and other influencers to co-lead this movement.
Equip Everyone to be a Changemaker

Ashoka inspires and enables changemaking in the public-at-large, and work to give all citizens the confidence and tools to solve problems for the good of all. Specifically, it focuses on preparing the next generation to navigate this rapidly-changing world by ensuring all young people have the critical skills they need.

Ashoka Social Entrepreneurship Programs:

1. Ashoka Venture and Fellowship

For more than 35 years, Ashoka has built and nurtured the largest network of leading social entrepreneurs in the world. After a rigorous selection process, they are introduced to a life-long fellowship, where every member is committed to championing new patterns of social good.

2. Ashoka Support Network

The Ashoka Support Network (ASN) is a global community of business leaders from a variety of fields who support Ashoka both financially and strategically.

3. Ashoka Executive in Residence

The Ashoka Executive in Residence program fosters high-impact collaborations between companies and leading social entrepreneurs (Ashoka Fellows) that have the potential to change the dynamics of traditional markets, enhance competitiveness, and create systemic social impact.

4. Ashoka Changemakers

Ashoka Changemakers is building a global movement where anyone, anywhere, can take action to solve a social problem in in their community. We work to build this movement by supporting social entrepreneurs, innovators, business leaders, policy makers, and activists who are changemaking, by delivering ground-breaking analysis, by accelerating intrepreneurship, and creating strong partnerships that will drive the movement forward.

Read more here: https://www.ashoka.org/

This publication has been prepared within INDIGISE project. The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of the project coordinator and may not always reflect the views of the European Commission or the National Agency.

Blog | Educational Materials | English

Intercultural Mediation as a Tool for Integration and Social Inclusion of Young (Vulnerable) People

January 30, 2021January 30, 2021

We highly recommend this online learning opportunity offered via SALTO website!

E-learning

24-26 February 2021 | online, Germany

Through this online training you will learn how to actively intervene in social dialogue and promote positive interaction. You will be trained on how to be a good Mediator, the power of Intercultural Mediation, culture and conflict.

Free Training Course: Intercultural Mediation as a Tool for Integration and Social Inclusion of Young (Vulnerable) People

Are a youth worker, an adult trainer or a community educator with or without migrant background and is your aim:

To enhance your training capacity in order to support the inclusion of local and migrant/refugee youth?
To be empowered and equipped with skills and knowledge in order to become a young mediator who reaches out young people at risk of marginalisation and radicalisation and acts as a multiplier of inclusion?
To learn how to use intercultural mediation as a tool for integration and social inclusion by intervening actively in the social dialogue and by promoting a positive interaction based on active and effective listening?
To build your own self-confidence to work in blended learning environments?

Jugend- & Kulturprojekt e.V., a non-profit association that designs and implements educational activities based on non-formal learning methods, digital tools and online learning, gives you the opportunity within the framework of “PRIORITY- Promoting Open and Resilient Societies for Youth” Erasmus+ project, to take part in the free online training course entitled “Intercultural Mediation as a Tool for Integration and Social Inclusion of Young People”.

Training Course’s Topics

During this free 3-day online training workshop, which is provided in English and is based on the learning by doing training method, the following topics will be covered:

Module 1: How to be a good Mediator: non-formal education and the difference between formal and non-formal education. The role of a youth worker in social integration and inclusion. Qualities and competences a mediator should possess in the 21st century in order to support and promote inclusion and social integration successfully.

Module 2: The power of Intercultural Mediation: the meaning of intercultural mediation and its importance in preventing marginalisation and radicalisation of young people. Role-playing as a tool for inclusion.

Module 3: Culture and Conflict: the meaning of interculturality and of cultural shock, developing intercultural sensitivity in six steps, enhancing intercultural competences, obstacles to intercultural communication, using positive intercultural approaches by knowing the main sensitive areas and values and by reducing the impact of negative stereotypes.

Furthermore, participants will have access to additional learning resources through the website of PRIORITY’s project, that will support their deeper knowledge on the above-mentioned topics.

Read more and sign up: https://www.salto-youth.net/tools/european-training-calendar/training/intercultural-mediation-as-a-tool-for-integration-and-social-inclusion-of-young-vulnerable-people.9102/

This publication has been prepared within SENBS project No. 2020- 1-EE01-KA204-077999. The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of the project coordinator and may not always reflect the views of the European Commission or the National Agency.

Blog | Educational Materials | Support for SocEnts | Youth

Bringing Artificial Intelligence to schools through entrepreneurship

January 29, 2021

Junior Achievement (JA) Europe is the largest non-profit in Europe dedicated to preparing young people for employment and entrepreneurship by creating pathways for employability, job creation and financial success. At the beginning of January 2021 JA Europe announced a new collaboration with Intel, which aim is to empower and equip young Europeans in the area of Artificial Intelligence (AI). The Intel® AI For Youth Programme (AI4Youth), will enable JA students to get a chance to learn and test AI applications during their entrepreneurial journey.

As the JA Europe states, the first step within this initiative will be a pilot for 240 young people aged 15-19 in four countries: France, Italy, Portugal and Spain, where Intel® AI For Youth curricula will be blended with JA Europe’s entrepreneurship programmes.

By integrating AI into JA Europe’s entrepreneurship programmes, youth will have a deeper and more accurate understanding of technology and its impact to society (e.g. employment, inequality or inclusion). The participating students will be able to understand and use the AI tools and methodologies in a responsible way to create purposeful solutions that address various local and global challenges. In addition, the partnership aims at demystifying artificial intelligence, equipping young people with the skills and mindset required to be ready for the jobs of tomorrow by providing them with a deeper understanding of AI.

The learning journey will be staged in 4 phases:

Inspire thanks to the endless possibilities of AI through discussions around this topic;
Acquire basic concepts in AI and understand computer vision through the use of relevant cases;
Experience during technical workshops, using insights in data collection, model training and code modification; and
Empower to build innovative solutions using AI through Junior Achievement’s Innovation Camps.

This new partnership aligns with JA Europe’s mission to ensure that youth acquire and apply the necessary competences to launch their own business to succeed in today’s digital economy, and that they make informed financial decisions. Doing so democratizes young people’s access to AI tools while training them on how to use them skillfully. In this way, AI will be a key component of Junior Achievement’s Innovation Camps at national level, as participants will use it to propose meaningful solutions with social impact.

Read about the initiative and many more JA Europe programmes here.

This publication has been prepared within INDIGISE project. The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of the project coordinator and may not always reflect the views of the European Commission or the National Agency.

Educational Materials | English | Learn | Youth

TOOLKIT FOR MENTORS: #NGO TRAINED APPRENTICESHIP IN CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANISATIONS

January 29, 2021January 29, 2021

Co-funded by the EEA grants project SOCIAL INNOVATORS presents an innovative model of simultaneously addressing the challenges of high rates of youth unemployment and low employment rate in NGO sector, which all present a tremendous waste of human potential and missed opportunities for greater contribution to the social transformation not only in partner countries but in EU in general. In NGOs, young people will hater work experience and become involved in some of the most relevant initiatives and programmes dealing with social challenges in Europe today. As a result, the participants will be supported to create their own jobs within the social sector, where their educational background is essential for further development.

The toolkit is a part of the #NGOTrained Apprenticeship program in civil society organisations. The goal of the program is to provide young people who have no work experience in civil society organisations with knowledge, skills, and attitudes important for working in civil society organisations.

Download here: https://www.social-innovators.eu/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Showcase-longer-version-TOOLKIT-FOR-MENTORS_ENG_final-approved.pdf

At the same time, the program enables mentors from civil society organisations to improve their mentoring skills and to create a custom 80-hour training program that can be adapted and used for any new person entering their organisation as a volunteer, employee or associate. Including youth!

We hope that a custom training built on the basis of the apprenticeship program and the toolkit will have a long-lasting impact on the way new people are introduced to civil society organisations.

The purpose of this toolkit is to serve as a set of guidelines as well as an inspiration for mentors in civil society organisations, helping them to plan the activities for the apprentices, as well as a repository that includes all templates and other materials used during the apprenticeship program.

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This publication has been prepared within INDIGISE project. The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of the project coordinator and may not always reflect the views of the European Commission or the National Agency.

Do you know youth support programme “YOUTH PROP UP”?

January 29, 2021

The Youth Prop Up action plan is part of the wider Estonian Youth Guarantee National Action Plan initiated by the European Union.

The main aim is in supporting young people in need, who may have been made redundant or have not completed their education and are not currently studying. The programme attempts to assist them in realising their potential and return to being a productive member of society as quickly as possible, raising their confidence and self-esteem.

The activities take place under the “Inclusion of youth at risk of social exclusion and improvement of youth employability” programme. The programme is approved by the Ministry of Education and Research and co-financed by European Social Fund. Programme is lead by Education and Youth Authority.

Objective:

The Youth Prop Up programme is a new action plan which has been implemented in Estonia. The programme is designed to specifically target:

Young people aged 15 to 26 years.
Young people who are not currently involved in any kind of academic study or employment.

The Association of Estonian Open Youth Centres is the organisation responsible for the development and implementation of the Youth Prop Up action plan for the estimated duration of 2015-2021. The programme supports currently the 13000 individuals who meet these criteria.

Read more and get more inspiration on the Youth Prop UP website: https://tugila.ee/support-program-youth-prop/

All info is available to youth in Estonian, English and Russian.

This publication has been prepared within INDIGISE project. The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of the project coordinator and may not always reflect the views of the European Commission or the National Agency.

Blog | Educational Materials | English | Learn | Youth

New EU & Council of Europe study „Social inclusion, digitalisation and young people”

January 29, 2021

This study aims to explore the existing state of play when it comes to digitalisation and social inclusion of young people. The overall question leading this study was: “What is the intersection between social inclusion and digitalisation?”

Read the full report here: https://pjp-eu.coe.int/documents/42128013/47261953/053120+Study+on+SID+Web.pdf/0057379c-2180-dd3e-7537-71c468f3cf9d?fbclid=IwAR34n763ROD8XTkGeUVk-vHCL8dVBXZQchdSL4SqCfG_ykpRm9JPX94Yt7c

Executive summary:

Social inclusion is a process that enables a young person to build up self-esteem, self-realisation and resilience, to become an autonomous and productive member of society, able to reach self-fulfilment and contribute to the development of society as a whole. In order to support the social inclusion of young people, their participation in social, economic and political life should be promoted, based on the equality of rights, equity and dignity. However, certain groups of young people face multidimensional barriers or disadvantages, encompassing political, social, cultural and economic dimensions. These young people may comprise, among others, youth with disabilities, NEET youth, young refugees and migrants, LGBTI youth, young women and girls, youth suffering from substance abuse or dependency, youth from minority ethnic, racial or religious backgrounds, socio-economically marginalised youth, homeless youth, youth in abusive households and youth who have committed or have been a victim of crime. Acknowledging the EU-Council of Europe youth partnership’s extensive work on the topic of social inclusion and inequalities, and the findings from the 2018 symposium Young People, Social Inclusion and Digitalisation, there is an understanding of the need to better approach the topic of digitalisation in relation to the lives of young people and its implications for youth policy, youth work and youth research.

The purpose of this study is thus to explore the intersection of these two themes – social inclusion and digitalisation, examining the concepts of social inclusion and exclusion, and how we can make use of inclusion opportunities arising from the new digital reality.

The introduction sets the framework for the study by looking at what has been done so far in terms of creating a common approach to understanding the two themes: social inclusion, a common topic for policy, practice and research, and digitalisation, a new but fast-developing phenomenon which has an impact on the youth field and youth work. In order to explore in more detail the opportunities for social inclusion in the digitalised world, the second part of the study offers an inventory of the different policies put in place by European, national and local authorities (where available). It also reflects on the need to move towards smart youth work and/or to the outcomes of the work done so far in the area of social inclusion in order to ensure easier access for young people with fewer opportunities. The study presents a collection of existing digital platforms, online tools and educational and training opportunities available to young people and youth workers or teachers. It is based on a desk review and online questionnaire, which was completed by correspondents of the European Knowledge Centre for youth Policy (EKCYP) and youth organisations around Europe.

The data collected from 38 questionnaires from 23 countries show that the formal education system benefits from a wide range of projects and initiatives that bring teachers and pupils closer to the online world. Platforms have also been developed by national and local authorities to engage citizens in decision-making processes. Moreover, local youth organisations and European umbrella youth organisations have developed online training opportunities for youth workers and youth educators, most of which now operate transnationally. The final section of the study looks at the risks and opportunities associated with social inclusion of young people within the digital realm, also reflecting on the approaches and recommendations for addressing the risks.

The conclusion invites the reader to reflect on the future of participation of young people with fewer opportunities in the digital arena. At the time of this study’s compilation, very few identified initiatives directly targeted young people, and even fewer focused on young people experiencing multiple disadvantages. However, the growing digital reality, if its potential is used by governments and organisations, still presents a definite opportunity for developing digital solutions for social inclusion, which need to involve a variety of stakeholders and young people as partners and co-creators.

This publication has been prepared within INDIGISE project. The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of the project coordinator and may not always reflect the views of the European Commission or the National Agency.

Knowledge capital in social and commercial entrepreneurship: Investigating the role of informal institutions

January 27, 2021January 28, 2021

Abstract

This paper utilizes the lenses of knowledge capital and institutional theories to examine the role knowledge capital plays in the context of entry into social versus commercial entrepreneurship. We also investigate the moderating role of national culture in the relationship between knowledge capital and entrepreneurship. Using data from the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor, we find that social capital is relatively more important in social entrepreneurship than commercial entrepreneurship. We also find that national culture moderates this relationship such that in high individualism cultures, specific human capital is directed towards commercial entrepreneurship compared to social entrepreneurship. However, in high uncertainty avoidance cultures, social capital is directed towards social entrepreneurship rather than commercial entrepreneurship. Our findings uncover the nature of the contingent effects of informal institutions on the relationship between knowledge capital and entrepreneurship, leading to important implications for theory and development policy.

By: Sreevas sahasranamam, M.K. Nandakumar, Vijay Pereira, Yama Temouri

Download the full article here.

Source: Science Direct

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This publication has been prepared within INDIGISE project. The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of the project coordinator and may not always reflect the views of the European Commission or the National Agency.

Blog | Educational Materials | English | Uncategorized

Open Innovation Challenge – boosting the regional entrepreneurial ecosystem

January 25, 2021

What is the role of open innovation in terms of regional cooperation? We highly recommend reading the article below published by Interreg Europe on the policy learning platform.

Open innovation – necessary approach in companies and regions

Innovation is a critical factor behind economic development and competitiveness. At the same time, its nature is evolving. Instead of happening inside the boundaries of single companies, innovations increasingly emerge as a result of cooperation among multiple and diverse actors.

The Open Innovation model from Henry Chesbrough (2003), which describes the opening up of the innovation process of organisations and the active strategic use of the outside world to increase the innovation potential, is increasingly considered as a necessity for companies to be successful on the long-term. It provides a valid answer to the increasing pressure on companies performing R&D resulting from more and more complex technologies and fast-paced market developments.

But open innovation has also turned into a model for policy makers to sustain regional innovation performance. Regions have nowadays been recognised as playing a central role in the economy. They are gradually becoming basic units of the local ecosystem e.g. by offering a favourable platform for cooperation between companies leading to the creation of a regional open innovation system. (Torkkeli & Ahonen, 2007)

Lazio Region in Italy – holistically on the way to Open Innovation

This is where the Interreg Europe project SCALE UP – concentration and robustness of SMEs within the renewed EU industrial policy – comes in. The Lazio Region, partner in the project, has been extensively promoting an Open Innovation strategy. LAZIO INNOVA – the regional development agency – is in charge of enhancing the economic growth at regional level. Through a set of integrated services, tailored tools and financial opportunities LAZIO INNOVA aims at the entrepreneurial promotion as well as business creation in order to boost the regional ecosystem growth (companies, startups, local institutions, research organizations, universities, business associations as well as citizens).

In 2015 LAZIO INNOVA – taking the role of a facilitator – launched the first Open Innovation Challenge with the aim of supporting the whole entrepreneurial ecosystem – from large corporates to startups and talents – by offering the entire range of services required to facilitate the innovation process for large corporates and the scale-up for startups.

With the Open Innovation Challenge, LAZIO INNOVA offers medium sized to large corporates companies the opportunity to launch a ‘challenge’ to search for innovative product/ process/ service solutions that are most in line with their needs. Launching a challenge allows the company to take advantage of the innovative potential of startups and businesses to drive and implement their business innovation processes. In return, they offer expertise, budget and a market for startups.

The approach or how this works is presented in the following picture:

Source: Lazio Innova

Read the full article here.

This publication has been prepared within INDIGISE project. The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of the project coordinator and may not always reflect the views of the European Commission or the National Agency.

Blog | Educational Materials | English | Library | Norway

Female Entrepreneurship in Norway – Development, barriers and opportunities

January 22, 2021March 2, 2021

The report looks at the development of woman entrepreneurship in Norway and the distinctive traits of those who start up their own business. It also identifies several actions public authorities can apply in order to stimulate more women to start their own businesses

Despite the fact that the Norwegian culture is characterized by more equality than the cultures of many other developed countries, the proportion of women to men among entrepreneurs is no higher.

The report, which relies primarily on existing research and already established sets of data, found that social interaction influences women’s entrepreneurship and innovation activity profoundly. Recent studies show that exposure to innovation during childhood has a significant effect on children’s inclination to become an innovator. These exposure factors are particularly strong for girls. It is especially interesting to observe that women are more inclined to become innovators within a specific technological area if they grew up in an area with several female (but not male) innovators within the same area of technology. Moreover, the report found that women face greater demands through screening and information requirements than do men when they want to seek capital. The different language and male dominance in the financial world can also affect the likelihood that good projects proposed by female entrepreneurs will acquire financing.

In order to stimulate increased female entrepreneurship with a potential for scalability and growth, the report presents four concrete proposals for initiatives that public policymakers should consider when designing future policies:

Establish more comprehensive female mentoring schemes
Establish a government-supported women’s investment fund
Remove competitive disadvantages in businesses where women often operate as entrepreneurs
Establish a scheme for commercialization leave at universities and colleges

Read the full study here.

This publication has been prepared within INDIGISE project. The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of the project coordinator and may not always reflect the views of the European Commission or the National Agency.

Social INTRApreneurs – How Do They Contribute To The Common Good?

January 22, 2021January 22, 2021

In order to achieve the SDGs, it is very clear that we need an economy built on the principles of accountability, inclusivity, and sustainability. We believe that companies can remodel business into a force for good, even beyond the model of stakeholder capitalism. But it takes strong individuals and changemakers from within powerful organizations to ignite and drive real change. We call these changemakers ‘social intrapreneurs’.

A social intrapreneur is an entrepreneurial employee who develops a profitable new product, service, or business model that creates value for society and her company. Social intrapreneurs help their employers meet sustainability commitments and create value for customers and communities in ways that are built to last. These corporate employees are able to ‘future-proof’ their organizations by ideating, developing, and deploying effective solutions to solve the world’s pressing challenges.

Social intrapreneurship (SI) is becoming recognized as a tool for positive global change and as an assistant to future-proofing large organizations. Utilizing the energy and drive of social intrapreneurs is a fast-track strategy to change the culture within corporations — and prepare them for a new social and ecological age. But in order to fully realize the potential of Social Intrapreneurs, organizations must provide them with community, culture, support, and freedom to operate.

So far, little is known about the work of social intrapreneurs and their challenges. Yunus Social Business has attempted to evaluate the work environment of social intrepreneurs and has provided with findings in 3 three documents.

1 Business as unusual. How social intrapreneurs can turn companies into a force for good

The research draws from interviews with more than 50 globally based executives and social intrapreneurs, at corporate giants such as IKEA, Allianz, BASF, Renault, and SAP. It evaluates success factors and challenges for social intrapreneurs to implement their initiatives, as well as their initiatives’ impact on their parent companies. It evaluates success factors and challenges for social intrapreneurs to implement their initiatives, as well as their initiatives’ impact on their parent companies.

2 Making The Case

‘Making The Case’ is a follow-up study to the qualitative ‘Business as Unusual’ research ‘How Social Intrapreneurs Can Turn Companies into a Force For Good’. Through qualitative interviews, the Business As Unusual research so far highlighted five key benefits of social intrapreneurship. ‘Making The Case’ has started to build an empirical basis that will quantify these benefits. The data highlights correlations between social intrapreneurship and corporate performance metrics – such as brand equity, employee engagement and employee skill sets. ‘Making The Case’ is just getting started and will continue to build evidence for SI in the future.

3. The Playbook

This playbook outlines methods to create an environment where social intrapreneurship can thrive. The playbook is based on the experiences of 10 interviewed program managers representing global impact programs such as the UNDP’s Call to Action, MIT’s Practical Impact Alliance, and Barclays’ Eagle Labs. The findings demonstrate the value of SI, beyond an authentic display of corporate purpose, and reveal several core areas of potential business success.

About the author

Yunus Social Business (YSB) is an organization harnessing the power of business to end poverty through social business — a model pioneered by our co-founder, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Prof. Muhammad Yunus. YSB has supported or invested in over 1,800 social entrepreneurs worldwide to build meaningful social businesses in agriculture, health, education, mobility, clean water, and energy. We also accelerate the transformation of corporations into net ‘people and planet’ positive businesses by applying their core competencies to some of the greatest human challenges.

The source: https://www.yunussb.com/business-as-unusual

This publication has been prepared within SENBS project No. 2020-1-EE01-KA204-077999. The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of the project coordinator and may not always reflect the views of the European Commission or the National Agency.

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Why empowering female social entrepreneurs is key to economic recovery?

January 20, 2021

We highly recommend reading the article below, which is a part of the Davos Agenda.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated that no institution or individual alone can address the economic, environmental, social and technological challenges of our complex, interdependent world. The pandemic itself will not transform the world, but it has accelerated systemic changes that were apparent before its inception. The fault lines that emerged in 2020 now appear as critical crossroads in 2021. The time to rebuild trust and to make crucial choices is fast approaching as the need to reset priorities and the urgency to reform systems grow stronger around the world.

The Davos Agenda is a pioneering mobilization of global leaders to shape the principles, policies and partnerships needed in this challenging new context. It is essential for leaders from all walks of life to work together virtually for a more inclusive, cohesive and sustainable future as soon as possible in 2021. To this end, the World Economic Forum has served for more than 50 years as a trusted platform where leaders from business, government, international organizations, civil society and academia convene to address critical issues at the start of each year.”

Why empowering female social entrepreneurs is key to economic recovery?

The social entrepreneurship sector has proven itself uniquely capable of empowering women leaders in its field.
Female entrepreneurs can add substantially to economic growth and poverty reduction.
To shape a sustainable and inclusive recovery from COVID-19, we need to include the voices of female social entrepreneurs.

Whether it has been New Zealand under Jacinda Ardern or Germany under Angela Merkel, studies have shown that female-led countries have performed better in handling the COVID-19 pandemic.

Yet, according to the World Economic Forum’s Gender Gap Report report, it will take 95 years to close the gender gap in political representation. Progress in economic participation and opportunity has regressed, with the deteriorating situation forcing gender parity to a lowly 57.8%, which in terms of time represents a massive 257 years before gender parity can be achieved.

It’s also a well-documented fact that the COVID-19 pandemic has hit women harder. Women have been affected not only because of the disease itself, but because they work in jobs that are less secure. Furthermore, women-owned businesses have particularly suffered – in Canada alone, 40.6% of women-owned businesses have had to lay off their employees. The situation for racialized, indigenous, newcomer, and disabled women is even worse.

2020 has shown us both the disproportionate burden of inequality on girls and women, as well as the exceptional leadership of many incredible women around the world.

Social entrepreneurship empowers women leaders

Women in social entrepreneurship often disrupt many of these patterns of gender inequality. The social entrepreneurship sector has proven itself uniquely capable of empowering women leaders in its field, and of changing the lives and welfare of all women.

Women social entrepreneurs have, time and time again, made a deep impact in their work through a form of impact called “scaling deep” – overhauling unfair and unjust systems, sparking collaborative social movements, and reshaping dominant expectations, norms, and stigmas. Ashoka’s Women’s Initiative for Social Entrepreneurship is currently working to change the innovation ecosystem to better recognize and support scaling deep impact and the women leading it.

Ashoka’s 2018 Global Impact Study found that its female Fellows work within systems and are more likely to spread their idea locally, inspiring replication by other groups or institutions within their country of residency.

Female Fellows were also found to be more collaborative, working closely with other citizen-sector organizations, supporting other women and young people around them, and empowering their own teams. They also reflected a higher tendency to impact behaviours and mindsets: 76% of female Fellows reported influencing societal attitudes and cultural norms as core to their strategy, compared with a lower percentage of males.

The World Bank highlights how through such work and leadership styles, female entrepreneurs can add substantially to economic growth and poverty reduction.

“A man who heads a nonprofit is considered heroic or enlightened, whereas I’ve been patronised numerous times as the charity worker.”

—Kristine Pearson, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Lifeline Energy

Read the full article here: https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2021/01/why-empowering-female-social-entrepreneurs-is-key-to-economic-recovery/

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This publication has been prepared within INDIGISE project. The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of the project coordinator and may not always reflect the views of the European Commission or the National Agency.

Educational Materials | Library | Norway

Female Entrepreneurship in the Nordics 2020 – A comparative study

January 20, 2021January 20, 2021

Female Entrepreneurship in the Nordics 2020 analyses the reasons behind the low level of female entrepreneurs in the Nordic countries, and suggests several measures that could help change this trend.

The Nordic countries are viewed as forerunners on gender equality and women’s labour force participation. Even though there has been a slow increase in the share of female entrepreneurs in the Nordic countries in recent years, the report from Menon Economics note that there are still far fewer women than men starting businesses in the Nordic countries. This is likely a result of several factors, such as age, the type of industries they establish businesses in, and the willingness to take risks.

Moreover, the report underlines that there are several external factors which make it more difficult for female entrepreneurs to succeed:

Women have less access to role models and smaller networks, which makes them less likely to innovate
If the entrepreneurial culture is male dominated it is difficult for women to succeed
Female entrepreneurs have less access to external funding than male entrepreneurs, which makes it difficult for them to expand
Framework conditions are especially important for enabling female entrepreneurship

In order to stimulate female entrepreneurship, Menon Economics suggest four measures that are believed to be effective in increasing the number of female entrepreneurs :

Establish more comprehensive female Nordic mentoring schemes and networks
Increase female entrepreneurs’ access to capital
Remove competitive disadvantages in industries where women often operate as entrepreneurs
Establish a scheme for commercialization leave at universities and colleges

The report also points to the fact that female entrepreneurs are at risk of being especially hardly hit by COVID-19, and that the length and magnitude of the emergency measures of the Nordic Governments series will impact how fast they will be able to recover.

This study was developed by Menon Economics on behalf of Nordic Innovation.

This publication has been prepared within INDIGISE project. The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of the project coordinator and may not always reflect the views of the European Commission or the National Agency.

Educational Materials | English | European Union | Learn | Youth

Listen and learn – podcast “Social Economy for the full Inclusion of People with Disabilities”

January 19, 2021March 2, 2021

Welcome to “Social Economy Talks”, a new podcast from Social Economy Europe about the most relevant upcoming issues in the social economy sphere. This is yet another chance to learn from the best practitioners and experts on social economy in Europe!

It will follow a journey of discovery (narrated by team member Nicholas Clark) aimed at elucidating social economy success stories and role regarding the green transition, diversity and migrant entrepreneurship, digitalisation, COVID recovery and in promoting human capital, among many other things. Interviews with important organisations on the ground as well as relevant policy players will give a digestible introduction to the social economy in practice.

Don’t miss all the podcasts on their official website: https://www.socialeconomy.eu.org/podcast/

Episode 5 – Social Economy for the full Inclusion of People with Disabilities

Listen here: https://www.socialeconomy.eu.org/podcast/

This episode explores the role of the social economy regarding accessibility, inclusion and innovation toward the full inclusion of people with disabilities in the workplace.

The best practice guide for the full inclusion of people with disabilities can be found here: Social Economy for the full inclusion of people with disabilities

This publication has been prepared within INDIGISE project. The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of the project coordinator and may not always reflect the views of the European Commission or the National Agency.

37 ICT tools for youth workers, trainers and project managers

January 18, 2021March 2, 2021

The term of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) generally means all devices, networking components, applications and systems that combined allow people and organisations (i.e., companies, non-profit agencies, governments and institutions) to interact in the digital world.

If you are a trainer, a youth worker, a project manager or only a user interested in ICT tools, let’s check the list that I have prepared for you below. You can also access our Wiki to see the full list at the end of our blog.

Here, I have listed 12 specific areas and you can find brief descriptions of 37 different ICT Tools.

Easy Linking Tools

1-QR Code, abbreviated from Quick Response Code, allows you to create a link between the information that you would like to share to the user with a scanner or a camera. Basically, you can code the URL, free text, phone, SMS or contact details. If you like to share any link to the mobile devices of your team or participants, you can create your QR Code and share it with them. You can try with the QR code on the image above. You can create your own QR Code via https://www.the-qrcode-generator.com/

2-QR Code Scanner/Reader; Although some mobile devices have features to read QR Codes by the camera, you may need to download it from Google Play or App Store.

3-Bitly: Some of the links are too long, right? Moreover, sometimes we don’t trust the link and we don’t click. Via Bitly, you can shorten, create and share trusted links according to your work. You can change the link from https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1B4h-RTaWq7DkwSxYLOKS8Vllpv7dZqPYla_fxh2UeOM/edit#gid=0. to bit.ly/wiki4ict

Design Tools

4-Canva is a graphic design platform that allows you to create social media graphics, presentations, posters and other visual content. It is available on web and mobile and integrates millions of images, fonts, templates and illustrations. You do not need to download any software, Canva is a browser-based tool and you can reach your designs online.

5- Piktochart is a web-based infographic application which allows you without intensive experience as a graphic designer to easily create infographics and visuals using themed templates. The target group would prefer to see infographics instead of long reports. You can also catch the trend of visualization of information.

6-Data Wrapper allows you to create wonderful beautiful charts, maps, data images and tables. Instead of presenting your data in a Microsoft Excel table, try Data Wrapper.

Editing Tools

7-Unscreen allows you to remove the background of any video – 100% automatically, online and free! You do not need to download any software.

8-RemoveBG works like Unscreen, you can easily remove the background of any image automatically, online and free of charge, without downloading any programme. Professional designers spend at least 5 min to remove the background of images. Below, you can find a sample, it took only 10 seconds!

Online Meeting and Webinar Tools

9-GoToMeeting is an online meeting and web conferencing tool that enables businesses to collaborate with customers, clients or colleagues via the Internet in real-time. You can share your video or screen.

10-Zoom is a tool for video communications, with an easy, reliable cloud platform for video and audio conferencing, chat, and webinars. You can have your meeting and create break-out rooms as well.

11-AdobeConnect is a software used to create information and general presentations, online training materials, web conferencing, learning modules, webinars, and user screen sharing. All meeting rooms are organized into ‘pods’, with each pod performing a specific role (i.e. chat, whiteboard, note etc.).

Online Broadcasting Tools

11-Social Media Platforms allow you and your mobile to broadcast live. Well-known social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Youtube have features for online broadcasting.

12-Be Live is an easy web software for live streaming. You can enrich your online streaming by adding other screens. You can invite up to 10 guests with your permanent link and show up to four people on screen at the same time during your broadcasting.

Interactive Presentation Tools

13-Slido is the ultimate Q&A and polling platform for meetings and events. It offers interactive Q&A, live polls and insights about your audience. You can project the responses live.

14-Mentimeter; you can make your audience feel involved by enabling them to contribute to presentations with their smartphones and show the results live.

15-Kahoot! is a game-based learning platform that makes it easy to create, share and play learning games or trivia quizzes in minutes. Unleash the fun in classrooms, offices and living rooms!

Teamwork and Communication Tools

16-Slack is an easy-to-use messaging app for teams that brings all your communication into one place and integrates with your existing tools. I prefer to call Slack – the Work-Whatsapp. You can create different teams and different channels inside the teams. Also, it is possible to send a direct message and mention the person. You can share the images and other types of documents without losing any quality. When you start using Slack, be sure that you will decrease the number of e-mails you send to your team.

17-Fuze is a cloud communication and contact-centre platform, the all-in-one platform enables a seamless transition between calling, meeting, chatting, and sharing, powered by the industry-leading intelligent cloud architecture. Fuze modernises the communications experience and empowers the digital and distributed workforce to communicate anywhere, anytime, and across any device.

18-Basecamp, lets you break up your work into separate projects. Each project contains everything related to the work at hand; all the people involved, every discussion, every document, file, task, important date, etc.

19-MeisterTask offers large teams a simple, intuitive task management solution that can be customized to suit your specific needs. With features distinctly designed for enterprise use, such as: user roles, project access rights, time tracking, automations and more. Find out how exactly MeisterTask can help you and your team get more done together.

And much more […]

All listed 37 ICT tools can be found HERE.

This publication has been prepared within INDIGISE project. The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of the project coordinator and may not always reflect the views of the European Commission or the National Agency.

Educational Materials | Library

Firms with benefits: A systematic review of responsible entrepreneurship and corporate social responsibility literature

January 16, 2021January 19, 2021

The scholarly literature has so far paid limited attention to responsibility by commercial entrepreneurs. This scientific paper compares responsible entrepreneurship (RE) and corporate social responsibility (CSR) scholarship in order to identify future fields of research.

For this purpose, authors assess the strengths and weaknesses of extant RE scholarship through the lens of CSR. They have reviewed 11,260 papers via latent Dirichlet allocation for our work. They find that existing RE literature places disproportionate emphasis on how firms can benefit society instead of on how contributions to sustainable development can benefit a firm. Furthermore, the RE literature pays limited attention to employee well‐being, customer preference, and civil society as a stakeholder. Also, environmental issues and their balancing with financial and social issues remain relatively under‐researched. Overall, authors hope that scholarly works inspired by this study may ultimately help to ensure responsible behaviour of start‐ups.

Full scientific article is available HERE.

This publication has been prepared within INDIGISE project. The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of the project coordinator and may not always reflect the views of the European Commission or the National Agency.

Educational Materials

New rapport: Social enterprises are able to adapt in terms of surviving Corona

January 4, 2021January 24, 2021

If you teach students about social entrepreneurship and social enterprise in this particular period of time. It would be relevant to provide input about how the sector is doing in a time with Corona.
And if you are a social entrepreneur it might also be of relevance to know how your field is doing worldwide in these challenging times.

This is exactly the type of information you will find in a new rapport.
The report “Innovation and resilience: A global snapshot of social enterprise responses to Covid”, show that social enterprises around the world have proven to be very adaptable and innovative in the light of the Covid-19 pandemic. Only 1% report that they have had to close permanently.

The report was published on 9 December and show the results of a study conducted in 38 countries by the British Council, Social Enterprise UK (SEUK) and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia-Pacific (UN) in August and September 2020. A total of 740 social enterprises participated in the survey.

The results show that social enterprises have been very flexible and innovative in adapting to the major changes created by Covid-19. More than half reported that they had changed their business model and 55% that they had increased their activities online. A third said they are now providing new products and services.

The study also shows that young and female social entrepreneurs are hardest hit by the Covid-19 crisis. Almost a third of social enterprises enterprises led by women have had to reduce their activities and 3% have had to close permanently. These social enterprises need more support.
38% of the companies surveyed said that there had been no support from their governments and 38% said that they had used government support to pay salaries to employees.

The rapport also contains a section with small statements from leaders of social enterprises on their responce to COVID-19.

Read the full rapport here

This publication has been prepared within SENBS project No. 2020-1-EE01-KA204-077999. The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of the project coordinator and may not always reflect the views of the European Commission or the National Agency.

Educational Materials | English | Library

Handbook for trainers in Social Entrepreneurship

December 29, 2020

The Institute of Entrepreneurship Development presents the handbook created for trainers regarding the training courses in Social Economy and Entrepreneurship.

The educational material was created in the framework of the European project ERASMUS+ entitled “Open Mind – gamified platform and open online course in Social Entrepreneurship for female learners and students from diverse fields of study”.

Open Mind project focus on the lack of entrepreneurship skills, especially seeing the differences in skills between genders, attempting to boost entrepreneurship and creativity through an innovative gamified social entrepreneurship course.

The training material which developed for social entrepreneurship, concerns a lot of individuals across Europe, trying to map the skills that are needed to start a business as well as it pursues to enhance employment in this sector.

This special educational material has created with the participation of all partners of the project, however, especially iED edited the graphic design of the handbook.

You can watch the entire educational material completely free of charge here

HOW TO BOOST SOCIAL INNOVATION IN ACADEMY: AN INSIGHT BASED ON THE STUDENTS4CHANGE PROJECT

December 28, 2020

We highly recommend this interview with Ivon Cepeda by Igone Guerra, about the Students4Change project developed within the Erasmus+ program: Capacity Building the Field of Higher Education.

How to boost Social Innovation in Academy: an insight based on the Students4Change project

by Ivon Cepeda | Dec 28, 2020 | Social Innovation Academy

Students4Change was an extraordinary project that combined the knowledge and experience of different people and backgrounds in one specific goal: to promote competencies in social innovation and social entrepreneurship among the Latin American students of higher education institutions. In this project, 5 European universities, 10 Latin American universities, and 1 NGO were working together with the objective of giving the students the opportunity to think, talk and envision alternative forms to challenge the social issues of their communities. Besides, Students4Change endorsed the creation of a network between students, teachers, and universities related to the topic of social innovation and social entrepreneurship. One of the advantages of the project is that there was an exchange of knowledge between the European and the Latin American partners. This approach nurtures the project with a transversal and transdisciplinary perspective focused on developing a culture of social innovation among students, as well as it connected people from Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Chile, France, Germany, Spain, Portugal, and Mexico.

Students4Change

What is the (Students4Change] about?

Students4Change was a project developed between 2016 and 2019 as part of the Erasmus+ program: Capacity Building the Field of Higher Education. It was a project that combined the knowledge and efforts of 15 different universities and one international NGO as Ashoka, Chile. This project aimed to include and promote the development of competencies in social innovation and social entrepreneurship in the curricula of the higher institutions in Latin American. The goal was to give the students the knowledge and tools required to face and tackle the social issues that arise within their communities in the Latin American context. As it was a huge project, it combined the knowledge and expertise from different countries as Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Chile, France, Germany, Spain, Portugal, and Mexico. The universities that participated in the program were: PUC Rio de Janeiro, PUC Rio Grande do Sul, Universidad de Caldas, UNIMINUTO, Universidad de Costa Rica, Instituto Tecnologico de Costa Rica, Universidad de Talca, PUC Valparaiso, Université Grenoble Alpes, Technische Universitat Dormund, Universidad del Pais Vasco, Universidad Politecnica de Valencia, Universidade de Aveiro, Universidad de Colima, and Tecnologico de Monterrey.

Why did you (or your partners) start this social innovation?

We were looking at combining the knowledge and experience of the different universities with the aim of putting this knowledge into practice. Due to this, we wanted to firstly raise awareness of thinking firstly from a perspective of social innovation and social entrepreneurship, and then to develop a culture of social innovation and social entrepreneurship inside the Academia. This implied a change of perspective on how to address social problems inside the communities because the cycle of social innovation requires putting t together all the actors involved in the social issue. In addition, it demands that the Academia takes an active role in promoting and endorsing this kind of initiative. These require that the students have different skills and tools to perceive, analyze, and tackle these problems. In the case of the Tecnologico de Monterrey, the endorsement of a culture and an ecosystem of social innovation and social entrepreneurship is one of the main goals.

How did you come up with the idea? Was the creative or collaborative process involved?

In the beginning, we were looking to develop a model of skills and tools in social innovation and social entrepreneurship that could be used within different Latin American universities. But, now that we start working together, we found out that one of the main advantages of the project was the combination of knowledge and experience that all the partners could give to the project. Then, in a very collaborative way, we put all this expertise together to develop a particular set of skills and tools that can be used by students and teachers inside their courses and projects. Besides this, creativity was a very important element inside the project, firstly as a motor to think about different approaches to the problem and to develop a sense of empathy with all the actors involved. And secondly, because every Latin American university was embedded in a different context that required a creative way of applying the knowledge and the skills developed inside the project. In this sense, Students4Change gave us the opportunity to learn from each other and to strengthen the links between students and teachers from different backgrounds, countries, and contexts.

What were you afraid of at the beginning and how (if at all) did you overcome your fear?

In the beginning, there was a risk in finding a way to settle down the experience of all the partners involved in the project and to find out how to put all this knowledge together focusing on a specific goal. This required us to be open to other alternatives and perspectives of social innovation but this also gave us the opportunity to value the experience of every partner and to take advantage of developing a network of social innovation.

What were the beginnings of social innovation? (i.e. how did you build your initiative, business, NGO from zero?).

Every partner had a skill or experience focused on a specific topic or form to tackle problems. Then, the first internal challenge to Students4Change was to be aware of the capabilities that every university and every partner could offer to the project. Then, with some relevant exercises, meetings, and discussions, we started to recover the experience of the partners and then put it together in one place, which was the first book project. In this book, you can find the reflection about social innovation and social entrepreneurship of all the partners participating in the project, the model of competencies in social innovation and social entrepreneurship, and a suggestion on how to include them in the courses in universities. This book is along with a toolkit to help develop these skills in students, teachers, and everyone who wants to work from a perspective of social innovation and social entrepreneurship. Then, we were not starting from zero but, we developed a particular way of conceiving and working on social innovation and social entrepreneurship.

How did you attract public attention to the issue you wanted to tackle and make others believe in your purpose and potential?

Every partner had the commitment to share the progress and achievements of Students4Change within and outside their community. Therefore, we have different examples of articles inside the universities’ media, electronic books, summits with students and teachers, videos on local Tv channels. PUC Río even participated in a call made by the United Nations in Brazil presenting some of the results from Students4Change. Besides this, we have our own webpage where we conjoined all the information, news, achievements, and pictures from the project. However, we know that public attention requires a constant exercise of promotion of news and achievements, and, in this sense, it demands a work of networking.

How did you make sure that your idea actually fits the needs of the users?

A key element for Students4Change was the role of the students and the teachers in the project. One of the main achievements of the project was to involve them at different stages of the project and to give the students a voice in an academic international summit in Bogotá, in April 2019. This was an opportunity for everybody to realize what the experience was from their perspective. And if we want to develop a culture and an ecosystem of social innovation and social entrepreneurship, we have to encourage the participation of the students in projects and alternatives as the one developed by Students4Change.

How did you raise the money for your idea and what is your advice for others considering DYI fundraising?

We participated in the 2015 Erasmus+ program: Capacity Building the Field of Higher Education. Nevertheless, this is a co-funding. And each university has to also give some funds to the project as part of the initiative.

How did you scale your social innovation and what tips for scaling could you share?

By now, we are looking to follow up on the project by developing different networks. We are participating in other calls of social innovation. Another form is sharing the results of the project through the webpage and with other members of the community of Erasmus+ initiatives. One achievement from the project is that some of the partners got involved in another project co-funded by Erasmus+ called Climate Labs, which endorses the link between social innovation and climate change.

How do you change the whole system?

This is a complex question because as long as the project involves different partners, the achievements depend on the particular context of each university. However, we could say that there is a growing interest in initiatives and projects of social innovation and social entrepreneurship. One example is the constant look for getting involved in other projects and networks.

On the other hand, each university is developing, at its pace, a culture of social innovation. In the case of Tecnologico de Monterrey, we have founded an International Center of Social Innovation, and we have included the awareness of social innovation as part of the objectives in the School of Humanities and Education.

What is the one advice you can give to an aspiring social innovator, a member of the Social Innovation Academy, with only two things at the moment: a big heart and a willingness to do something?

To work together with other partners and universities. It is important to realize the relevance of academia in terms of bringing alive the space for discussion and dialogue between different actors involved in projects and strategies embedded in a social innovation perspective. This means working together with NGOs, governmental authorities, students, teachers, and the community. This is not an easy role and implies a constant commitment with a social change that commonly goes beyond lectures and classes inside the university. However, I think that this social change could be achieved if we look to work together and to endorse the networks and links with other partners and universities. Collaborative and creative forms of work are essential here.

Ivon Cepeda-Mayorga is a research professor at the Tecnologico de Monterrey, in Mexico City. Between 2017 and 2019, she coordinated an amazing project between 16 different universities and an NGO, called Students4Change. This project was co-financed by the European Union under its program of Erasmus+: Capacity Building in the Field of Higher Education. This was the first time that a project with this relevance was coordinated with extraordinary success by a Latin American institution as the Tecnologico de Monterrey.

Source: http://www.socialinnovationacademy.eu/how-to-boost-social-innovation-in-academy-an-insight-based-on-the-students4change-project/

This publication has been prepared within INDIGISE project. The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of the project coordinator and may not always reflect the views of the European Commission or the National Agency.

Educational Materials | English

SEDETT project contributed to expanding the availability of educational materials for social entrepreneurs

December 17, 2020December 29, 2020

SEDETT project aims to develop a digitally enhanced blended learning set of S.E. development, education and training tools SEDETT that can be used by, social entrepreneurs to learn how to assess their capacity development needs (IO1), educators and trainers in HE/FE and VET to deliver formal and informal courses of education and training (IO2). The materials produced will be open access and also include an e-tool that can be used by social entrepreneurs to identify creative education methodologies for use in their organisational development (IO3). Thus the target groups for this project are students/learners, teachers, partners institutions, other educational institutions, research centres, employers and their associations, unemployed youth, education, careers and youth advisory agencies and policy-makers, new social entrepreneurs, existing social enterprises & their employees seeking to up-skill and achieve life long learning.

Here is a link to multiple educational materials and other outputs for the social entrepreneurs produced within the SEDETT project:

https://www.sedett.eu/result-and-outcomes/

Made in Social Europe Exhibition 2020

December 15, 2020

Social Platform is delighted to welcome you to our new Made in Social Europe Exhibition 2020 – a collection of 19 inspiring practices from civil society organisations who are a part of Social Platform’s European member networks.

In November 2017, European Union leaders proclaimed the European Pillar of Social Rights and stressed their united political commitment to achieve a socially and economically fair and just Europe.

This exhibition shows how social projects, by putting people first, give life to the principles of the Social Pillar and have a positive impact on their lives.

The devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic is creating in its path a whole new set of social inequalities and exclusions. All of the projects in this exhibition are working hard to prevent those who are already in the most vulnerable situations falling further into crisis.

Social Platform unites networks of civil society organisations working for social justice and participatory democracy in Europe. Together, our members represent tens of thousands of local and national NGOs. They work directly with people in a vulnerable situation whose voices are rarely heard by EU leaders.

We advocate for social policies which benefit all people across Europe equally. We do so by promoting equality, diversity, democracy and human dignity.

With this exhibition, we want to bring the EU closer to its citizens and contribute towards a debate on the future of Europe at the local, regional and national level.

Made in Social Europe New Exhibition

13956Made in Social Europe Exhibition 2020

Step 1: A Short Guide to the Social Pillar

The European Pillar of Social Rights (the Social Pillar) is an initiative launched by the European

Step 1: A Short Guide to the Social Pillar

The European Pillar of Social Rights (the Social Pillar) is an initiative launched by the European Commission in 2017. The Social Pillar delivers new and improves existing social rights for EU citizens, and serves as the EU’s compass to achieve better working and living conditions in Europe.

It consists of 20 principles to support fair and well-functioning labour markets and welfare systems, divided into three chapters:

Equal opportunities and access to the labour market
Fair working conditions
Social protection and inclusion

https://youtu.be/Q3oq8TQsf18

The 19 inspiring practices in our exhibition interact with a number of the 20 principles of the Social Pillar. Most importantly, all of the projects you’re about to view are working hard to achieve a socially just and equal society for all.

Click through to the next part of our exhibition: the inspiring practices!

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This publication has been prepared within INDIGISE project. The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of the project coordinator and may not always reflect the views of the European Commission or the National Agency.

Blog | Educational Materials | English | Library

The Impact of COVID-19 on Work Integration Social Enterprises

December 2, 2020December 2, 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic has transformed the lives of millions of people around the globe in a very short period of time. The pandemic impacted not only people’s mental and physical health but also on their way of living and working. In order to halt the spread of the virus, diverse governmental measures have been put in place and consequently have led to unprecedented closure of workplaces across Europe and beyond. Reducing economic activity, and in most cases, bringing it to a standstill has led not only to increased unemployment, but has also put many jobs at risk.

In order to visualize the consequences of the pandemic on Work Integration Social Enterprises (WISEs) and to capture the immediate economic as well as social effects of the crisis, European Network of Social Integration Enterprises (ENSIE) launched a survey to collect feedbacks from its Members, WISEs Federations, around Europe. The aim was to investigate to what extend/degree the pandemic affected WISEs and how they reacted to such external ‘shock’. In total, 19 WISEs networks from 17 different European countries participated in the survey and provided valuable insights which are reflected in the report “The Impact of COVID-19 on WISEs“.

Source: http://www.ensie.org/wises-and-covid19

This publication has been prepared within SENBS project No. 2020-1-EE01-KA204-077999. The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of the project coordinator and may not always reflect the views of the European Commission or the National Agency.

Reporting Innovation: Act to Inspire & Inspire to Act 2020

December 1, 2020December 14, 2020

Over the past two years, Axfoundation has created alliances and collaborations with some 225 partners including private sector as the main driver, contributing to positive development in society by exploring new solutions. By using business as an accelerator to drive long-term change, Axfoundation has tackled sustainability challenges related to the things we buy, the food we eat, the resources we use, and the people we meet. In The Progress Report 2020, experts have shared an extract of successful results – but also examples of times when things didn’t go quite as planned.

The report reflects inspiring projects and initiatives supported by Axfoundation in 4 main areas:

Future food: Swedish legume mince, perennial grains, green fish, intensive animal farming;
Circular economy: recycling polyester, chemical recycling of plastics, circular flows of materials;
Sustainable production and consumption: consumer behavior in online food retail, sustainable rice production, ethical trading, training in rights and responsibilities;
Inclusive societies: Yrkesdörren, ÖppnaDörren.

Read full collection here.

Source: https://www.axfoundation.se/en/news/acttoinspire2020

This publication has been prepared within SENBS project No. 2020-1-EE01-KA204-077999. The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of the project coordinator and may not always reflect the views of the European Commission or the National Agency.

Educational Materials | English | European Union | Library

Social Impact Investment – Best Practices and Recommendations for the Next Generation

November 30, 2020

We recommend to read and learn from this study prepared for the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs called “Social Impact Investment – Best Practices and Recommendations for the Next Generation” (Mackevičiūtė, R. et al., Social Impact Investment – Best practices and recommendations for the next generation, Publication for the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs, Policy Department for Economic, Scientific and Quality of Life Policies, European Parliament, Luxembourg, 2020).

This document was requested by the European Parliament’s Committee on Employment and Social Affairs and prepared by: Raimonda MACKEVIČIŪTĖ, Visionary Analytics Žilvinas MARTINAITIS, Visionary Analytics Fiorenza LIPPARINI, PlusValue Barbara Constance SCHECK, Izabela STYCZYŃSKA, CASE -Center for Social and Economic Research.

ABSTRACT

Social Impact Investment (SII) is emerging as a potential strategy for solving key societal challenges. This study sets out the rationale behind and the definition of SII and analyses the different components of the SII ecosystem. The paper looks at trends and challenges related to the SII market across the EU, highlighting a number of successful SII market initiatives, and finally reviews and makes recommendations on EU-level measures to facilitate SII market development. This document was provided by the Policy Department for Economic, Scientific and Quality of Life Policies at the request of the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL).

You can read or download the full document here: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/STUD/2020/658185/IPOL_STU(2020)658185_EN.pdf

This publication has been prepared within SENBS project No. 2020- 1-EE01-KA204-077999. The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of the project coordinator and may not always reflect the views of the European Commission or the National Agency.

Educational Materials | English | Library | Youth

Social Entrepreneurship and Corporate Social Responsibility: Differences and Points in Common

November 29, 2020November 30, 2020

The recent global crisis has left evidence in social problems that limit the sustainable human development. Also the link between enterprises and society, allows us to analyze that there are many things to be done to mitigate these effects of the current economic model in favor of improving the quality of life society. There are two alternate paths, that aim at the same ultimate goal, one is the Social Entrepreneurship which is intended to meet common needs resulting of the economic system and Corporate Social Responsibility, which it is the result of company ethical reflection based on interdependence and reciprocity of it to society, both paths are closely related to the creation of sustainable social value, but do not get in the same way, so it requires both. In this review the differences and similarities are described since the understanding of these depends on the value and ownership of such actions.

Author of scientific article – Andrea Carolina Silva Niño – explains in his work the main similarities and differences in comparing social entrepreneurship with corporate social responsibility.

It is noticed, that the Social Entrepreneurship is associated with the activity of the non-profit sector, this is a general classification, which includes a majority of organizations that cannot be classified as social enterprises, despite the fact that they are linked to social change, and that somehow favor or promise solutions to thorny problems such as poverty, hunger and disease (Light, 2006), in this context of social change the scope of this type of projects is analyzed.
Some definitions of Corporate Social Responsibility:

“Continued commitment by the companies to maintain ethical behavior and contribute to economic development while improving the quality of life for its staff and their families, the community in which they work and society in general. The World Business Council for Sustainable Development (The World Business Council for Sustainable Development –WBCSD-12).
“Any person or group of people that may affect the performance of the company or to be affected by the achievement of the goals of the organization ” (Freeman, 1984)
The shared value is “redefining the limits of capitalism.” (Porter and Kramer 2011)

There is a boom in social initiatives and a widespread interest in common issues such as education, health, environment, fair trade, equity and sustainability, however, this concern was no longer exclusive of companies and its ethical thought of how these results are achieved and extended to civil society with social organizations, to search for solutions to the underlying problems in the economic and social systems, used as mechanism of nonprofit organizations which today are insufficient to meet so many needs. Emerge then alternatives such as Social Entrepreneurship, which has to do with the sensitivity and the ability to recognize business opportunities, whose impact focuses on improving the quality of life, creating social value, from a managerial approach, where the opportunity it is a desirable future welfare state, which requires the introduction of goods and services through the creation of partnerships. (Mariek et al., 2004).Same time evolves the concept of Corporate Social Responsibility from the positioning of reputation, guarantee survival.

The Corporate Social Responsibility is immersed in an environment where yet clearly increase the shareholder value is key, this investors are willing to pay or invest in more ethical companies; these impacts on perceptions that occur in the Satake Holders from outside the organization, also take place in their employees, which show greater loyalty to companies that have committed behavior.
In short, well-managed Corporate Social Responsibility can integrate the expectations of society with corporate objectives and strategy of the company, at the same time allowing to improve all its processes.

The Social Entrepreneurship and the actions of Corporate Social Responsibility, are oriented to the society in general and in particular to the creation of social value, the common point in the focus of the debate and that is perhaps not what makes it possible to show the main difference and although both have that feature as its central axis is the person, from which they are seeking the welfare in different aspects of the human, the Corporate Social Responsibility addresses the needs of a group to which directly or indirectly has impacted prior development of commercial, industrial or services activities and the Social Entrepreneurship emerge as transversal response with products or services aimed to close the gaps in the activities In a globalized economic system.

Full scientific article is available HERE.

This publication has been prepared within INDIGISE project. The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of the project coordinator and may not always reflect the views of the European Commission or the National Agency.

Educational Materials | English

A guide to growing and scaling your social enterprise

November 14, 2020January 24, 2021

The organization MovingWorlds has helped 900 social enterprises around the world scale their businesses over the years. They have done so with help using their Experteers, Capacity Building Programs, research, and educational programming.
Their experience is that many social enterprise startups fall short of their projections and end up giving up. There is a number of reasons for that, but one of the reasons is that social entrepreneurs is so convinced that they have an idea that will work, that they have not taken the time to develop it thoroughly, eg. Making a market reseach – is the market interested in the idea. Or have taken the time to really look at and understand the problem they are trying to solve and be sure they are trying to solve the right problem. This could eg. Be done by using Design Thinking.

MovingWorlds has gathered their experiences from working with social entrepreneurs over the years in “The complete guide to growing and scaling your social enterprise” that is a ten step guide that social entrepreneurs can follow to increase their ability to create lasting change.

the 10 steps are:

Understand your ecosystem
Use Design-Thinking to find a product that can scale
Validate your scale-up business model
Financing your scale-up initiative
Build the right team and develop their skills
Managing your team
Build partnerships to keep growing
Report on impact (in real time)
Push the industry
Return to Step 1

The guide covers all the essential elements you need develop a social enterprise, whether you just starting or want to launch a new social enterprise within an existing organization. Through the guide there are lots of links to useful tools and further ressources.

See the guide here

This publication has been prepared within SENBS project No. 2020-1-EE01-KA204-077999. The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of the project coordinator and may not always reflect the views of the European Commission or the National Agency.

Educational Materials | English | Learn | Library | Youth

Social Enterprises and Their Ecosystems in Europe – Comparative Synthesis Report

November 11, 2020November 11, 2020

“Social enterprises and their ecosystems in Europe. Comparative synthesis report” provides an overview of the social enterprise landscape in Europe based on information available as of January 2020. It covers (i) the historical background and conditions of the emergence of social enterprises; (ii) the evolution of the concept and the existing national policy and legal framework for social enterprise; (iii) the scale and characteristics of social enterprise activity; (iv) networks and mutual support mechanisms; (v) research, education and skills development; and (vi) the resources available to social enterprises. The study also provides insights on the factors constraining the development of social enterprise, a reflection on the debate currently at play in national contexts, and an overview of possible developmental trends. A stakeholders’ engagement strategy aimed at capturing insights and analysis stemming from various agents within the ecosystem was carried out as well as an indepth review of academic and grey literature and national policy documents regarding social enterprise. A specific comparative effort is reflected in the present synthesis report, which goes beyond the observation of social enterprise in each country to identify transnational trends with a view to generating solid knowledge to inform EU, national and local policies and social enterprises to stimulate mutual learning and to inspire common agendas.

The report has been prepared as part of a contract commissioned by the European Commission to Euricse and EMES. The first study on social entreprise ecosystems in Europe has been conducted in 2014 and mapped social enterprise activity and ecosystems in 29 countries using a common definition and approach. Following this initial effort, an update was launched in seven selected countries in 2016, until a complete update of the 28 Member States plus seven neighbouring countries participating in the Employment and Social Innovation (EaSI) Programme

was carried out in 2018-2020.

This publication has been prepared within SENBS project No. 2020-1-EE01-KA204-077999. The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of the project coordinator and may not always reflect the views of the European Commission or the National Agency.

Educational Materials | English | Learn | Library | Youth

Unlocking the Potential of Rural Social Enterprises

November 11, 2020November 11, 2020

To discover benefits of social entrepreneurship activities in rural areas and understand the rural environment that constitutes both challenges and opportunities for entrepreneurs, Artur Steiner and Simon Teasdale have conceptualized the operation of rural social enterprises, outlining their dependence on three main domains:

geographic (or rural) domain – constitute both challenge and opportunities, as rural areas are characterized by a high level of entrepreneurialism, co-operation, civic participation and dense social networks,
social enterprise domain – offers an integrated approach to tackling interconnected problems of rural communities through drawing on the local resources,
policy domain – constitute the legal framework and support for the operation.

Rural and policy domains are perceived as external environments structurally influencing social entrepreneurship, which still functions without the intervention of social business. Conversely, the social enterprise domain represents the agency of individual entrepreneur, which is able to choose clients and beneficiaries, select legal forms and governance structures, address the balance between commercial and social goals, etc. These three domains were used to explore social entrepreneurship impact in rural areas of Scotland by conducting a series of interviews with local stakeholders.

Impacts of social enterprises on rural development

Job creation is considered as particularly important for rural areas where employment opportunities are limited, dependence on public sector jobs is high and where business opportunities are perceived as scattered. Rural social enterprise brings significant investments and maintain money in the local areas by selling local products and generating employment. Moreover, often social enterprises fulfil very specific needs in communities by providing local services that otherwise would not be delivered, for instance, by highly commercial or public bodies. Social entrepreneurs have the power to both draw upon and stimulate voluntary and collaborative community culture, thus binding communities together. The reason hides in both management conducted by the local people (incl. volunteers) and the purpose of the operation – for local people’s welfare. Consequently, common purpose becomes a key motivation for joined action and local integration.

In a rural context, small interventions make a large impact, therefore operations of social enterprises, that cover both economic needs and public service gaps and involve a variety of actors, are more integrated in reaching social impact goals.

Opportunities for rural social enterprises – they do exist!

Procurement policy reforms are seen as an opportunity for social entrepreneurship development in distant areas, as in a lot of cases social enterprises are seen as more efficient in service delivery than public service providers are (i.e. regarding healthcare, social care services). Social enterprises bring more innovation and more customer-oriented solution in contrast, therefore social contacts are seen as a way to increase employability in rural areas and decrease the pressure on public spending simultaneously. Also, local social enterprises are more aware of the exact needs and problems of local rural society member, therefore are willing to deliver more customized services and use local resources (i.e. human resources, community settings etc.) creatively and purposefully. This in turn requires collaborative work across sectors, incl. cooperation and experience sharing.

Challenges for rural social enterprises are more than real

Low population density, isolated communities, lack of larger town centres, long distances to travel, a lack of efficient public transport and well-developed infrastructure are the main barriers for social entrepreneurship development in rural areas. These hinder generation of income and self-sustainment, and business development is more time-requiring in rural settings.

Support for social entrepreneurs – benefit or risk?

The nature of social enterprise itself is competing, as balancing between social and commercial objectives is a struggle. Many agree, that it is difficult for social enterprise to survive without having additional grant support, however often it constitutes too big dependency and neglect of commercial aspect while running socially-oriented entity. Generally speaking, special loans, grants, startup awards and other support mechanisms are perceived well if distributed purposefully and do not convert businesses into grant-dependent social structures.

On the other hand, even if policy support for social enterprises nationally is well-designed (for instance, as it is recognized in Scotland), it is often poorly translated to the regional level, constituting unequal support for centres and peripheries. The lack of consistent support mechanisms is a problem for strategic social entrepreneurship development in rural areas.

To conclude, all three domains of rurality, policy and social enterprise should be equally respected for purposeful social entrepreneurship development in rural settings. Evidence-based approaches to social business development need to be designed for more efficient tackling of local and often highly complex rural society problems. It is clear that high level of innovation and creativity in rural socially-oriented service delivery can only be reached with limited and attentive support, allowing social entrepreneurs to develop business-like approaches and not being too dependent on external investment. Social entrepreneurs in turn should be addressing local needs that can be solved more efficiently if public services are substituted with local entrepreneurial employment.

This publication has been prepared within INDIGISE project. The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of the project coordinator and may not always reflect the views of the European Commission or the National Agency.

Educational Materials | English | Library

Social entrepreneurship in the Baltic and Nordic countries. Would the variety of existing legal forms do more for the impact on sustainable development?

November 9, 2020May 10, 2021

This study evaluates the current situation and identify best practices in the Baltic countries (Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania) and the Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden), through comparison of the legal forms available for social entrepreneurship or social business.

Social enterprises have gained importance in European and national policies in recent years. There is a growing awareness that they create sustainable and inclusive growth and stimulate social innovation. Moreover, the question can be raised as to whether social entrepreneurship and, more precisely, legal forms available for social enterprises can make an impact on sustainable development. The United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, including its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), is committed to eradicating poverty and achieving sustainable development worldwide by 2030. In the run-up to the adoption of the 2030 Agenda, the European Commission worked closely with the European Union (EU) Member States to ensure an ambitious global outcome. The European Commission committed to mainstreaming the SDGs into EU policies and initiatives. Amongst different tools for the implementation of SDGs, social entrepreneurship or social business can contribute to this process both nationally and internationally. The aim of this paper is to evaluate the current situation and capture best practice in the Baltic countries and the Nordic countries, through comparison of the legal forms available for social entrepreneurship or social business.

© Lavisius T., Bite V. and Andenas M. (2020). Social Entrepreneurship in the Baltic and Nordic Countries. Would the Variety of Existing Legal Forms do more for the Impact on Sustainable Development? Entrepreneurship and Sustainability Issues, 8(1):276-290.

This publication has been prepared within INDIGISE project. The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of the project coordinator and may not always reflect the views of the European Commission or the National Agency.

Blog | Educational Materials | English | Learn | Youth

Powerful Communication Tools for Entrepreneurs: Connecting

October 30, 2020November 11, 2020

We all know how important connecting is in our everyday life. Especially now, facing COVID-19 challenges, we appreciate every chance to interact with other people. But what role does connecting play when it comes to entrepreneurship?

We recommend you to read this article by Joanne Bond, executive leadership coach, discussing the importance and practice of connecting as a powerful communication tool for entrepreneurial success.

Powerful Communication Tools for Entrepreneurs: Connecting

by Joanne Bond

Connecting is About Relationships

Connecting is about relationships. Relationships you form today can help your business far into the future, often in unexpected ways. To establish relationships and build your network, it can be helpful to think of all those who are related to your business in some way. These are your “stakeholders.” Entrepreneurs have many actual and potential stakeholders.

Who Are Your Stakeholders?

As a first step you need to identify your stakeholders. To simplify, think of your stakeholders in different roles with different purposes:

Role	People in Role	Purpose of Role
Entrepreneur	You	You are the primary stakeholder in your network. You need to stay focused on your entrepreneurial offering.
Support Network	Family, friends, mentors, experts, etc.	These stakeholders help you stay focused, encourage you through the ups and downs, link you to their relationships and resources, etc.
Investors	People who are invested in you and your success (financially, emotionally, etc.)	These stakeholders provide funding, they ensure you track financials and stay focused on the bottom line. They connect you to other investors or resources.
Staff	Your employees	These stakeholders work for you. They help you actualize your offering and implement the processes that will support your business emergence, development, and growth. These stakeholders care about the success of your business as it relates to their career opportunities, salary, and work-life balance.
Customers	Past, current, and future customers	These stakeholders provide revenue to keep your business going. They help you understand what they need and how your offering can meet these needs. They can help you connect with other consumers, referral networks, etc. Customers are a top priority for any business.
Service Providers	Companies or individuals with whom you contract services	These are stakeholders you hire to provide services and resources to run your business. These can be critical to your business, so relationships and contracts should be closely managed.
Others	Not yet determined	Be open and curious about the connections you have not yet made, help you don’t know you need, and new ideas that can take your business in unexpected directions.

If you mapped these relationships, there would undoubtedly be overlap, with some people acting in more than one role. For example, a family member may be part of your support network, an investor, and a staff member.

Stakeholder Roles and Needs

As a second step, think about the key needs of your stakeholders. You will likely communicate in different ways with different stakeholders to meet these needs. For example, your staff has different needs than your investors. Your staff may see you every day, so they have the advantage of frequent updates. However, are these updates organized, and do they provide the information employees need? On the other hand, your investors may work in many different locations and rely on meetings, phone conversations, or email for information. This information may be well organized and completely different from the information you provide staff. These two stakeholders require different methods of communication and different topics. As another example, you may have one mentor who is a business development expert and another who specializes in operations. The business development expert may only be interested in your marketing efforts, while the operations mentor is interested in areas such as manufacturing, business processes, and supply chain management. These two stakeholders also require different methods of communication on different topics.

Connecting with Your Stakeholders

Your third step in connecting is to communicate in meaningful ways to each stakeholder. For your staff, communication efforts might include regular meetings, employee badges printed with the mission statement, and/or publicly posted company policies and job descriptions. For your investors, communication may include regular financial updates, reports, and meetings. For your business development and operations mentors, perhaps more direct communication and one-on-one meetings are the best way to seek guidance and exchange ideas.

By communicating in a specific way with each stakeholder you demonstrate empathy and build connection and trust. You are showing that you understand, value, and respect their point-of-view. This is the best way to build long-term relationships. Stakeholders will be much more likely to open their resource and relationship networks to you and provide assistance and support to your business when they feel they are a valued collaborator. You can foster these relationships by connecting, communicating with your stakeholders in ways that are meaningful to them.

Summing Up

Connecting is a powerful communication tool for entrepreneurs. There are many potential and actual stakeholders in any business venture, each with a different role and different purpose, yet some overlap. By connecting directly with each of your business stakeholders, you can create lasting relationships that will support your business long into the future. These connections will remain strong even while the roles and purposes of your stakeholders shift and evolve over time. Always be open to new connections and new relationships. You never know how a person might impact your business with a new idea or perspective. In your map of stakeholders, keep a place for “Others” to remain mindful of the opportunity and power of connecting with new people.

Source: https://www.scu.edu/mobi/resources–tools/blog-posts/powerful-communication-tools-for-entrepreneurs-connecting/powerful-communication-tools-for-entrepreneurs-connecting.html

This publication has been prepared within INDIGISE project. The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of the project coordinator and may not always reflect the views of the European Commission or the National Agency.

Educational Materials | Library | Norway

Entrepreneurship education: motivation and effort for pupils with special needs in Norwegian compulsory school

October 30, 2020October 30, 2020

Pupil enterprises are a widespread type of entrepreneurship education. In this working method, pupils start up, manage and close a business over short period of time. National and international policy documents claim that practical working methods through the use of pupil enterprises are beneficial to increase motivation by being a realistic and cross-curricular approach. This paper investigates whether this is the case for pupils who receive special education. No previous research has focused on the situation for this group of pupils when working with pupil enterprises.

The data are collected from a survey with the participation of 1880 pupils in the 10th grade. The econometric results indicate that participation in pupil enterprises has no particular impact on motivation or effort for pupils receiving special needs education. Even though there are many positive features with pupil enterprises and they offer a practical and realistic way of learning, the researchers do not find evidence to support that pupil enterprises also have a positive effect on the general school motivation and effort. Thus, the political claim of the practical dimension as a solution to increase motivation for learning in school is not supported by their findings.

© Somby, Hege Merete; Johansen, Vegard. (2017) Entrepreneurship education: motivation and effort for pupils with special needs in Norwegian compulsory school. European Journal of Special Needs Education. vol. 32 (2).

This publication has been prepared within INDIGISE project. The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of the project coordinator and may not always reflect the views of the European Commission or the National Agency.

Educational Materials | Learn | Library | Youth

Innovation Cluster for Entrepreneurship Education

October 30, 2020November 1, 2020

This report presents the results from the project “Innovation Cluster for Entrepreneurship Education”, which focused on the mini-company method. Mini-companies combine practical and theoretical learning and stimulate collaboration between school and working life.

The main objective of the project was to analyse the impact of entrepreneurship education and understand what is needed to reach the European goal, which is that every young person should have a practical entrepreneurial experience before leaving school. The research tested what the scenario looks like at 50% penetration among students between 15 and 20 years old and carry out a 27-month field trial using the JA Company Programme in twenty schools (academic as well as vocational) across the five countries.

Some of the project recommendations are listed below:

Schools must allow for «enough» time to work on the Company Programme, and students themselves must make an extra effort after school.
The teachers need to be given proper access to entrepreneurship education and training in the use of Company Programme or similar programmes. It is also necessary that the teachers receive enough time allotted for teaching and that they are encouraged to work together in teams.
Strong links should be established between regional business networks, mentors, schools and JA organisations or similar organisations, to further entrepreneurship education
The Ministries of Education should continue their work on educational reforms adopting a more competence-oriented approach to learning.

The research was led by Eastern Norway Research Institute (ENRI). The lead partner in the consortium, with responsibility for the implementation, was Junior Achievement Europe (JA Europe).

Read the full study here.

This publication has been prepared within INDIGISE project. The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of the project coordinator and may not always reflect the views of the European Commission or the National Agency.

Blog | Educational Materials | English | Support for SocEnts | Uncategorized

Entrepreneurship Training and Mentoring Circle for Women

October 30, 2020

Entrepreneurship Training and Mentoring Circle for Women (ETMCW) is a concept delivered by European Activism Incubator. It is a year-long innovative, flexible training programme directed to Brussels – based women, who wish to launch a social or environmental impact business, a social enterprise or a non-profit project. The training has been designed to support a diverse group of women living and working in Brussels in becoming economically empowered through entrepreneurship. Its aim is to provide women with solid and actionable skills, which will increase their initiative’s likelihood of success.

The design of the training will allow its participants to focus specifically on their idea for an impact project that they bring to the table. The skills curriculum is strengthened by a strong ICT element, as today’s entrepreneurial success strongly relies on proficiency in digital skills. The curriculum also addresses systemic challenges encountered specifically by women and teaches specific leadership and professional skills needed to overcome them on the entrepreneurial journey.

Innovative, responsive and inclusive

ETMCW provides a set of directly actionable skills for women, specific to their project. The participants immediately apply the business or project development principles, concepts or tools explained by a tutor to the project they wish to launch.

The progress of each participant is monitored and the content of classes is adapted and tailor-made to the individual’s needs. This markedly differs from a majority of classroom and online-based business and entrepreneurship courses, which teach a variety of principles that may or may not be relevant to a specific project, context, background or situation.

The responsive design of ETMCW also means that the course can address many important aspects that hold women back in addition to their gender, such as race, origin and class, making the programme truly intersectional.

The course departs from the traditional top-down, classroom-based approach to education, applying instead a mix of teaching methodologies that are highly empowering. It is interactive and participative, and includes circle discussions that build on emergent collective knowledge, experience exchange and mutual support.

The concept has been developed from experiences gained through the Beginner Entrepreneur Mentoring Programme for Women, which provided solid insight into the needs of women with entrepreneurship aspirations.

More information can be found here: https://activismincubator.eu/training/etmc-women

This publication has been prepared within INDIGISE project. The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of the project coordinator and may not always reflect the views of the European Commission or the National Agency.

Educational Materials | Norway

Gender and self-employment: the role of mini-companies

October 28, 2020October 29, 2020

The aim of this publication was to evaluate to what degree participation in mini-companies impact young women and men with regard to the perceived desirability and perceived feasibility of self-employment. The Junior Achievement Company Programme (CP) is the largest mini-company scheme in European secondary school.

The paper is based on a survey conducted in Norway with 1,160 students in upper secondary school (17-18 years of age). The results demonstrates that CP positively influenced the perceived feasibility of self-employment for both young men and young women. In addition, CP increased the perceived desirability of self-employment among young women.

This publication has been prepared within INDIGISE project. The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of the project coordinator and may not always reflect the views of the European Commission or the National Agency.

Educational Materials | European Union

Boosting Social Enterprise Development – Good Practice Compendium

October 28, 2020

This compendium derives policy lessons for boosting social enterprises from the analysis of 20 initiatives in several EU member-countries, covering a range of policy areas from legal frameworks, finance, market access, and support structures, to education and skills.

Social enterprises can only meet their full potential if an enabling environment is in place to allow them to start-up, scale-up and flourish. This is why the OECD and the European Commission have a longstanding co-operation to improve the ecosystems for social enterprises. This joint work supports European Union Member States in their efforts to create favourable conditions for social enterprises, while also providing learnings for the broader OECD area.

As countries have different traditions and aspirations, there are many different policies, programmes and initiatives from which others can learn. The challenge, however, is making this pool of experience accessible for those looking for inspiration and guidance.

This joint publication of the OECD and the European Commission takes up this challenge, making use of the strengths of both institutions. It benefits from the analytical capacity and expertise of the OECD, which has built evidence on social enterprise policies over the past two decades. It draws from the political processes as well as funding programmes of the EU, which have worked as a catalyst to boost social enterprise related policies and initiatives in Europe.

The Compendium presents a rich collection of initiatives aimed at boosting social enterprise developments. It identifies key lessons, providing concrete pointers for policy makers – from how to raise awareness and visibility of what social enterprises are and the value they provide, to how to unlock and attract funding better suited to their specific needs. It also warns against piecemeal approaches, stressing that a coherent and inter-connected ecosystem is more valuable than just the sum of its parts. We hope that it will be a source of inspiration and a useful tool for policy makers across Europe and beyond.

This publication has been prepared within INDIGISE project. The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of the project coordinator and may not always reflect the views of the European Commission or the National Agency.

Educational Materials | English | Library | Youth

The Polish Model of a Social Economy with the Financial aspects and Profits at Background – from the General Theory to Practice

October 27, 2020

Within the InDigiSE Erasmus+ project we aim to bring youth the best knowledge and expertise on how to establish and run a successful youth social enterprise. One of the articles we recommend is was published in “Financial Internet Quarterly”, Volume 15: Issue 3, “The Polish Model of a Social Economy with the Financial aspects and Profits at Background – from the General Theory to Practice” by Katarzyna J. Chojnacka¹ from the Jan Kochanowski University (JKU) in Kielce, Poland.

You can see the abstract below and read the whole text here:

https://content.sciendo.com/configurable/contentpage/journals$002ffiqf$002f15$002f3$002farticle-p29.xml

This article contains main trends, assumptions and thesis about the social economy in Poland, which the author agree with. The main goal of it, is to bring together fundamental facts depicting the situation of the social economy in Poland (in theory and in practice) with the conditions that must be fulfilled in order for it to grow (also from the financial side). In the article, the aspect of profit in a social enterprise, was especially emphasized. To describe the topic the descriptive methods were used. The graphical analysis refers to the last three years, but to understand how the social economy operates in practice, author uses description of the data from 1999 to now, in this paper.

This publication has been prepared within INDIGISE project. The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of the project coordinator and may not always reflect the views of the European Commission or the National Agency.

Educational Materials | English | Library | Youth

Is Crowdfunding an Appropriate Financial Model for Social Entrepreneurship ?

October 27, 2020

Within the InDigiSE Erasmus+ project we aim to bring youth the best knowledge and expertise on how to establish and run a successful youth social enterprise. One of the popular trends nowadays is the use of crowdfunding tools in your social business. Thus we recommend reading the academic article by Tiziana Priede Bergamini^1*, Cristina López-Cózar Navarro² and Ivan Hilliard³

titled: ” Is Crowdfunding an Appropriate Financial Model for Social Entrepreneurship ? to learn more about this topic. You can see the introduction below and the full article here:

https://www.abacademies.org/articles/is-crowdfunding-an-appropriate-financial-model-for-social-entrepreneurship-6609.html

A social entrepreneur is someone who identifies a business opportunity based on solving a social problem (examples would include the integration of people at risk of exclusion, or initiatives aimed at reducing ecological damage) through the development of a business project. Not to be confused with charity or altruism (Kroeger & Weber, 2014), this consists of creating a business model, based on the implementation of an innovative and creative solution, and motivated by a desire to help others and implement positive social change. The social entrepreneur, therefore, aims to provide an effective and efficient responses in order to create financial, social and environmental wealth (Zahra & Wright, 2016), as a starting point for the creation and strengthening of a consolidated and more equitable social and economic order (Hilliard et al., 2014; Priede et al., 2014a, b).

Due to the growth of social enterprises around the world in many different sectors of the economy (Short et al., 2009; Santos, 2012; Zahra & Wright, 2016), research and article publication has grown substantially in recent years (Noruzi et al., 2010; Huybrechts & Nicholls, 2012; Santos, 2013). However, little has been written regarding the financing of this type of entrepreneurship (López-Cózar & Priede, 2015). Similarly, the topic of crowdfunding has received limited attention in academic literature (Belleflamme et al., 2013; Ahlers et al., 2015), and its use in financing social entrepreneurship even less (Lehner, 2013; Lehner & Nicholls, 2014; Calic & Mosakowski, 2016). Therefore, this paper helps to fill this gap in the literature by analyzing social entrepreneurs’ use of crowdfunding and its appropriateness to meet their funding needs.

This issue is clearly of some importance, as these social entrepreneurship ventures may vary in their business models, ownership structures and financing (Zahra & Wright, 2016), and access to funding is one of the main problems they have to face (Melián et al., 2011; Valcárcel, 2012; Calic & Mosakowski, 2016). In a study conducted in France, Ducci et al. (2002) confirmed the increase of social enterprises in that country, but identified several obstacles they face, among which figure prominently the difficulty of obtaining financing. In this context, the European Commission launched in 2011 the Social Business Initiative (COM 2011) with the aim of promoting the development of social enterprises, and focused on a number of key areas for action, among which are a series of measures to improve access to finance.

Additionally, this work is particularly timely as different countries are developing initiatives along the same line. One example of which is the Spanish Law on the Promotion of Corporate Finance (Ley 5/2015, de 27 de abril, de fomento de la financiación empresarial). This legislation includes mechanisms to improve business financing, and regulates for the first time in this country equity crowdfunding as an alternative financing system.

Therefore, the broad objective of this article is to analyze the perception social entrepreneurs have of crowdfunding, and its level of usage in social enterprises. In particular, the article will analyze the main reasons that drive or impede the use of crowdfunding, the availability and accessibility of relevant information, the suitability of crowdfunding to finance social projects, and how best to improve promotion of crowdfunding in order to encourage greater use in the future. For these objectives, the Delphi method is employed, a methodology that is recommended in these type of cases, as due to the lack of previous studies on the subject, it is considered appropriate to use qualitative techniques of this nature (Dubois & Gadde, 2002; Seguí-Mas & Server, 2010).

The article begins with a brief review of the concept and importance of social entrepreneurship, and an assessment of the different sources of funding available to social entrepreneurs. The appropriateness of crowdfunding as an alternative to corporate finance is also looked at. Following this, the survey and research methodology are described, and the main results of the study are presented. The principal conclusions are then presented and a series of recommendations offered for further research.

This publication has been prepared within INDIGISE project. The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of the project coordinator and may not always reflect the views of the European Commission or the National Agency.

The Case for Letting Business Solve Social Problems
Michael Porter

October 26, 2020

Why societies turn to nonprofits, NGOs and governments to solve their biggest problems? World known economist, Michael Porter admits he’s biased, as a Harvard Business School professor, but he wants people to hear his case for letting business try to solve massive problems like climate change and access to water. Why? Because when business solves a problem, it makes a profit, which lets that solution grow.

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0iIh5YYDR2o[/embedyt]

Michael Porter is the founder of the modern strategy field and one of the world’s most influential thinkers on management and competitiveness. The author of 19 books and over 130 articles, he is the Bishop William Lawrence University Professor at Harvard Business School and the director of the school’s Institute for Strategy and Competitiveness, which was founded in 2001 to further his work and research.

Sources:

https://www.ted.com/talks

https://www.isc.hbs.edu/

This publication has been prepared within INDIGISE project. The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of the project coordinator and may not always reflect the views of the European Commission or the National Agency.

Blog | Educational Materials | Library | Successful Business Models | Support for SocEnts

Creative Social Enterprise Business Model Ideas: 10 Ways to Address Affordability

October 26, 2020October 26, 2020

We frequently hear the question: “What if the people who need and use my products or services can’t pay?” If you think that the customers who will most benefit from your social enterprise’s services may not be able to afford them, it can feel like an insurmountable hurdle.

While it’s true that some customers have real barriers to paying, don’t be too quick to assume users will not pay for basic goods and services that add essential value to their lives.

The solution often lies in addressing the customer’s ability to pay, shifting the company’s revenue model (by adjusting costs and pricing), or a combination.

If you’ve been faced with the challenge of finding a revenue model that allows for both meaningful impact and financial sustainability here are some ideas. They are centered around getting creative with what you offer, who pays for it, when they pay, where you focus in the value chain, and how you decide to grow.

WHAT YOU OFFER

RETHINK YOUR OFFER

If the product or service you provide isn’t useful, needed, or desired by your target customers, everything stops there. No amount of creative economic structuring will fix a poorly conceived and designed offer. If you have doubts about the effectiveness of your offer, it’s worth reviewing +Acumen’s Introduction to Human Centered Design course.

However, if you are sure you have a beneficial and needed product or service, and still struggle to find customers willing to pay, consider whether you could redesign the solution in a more economical way. This could come from finding a creative way to deliver the same outcomes for your customers in a less complicated, and therefore less costly, way.

One example is Saral Designs, a social enterprise based in Mumbai that offers compact vending machines for sanitary pads. These machines produce the product on the spot and can be installed directly in toilets of schools and other venues. This innovative product design addresses issues of accessibility and affordability caused by poor infrastructure and extra distribution costs that result in competitive products adding up to be 60% more expensive.

CROSS SUBSIDIZE YOUR OFFERS

When looking across an existing product line, or envisioning new additions, there may be opportunities to cross-subsidize by using profits generated from one product line to subsidize another. Some products or services might be more lucrative or have broader appeal than other products that will never be profitable, even if they have powerful social impact. The offerings with broader appeal can generate revenue that serves to subsidize the less profitable, but highly impactful areas of the business.

For example, a pharmaceutical company could use profits from the sale of a popular vitamin product to fund the development of a drug for specific type of diabetes patient. Or an education technology company might be able to turn a profit quickly on online courses focused on job skills, and use those profits to fund the development of humanities courses that have less immediate revenue potential, but still hold social value.

ADJUST YOUR COST MODEL

If you discover that the price point required to cover the total costs are too high for your target customers to bear (or what funders will pay), you may have to redesign your product or service in order to cut costs, allowing you to lower the price.

Consider the relative costs of each of the key activities, key resources, and assets that are essential to produce or deliver the product or service. For the most expensive, consider if there is another path you can take to achieve the same goal. Perhaps there are more affordable alternatives that could be used to lower the costs, and thus the price, while keeping the same level of profitability. Or instead of paying for key resources or raw materials up front, look for ways to lease or borrow them instead to spread out up front costs.

Aravind Eyecare took this approach with intraocular lenses. Existing manufacturers were charging up to $150 for lenses, which left the cost of surgery much higher than many living in Madurai, India could afford. Starting in 1992, Aravind Eyecare started a new company, Aurolab, to manufacture intraocular lenses used in surgeries for only $4, while keeping the same level of quality.

WHO PAYS

CROSS-SUBSIDIZE CUSTOMER SEGMENTS

Perhaps the most common type of cross-subsidization is with customer segments. This is when purchases from one customer segment who has a higher ability to pay are used to subsidize or fund access to a lower-income customer segment. Serving both customer segments with a very similar offer is key for this approach to work. This means that ideally the same core technology and core competencies are leveraged when delivering value to both customer segments.

A successful example of this approach in action is Biolite. Biolite uses a model they call Parallel Innovation where their core technologies are used to create a compelling value proposition that applies to two distinct markets. This allows for Biolite’s high-end camping light that is sold in Western markets to fund the development of solar lanterns for the poor, which is sold at a subsidized rate.

Going back to Aravind Eyecare, they also offer services that range in price from free to market rates. Customers choose what price they wish to pay, but everyone receives the same high level of care. In some cases, this means that almost completely destitute people manage to find a few rupees to pay for services, while the future president of India once opted for free treatment. People are treated with dignity regardless of how much they choose to pay. With such a high quality of care attracting high volumes of customers, the cross-subsidization model allows Aravind to serve roughly two-thirds of their clientele for free or below market rates.

GENERATE VALUE FOR A THIRD PARTY

If subsidizing with another customer segment doesn’t make sense, it could be that a third party would be interested in paying on behalf of a group of customers. This could be a government or another business purchasing a product or service and passing it onto the end user, who does not pay.

One example is CircMedTech, a social enterprise that sells male circumcision technology to the Rwandan government as part of HIV prevention. The government becomes the paying customer, not the users themselves.

WHEN PEOPLE PAY

OFFER FLEXIBLE REPAYMENT

The concept of affordability for low-income customers is often determined as much by when you ask them to pay as by how much you ask them to pay.

Take the case of One Acre Fund, an organization that sells agricultural inputs (like seeds) to smallholder farmers in Africa. They realized that the optimal time for farmers to make purchases is dictated by seasons and harvesting cycles. This seasonality impacts their cash flow greatly and makes it hard to save or spend large sums in upfront payments for new products or services. As a solution, One Acre Fund decided to provide inputs to farmers at a higher price than they would pay in local markets but offer a flexible repayment plan and timely access. As one farmer explained, “I am able to pay back the loan after my harvest over a longer period. This flexibility is important given there are many other needs I must also meet and many that can be unexpected.”

Another example of this idea in action is with Mamahuhu shoe company. Mamahuhu’s beneficiaries are the artisan shoe producers from whom they purchase shoe inventory. Not only do they help artisans with training and education to get their shoe manufacturing business up and running, but they also support them with start up microfinancing. This initial loan is repaid in the form of first goods produced in the workshop, not cash. In this way artisans are empowered to start off their manufacturing businesses with access to the tools they need to create valuable goods from the very start.

PROVIDE A PAY-AS-YOU-GO OPTION

One way to shrink the gap between the price point and a customer’s limited cashflow is through a pay-as-you-go model. This is a financing solution that allows customers to rent a product, while they make incremental payments until they eventually achieve ownership. For example, Angaza Design is a social enterprise that has pioneered mobile pay-as-you-go platforms for clean energy products. When a customer has funds, they load the money into their account and unlock the ability to use the product, like a solar light, for as long as those funds cover. Angaza’s technology tracks the usage and limits access when the account is out of funds. This pay-when-you-can model provides the ultimate in flexible financing and puts the product within financial reach of a much larger market segment.

PROVIDE FINANCING

Another way to provide flexibility in payment is through direct financing options. Financing can be an effective way to help customers bridge the gap between the price point and their ability to pay. One example of this model in action is BURN Manufacturing. BURN produces clean cookstoves that cut fuel consumption by 56% and reduce carbon emissions by 65%. There are significant money savings and positive impact on health and environment by switching to these stoves, but the full price is a barrier for most users. To combat this, BURN has partnered with a local lending institution to provide financing solutions that greatly reduce the purchasing power barrier other cookstove companies face.

WHERE YOU FOCUS

MOVE ALONG THE VALUE CHAIN

A value chain includes all of the processes or activities required from multiple players to provide the end user with the product or service. Steps that could be part of a value chain are manufacturing, sales, delivery, and after-sales service. Some ventures have discovered that operating businesses at multiple stages of their value chain provides another unique opportunity for cross-subsidization. At some points in the value chain, the business may have larger profit margins that can then be used to subsidize other areas of the value chain which generate social impact, but might not be profitable.

For example, BRAC operates at multiple stages of the silk production value chain. The silkworm harvesting business is subsidized by the business of selling silk goods. This enables them to keep the entire value chain running without compromising on impact or financial sustainability.

HOW YOU GROW

ADJUST YOUR SCALING STRATEGY

Healthy businesses strive to earn a profit after covering essential variable and fixed costs. This profit is what allows the business to reinvest earnings into the things that will make the organization stronger and able to impact more people.

Investments into growing the team, improving infrastructure, or purchasing new products to make the business more efficient are necessary but may not need to be funded through profits alone. To fund expansion projects, new assets, or other costs of scaling, seeking alternative capital like philanthropic donations or grants might be the smartest approaches.

This information is taken from https://www.acumenacademy.org/

More information is available here.

This publication has been prepared within INDIGISE project. The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of the project coordinator and may not always reflect the views of the European Commission or the National Agency.

Blog | Educational Materials | Library | Support for SocEnts

Social Entrepreneurship: How to Become a Changemaker Through Business

October 26, 2020October 26, 2020

Some people start businesses to improve the quality of their life. Others seek to work for themselves. And some see an opportunity in the market they can’t resist.

But sometimes the desire to use business as a means of creating positive change ignites the entrepreneurial spirit in you.

This is called “social entrepreneurship,” and it’s an approach to business that’s gaining popularity as globalization brings conversations about sustainability and international development to a world stage. It’s also leading more people to ask themselves, “What can I do for the world today?”

Social entrepreneurship involves starting mission-based enterprises that dedicate some or even all of their profits toward furthering a cause—giving their customers a purpose behind every purchase.

What is social entrepreneurship?
Finding a product to sell and a mission to lead
Funding your social enterprise
Marketing your mission
The rise of social entrepreneurship

What is social entrepreneurship?

Social entrepreneurship is when you start a business for a philanthropic cause. Also called “altruistic entrepreneurship”, it’s broad and can include both non-profit organizations like Doctors Without Borders, which rely almost exclusively on donations and grants, and for-profit companies like Tesla, which turns a profit by putting its clean energy products front and center.

Social entrepreneurship can also include bricks-and-mortar establishments and online business ideas. TOMS, for example, opts for both.

Social entrepreneurs are innovators who start companies and organizations that are committed to giving back.

What’s a social enterprise?

A social enterprise is a type of business where the bottom line and success metrics are measured in more than just profits. Instead, social enterprises typically measure success based on a triple bottom line:

People. The human impact of your business, and your ability to affect social change, improve lives, and develops a community in a sustainable way.
Planet. Your environmental impact—how you contribute to a sustainable planet or reduce the carbon footprint (CO₂ emissions) of your business and customers.
Profit. Like traditional businesses, social enterprises need to make money in order to sustain themselves, pay workers, and grow as an enterprise.

Social entrepreneurship is about harnessing commerce for a good cause.

What are the types of social entrepreneurship?

Social entrepreneurship takes many other forms too:

Nonprofit. A tax-exempt, non-business entity that invests excess funds back into the mission.
Co-operative. A business organized by and for its members. Credit unions and community grocery stores are some examples of co-ops. REI is also an example of a co-op.
Social purpose business. These businesses start on the foundation of addressing a social mission.
Social firm. Social firms employ those in the community who need jobs. FareStart is a great example—it employs at-risk youth and serves healthful meals.
Socially responsible business. These companies support social missions as a part of their day-to-day business operations.
For-profit. Perhaps the vaguest category, these businesses are profit-first but donate funds, raise awareness, or otherwise support causes. Warby Parker’s Buy a Pair, Give a Pair program is a prime example.

Do social entrepreneurs make money?

The short answer is that it depends. In many cases, social entrepreneurs do make money. They’re living proof that you can be successful as a business owner and do good at the same time. However, in some cases, the entrepreneurs elect not to take a profit for themselves.

One of the challenges to succeeding in social entrepreneurship is that it’s easy to measure profit (did you make money or did you not make money?), but it’s not as easy to measure your impact on people or the planet and communicate that to others.

Social entrepreneurs adopt a business model that puts their mission at the center of their business and are held accountable to their customers and stakeholders based on their proposed impact.

The benefits of building a social enterprise

For today’s consumers and businesses, social responsibility is a growing priority as concerns about climate change, international development, and supply chain ethics become a more prominent topic of international discussion.

In a CSR survey by Cone Communications, 87% said they will purchase a product because a company supports an issue they care about. This reflects a shift in consumer awareness about the impact of their purchase decisions. Not only are businesses held to a higher standard, but many consumers are holding themselves to a higher standard as well.

So while social enterprises, by definition, must dedicate a portion of their profits to the impact they want to make, they do enjoy the following benefits that help them succeed:

Mission-based branding. A company story with a cause at its core makes consumers feel good about every purchase they make from you.
Partnership opportunities. A social enterprise, because of its mission-based motivations, can partner with other non-profit organizations and for-profit companies to leverage existing audiences and established reputations to create a presence in their market. “In kind” resources and discounts are not uncommon for social enterprises.
Press coverage. Publications and blogs love to cover social innovation and changemakers and their impact, helping social enterprises evangelize their efforts and share their impact.
Certifications and support systems. Social enterprises can be eligible for grants, “impact investing” opportunities that focus on job creation and sustainability, and special certifications such as a Benefit Corporation status that make it easier to establish credibility, commit to transparency, and attract customers, employees, volunteers, and investors.

For the sake of this piece, we’ll look at what it takes to create a sustainable for-profit social enterprise. And that starts, as most businesses do, with figuring out which of your business ideas you want to pursue and what that business will sell.

Finding a product to sell and a mission to lead

The mission might come first for social entrepreneurs, but that doesn’t eclipse the importance of choosing the right things to make and sell. When all is said and done, a for-profit social enterprise needs to make money to survive just like any other business idea.

But there’s a pattern amongst successful social enterprises of establishing a good “product-cause fit” that aligns their mission with what they sell.

Social entrepreneurship examples

Taaluma Totes, which produces socially responsible bags made with fabrics sourced from across the globe, was founded to cultivate more connection between cultures around the world. Plus, it uses 20% of its profits as micro loans for farmers and small business owners in the countries from which its fabrics are sourced—enabling the farmers and small business owners to continue to fund and run their fabric operations.

Chocolate company Askinosie also focuses on sourcing from international markets. Its cocoa beans come from the Amazon, the Philippines, Tanzania, and Ecuador. Its transparency report publicly shows exactly how much is paid out to small farmers. Fellow chocolate brand Taza Chocolate also publishes its own transparency report to show how it supports farmers.

Cotopaxi makes and sells outdoor gear for adventurers and travelers, dedicating 2% of total revenue to provide grants to specific non-profits that seek to alleviate poverty in different parts of the world.

Social entrepreneur David Merritt founded two ventures with a more local focus that address social problems facing Detroit youths:

Merit: a for-profit apparel brand that donates 20% of all purchases to fund college scholarships for underserved youth.
Give Merit: a non-profit organization that raises money for and hosts youth programs.

Defining your mission and illustrating your impact

A social enterprise’s mission is a competitive advantage that can help them stand out in a crowded market—if they can communicate their motivation and the impact they can make.

Many social enterprises adopt a model where they donate a portion of profits to a cause, but that’s not the only way to position your company as a social enterprise.

There are also social enterprises that focus on:

Creating jobs within the communities they care about, such as hiring local ex-convicts or ethically outsourcing production to communities in need of fair work and career development opportunities.
Reducing their carbon footprint by planting trees or going out of their way to reduce carbon emissions throughout their entire supply chain and educating customers about the topic.
Hosting workshops and people-development initiatives to teach skills and empower others to build better lives for themselves and their communities.
Advocating for diversity and inclusion on behalf of underrepresented groups and becoming an engine of inspiration, such as GoldieBlox does by making toys to expose young girls to the joys of engineering.

Transparency and sustainable impact are essential for a successful social enterprise. And these things are easier to achieve if your cause is close to your heart and measurable.

“Integrity is doing the right thing, even when no one is watching,” in the words of C.S Lewis.

Transparency is about visibly demonstrating your integrity and holding yourself accountable to your mission and the people who support it.

Depending on your mission, you can directly implement your plans for change as a social entrepreneur and expand your contributions as you grow. But if you choose to partner with non-profit organizations (NPOs) to help execute the “social” part of your social enterprise (as many do), be sure to do your homework before you reach out. Ask questions like:

What am I ultimately giving back to?
How will my contributions actually be used and what are the organization’s operating costs?
How does the organization measure its success?
Is their impact sustainable or will it only end up doing more harm in the long run?
Does this organization have an ethical history as a non-profit?

This is all part of your founding story—the tale of why you started your business—and will likely come up again and again in your elevator pitch, About page, PR efforts, and more. So refine your story with your mission in mind and your action plan for creating change.

Funding your social enterprise

Social enterprises are accountable to the cause they support, which means automatically setting aside a portion of future revenue to invest in increasing impact.

Social entrepreneurs have to be creative with how they raise money, and crowdfunding is a popular option.

Crowdfunding websites such as Kickstarter not only help you raise money to get your idea off the ground but also expose your mission to a community that exists on the very premise of supporting projects and causes they believe in.

GoldieBlox’s Kickstarter campaign exceeded its funding goal by a landslide and helped launch the successful business it is today.

There are also a growing number of grants you can apply to for social enterprises that meet specific requirements, and the trend of “impact investing,” where the return on investment expected isn’t just financial but includes social and environmental impact as well.

Marketing your mission

What works when it comes to marketing can vary from business to business, but the need for transparency and the “for-benefit” position that social enterprises adopt make certain marketing strategies especially effective at generating awareness.

After all, you’re marketing your mission, not just your business.

The rise of social entrepreneurship

Social entrepreneurship isn’t the only way a business can be for-benefit and not just for-profit.

Many companies are owning their social responsibility based on a growing belief that those with the power to do so can and should try to make the world a better place.

Our connected world has brought about a new era of awareness, where we can find problems to solve and lives to improve across the street or across the world if we choose.

People from all over are making the decision to make change in whatever way they can, whether it’s by being more conscious of what they buy as consumers or building an engine for social and environmental good by becoming entrepreneurs.

With a single website, you can reach a world of consumers who want to help you make a difference. Shopify is a flexible platform to build your site, share your mission, and generate sales to fund that mission. It’s all about figuring out your cause and what to sell on Shopify to support that cause.

More information is available here.

This publication has been prepared within INDIGISE project. The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of the project coordinator and may not always reflect the views of the European Commission or the National Agency.

Blog | Educational Materials | News | Support for SocEnts

The Study on Social Business Opportunities in Lithuania – Full Version Available

October 22, 2020October 27, 2020

The Study on Social Business opportunities in Lithuania (prepared on 2019), analyzing the social business situation, tendencies and opportunities in Lithuania, evaluates: the legal basis of social business (forming the concept of social business entities, attribution criteria, forms, models and conditions of social business); social business environment – conditions / measures (creating opportunities for social business); applies to social business (applicable) social business impact measurement practice.

The first part of the study discusses the situation of social business in the EU countries in an overview the concept of social business in individual EU countries, an assessment of the importance of this business, areas, target audiences, characteristics of those working in social business. In the second chapter covers overview of the system of support for social business in the EU countries. The third part of the study analyzes the social business environment in Lithuania, analyzes the legal framework of social business entities’ definition, reviews the possibilities of financial and non-financial support for social business.

The fourth part of the study is dedicated to presenting the results of the research, which allowed to discuss and evaluate the problems of social business creation and development in Lithuania, as well as the social business ecosystem, together with an assessment of the measures taken to develop it. In the fifth part of the study, applying the script method, Lithuanian social business opportunities are discussed.

Comparing the situation of social business in the EU countries and Lithuania, both general tendencies characteristic of the social business ecosystem in the EU countries and specific opportunities for the establishment and establishment / development of social business specific to Lithuania have been identified.

The main challenges of understanding social business, uncertain status of social business and its business entities also lead to the emergence of an ecosystem unsuitable for the development of social business and sustainable operation of social business entities (for example, as the analysis of foreign experience has shown, a competitive orientation in the social business sector does not promote long-term, sustainable social business activities).

You can download full version of this study here.

P.s. Study is prepared in Lithuanian language.

This publication has been prepared within INDIGISE project. The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of the project coordinator and may not always reflect the views of the European Commission or the National Agency.

Read the latest EU study “New technologies and digitisation: opportunities and challenges for the social economy and social enterprises”

October 20, 2020January 25, 2021

This study aims to benchmark diffuse initiatives and policies at EU level as well as national level to promote successful approaches using digital technologies in social economy and social enterprises.

It will do so to

reinforce their e-skills and the uptake of new technologies in their entrepreneurial strategy
discuss the opportunities and challenges they face in digitising their operations
spread best practices of social economy organisations in the uptake, development, usage and co-creation of digital tools and technologies.

We especially recommend the section Tools for Digitisation DIGITAL PLATFORMS:

Digital platforms offer unprecedented opportunities for networking and collaborations. Their impact goes beyond physical reach. Social economy actors are increasingly using digital platforms to marshal community engagement and foster collaborations with public and private stakeholders more effectively and efficiently than ever before.

Traditional/off line means, such as word-of-mouth or faceto-face interactions, cannot compare with digital-platformbased interaction. For example, fundraising over crowdfunding and crowdsourcing platforms regularly outperform traditional fundraising events. Digital social economy platforms – digital platform technologies used for social economy purposes – are technological ecosystems where different social economy actors, including producers, users, service providers, can create and combine flexibly their offerings of services, products and content by combining specific software applications. The digital environment governed by the social principles of democratic ownership, fairness and shared governance.

Digital social economy platforms are disrupting long established sectors such as banking, energy production and distribution, education, transport, health. They are changing established hierarchies and control of information. In platform-based utility cooperatives, for example, consumers are transformed into prosumers, a new term for people engaged both in production and in consumption.

Read the reports here:

New technologies and digitisation – opportunities and challenges for the SE_ENG

ING5464_QPLAN_EASME Brochure 21-09-20

Reference: Gagliardi D., Psarra F., Wintjes R., Trendafili K., Pineda Mendoza J., Haaland K., Turkeli S., Giotitsas C., Pazaitis A., Niglia F., (2020), New Technologies and Digitisation: Opportunities and Challenges for the Social Economy and Social Enterprises. European Commission, Executive Agency for SMEs, DOI: 10.2826/767888.

Accessed on: https://ec.europa.eu/growth/content/new-technologies-and-digitisation-opportunities-and-challenges-social-economy-and-social_en

received_2563814793867341

erasmus_plus_logo-300x86

This article has been prepared within INDIGISE project. The content of this article is the sole responsibility of the project coordinator and may not always reflect the views of the European Commission or the National Agency.

Blog | Educational Materials | English

Microfinance in the European Union: market analysis and recommendations for delivery options in 2021-2027

October 20, 2020

This report assesses current microfinance provision in EU and presents recommendations on how to bridge the financing gap and to meet evolving market needs as a means of promoting growth, employment and inclusion across the EU. Most microfinance in the EU comes from larger providers, with support for smaller, non-bank lenders remaining limited. The EU has taken measures to improve provisions, such as the European Progress Microfinance Facility, launched in 2010 and complemented since 2014 by the Microfinance and Social Entrepreneurship axis of the EU Programme for Employment and Social Innovation (EaSI).

Catalog N. : KE-03-20-321-EN-N

Download here: https://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=738&langId=en&pubId=8347&furtherPubs=yes

This publication has been prepared within INDIGISE project. The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of the project coordinator and may not always reflect the views of the European Commission or the National Agency.

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FinImpact: How to Empower and Support Young Entrepreneurs

October 19, 2020November 2, 2020

In times of economic uncertainty, it is easy to think that it is ‘impossible’ for anybody to make money. This is complete nonsense and the exact kind of thinking that new entrepreneurs should steer clear of. It is a poverty-based mindset that looks to respond defensively to conditions instead of looking for profit opportunities in all conditions.

To understand how to support and empower young entrepreneurs, we must look at statistics and theoretical knowledge but have a strong emphasis on practical experience.

FinImpact has developed a Guide to equip the global youth with psychological tools and practical resources so they can confidently build wealth without buying into all of the drama. Saying this, the correct method through which to teach the youth psychological success principles remains a little uncertain and is most definitely not actively fostered in the schooling system. The Guide explores the following topics:

What’s a ‘Young’ Entrepreneur Anyway?

Key Statistics – Young Entrepreneurs & the Global Economy

What Are the Best Ways to Train and Mentor Young Entrepreneurs?

8 Best Tips for Millennial Entrepreneurs

The Psychology of Entrepreneurship

Documents, Business Plans, and Legal Lingo

Is the Education System Detrimental to the Growth of Wealth?

How Can Parents Nurture Entrepreneurialism in Their Kids?

Top 4 Financial Options for Aspiring Entrepreneurs

11 Best Training Resources For Young Entrepreneurs

Automation and Entrepreneurship

How to Deploy Automation Technology

Best Books for Millennial Entrepreneurs

Summation

Read the full Guide and get links to additional resources here.

This publication has been prepared within INDIGISE project. The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of the project coordinator and may not always reflect the views of the European Commission or the National Agency.

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Government End Game Toolkit

October 7, 2020November 2, 2020

Spring Impact has designed Government End Game Tool to help social impact organizations explore what government adoption really means for them in practice, and how to start taking steps towards it. Taking into account the role of government adoption, the mission of Spring Impact is to enable the successful and sustainable scale of social impact. The aim of sharing the tool with others is to help the sector make sustainable, impactful public sector adoption more achievable.

<a href="https://socialenterprisebsr.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Government-End-Game-tool_SpringImpact.pdf" rel="">Government-End-Game-tool_SpringImpact</a><a href="https://socialenterprisebsr.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Government-End-Game-tool_SpringImpact.pdf" rel="">Government-End-Game-tool_SpringImpact</a> <a href="https://socialenterprisebsr.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Government-End-Game-worksheet_SpringImpact.pdf" rel="">Government-End-Game-worksheet_SpringImpact</a>

Download Worksheet templates here:

How business can be used to create value beyond profit?

September 30, 2020

Real Value is an independent award-winning economics documentary exploring how today’s social entrepreneurs and thought leaders are re-envisioning business as a powerful force for positive social change – creating long-term and sustainable value in their communities by putting people and planet over profit.

It is about connecting motivational stories from social entrepreneurs working in agriculture, apparel, insurance, and biofuel, with the captivating science behind people’s perception of value. The film serves as inspiration for any business owner, entrepreneur, or customer who is looking to better understand what happens when a business puts people, planet, and profit on equal footing.

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ez3CWXQrgVo[/embedyt]

This publication has been prepared within INDIGISE project. Responsible for the content solely publisher/presenter; it does not reflect the views of the European Commission or any related financial body. Those institutions do not bear responsibility for the information set out in this website.

A Dutch Pilot Study in Primary Teacher Education: Social Entrepreneurship Education in Focus

September 23, 2020September 23, 2020

In a Dutch Institute for Primary Teacher Education, a pilot study was undertaken on social entrepreneurship education (SEE). It was a part of the international project “UKids – Social Entrepreneurship Programme for Kids!”. As game designing appears to offer good opportunities for the enhancement of empathy and business-related skills, student teachers were instructed by the researchers to design games that stimulate social entrepreneurship of children aged 8-12, and especially aim at enhancing empathy. Enhancement of the empathy has been one of the aims of the pilot.

In this study, SEE is conceptualized as education that addresses: (a) engagement – empathy, compassion and care – as incentive for social entrepreneurship, (b) entrepreneurship – the process of recognizing opportunities, generating ideas, taking initiatives and creating value and (c) the interaction between both.

The Empathy Challenge was chosen as a starting point for group-wise game design together with students. The games had to focus on encouraging pupils to develop empathy for children with different cultural backgrounds. The students oriented themselves on the assignments by studying information on UKids and reading literature about both SEE and empathy. Then each group of students developed game prototypes, supervised by a teacher educator. Finally, all students of each group piloted the game at their practice school in succession. During the whole process, students reflected on the enhancement of SE and empathy, and presented their games to other students, educators and primary teachers. The concepts of developed games and the process of development itself can be explored in the full article developed by Elizabeth Rigg and Stella van der Wal-Maris at Marnix Academie, Utrecht, the Netherlands.

In result, through constructing and testing the game, students improved their understanding of social entrepreneurship and enhanced their empathy. The games enabled the players to empathize with people in their own surroundings, work together in teams, reflect and listen to each other and eliminate prejudices. In terms of game development, young students focused on the issues of local children instead of focusing on the problems or fictive adults abroad. That allowed to empathize more with the activity and the people in focus. The students saw clear a relationship between dialogue and empathy. Reflection was one of the methods applied. When the players reflected on what they had learned from the games, most of them mentioned interaction skills that are useful for dialogue. The main lesson children learned about social entrepreneurship were that empathy is the basis of social entrepreneurship, as it constitutes the main stimulus to act. The “action” step included entrepreneurship-related steps: developing ideas, implementing ideas and thinking sustainably. Additionally, their design included acquiring such skills as organizing, working together, acting with foresight and justifying finances.

Full text

Source: Rigg, E., van der Wal-Maris, S., 2020, Student Teachers’ Learning About Social Entrepreneurship Education _ A Dutch Pilot Study in Primary Teacher Education, Marnix Academie, Utrecht

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Social entrepreneurship – a survey of current research

September 21, 2020November 2, 2020

This working paper provides an intrapolated figure for Sweden using cubic splines, which shows that Sweden ranks in the middle of the European countries. At the political decision level both the European Union and individual member states begin to adopt or suggest special legal framework conditions, including beneficial treatment, for so-called social enterprises. The paper concludes that there are a limited number of studies using quantitative methods, a lack of rigorous hypothesis testing, little variety in research design, a need for an unambiguous definition that can serve as a foundation for future research and a thorough analysis of the contributions to society that can be attributed social entrepreneurship.

Read the full survey here.

This publication has been prepared within INDIGISE project. The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of the project coordinator and may not always reflect the views of the European Commission or the National Agency.

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A Positive Theory of Social Entrepreneurship

September 21, 2020November 2, 2020

Filipe M. Santos, assistant Professor of Entrepreneurship, Academic Director of the Social Entrepreneurship Initiative at INSEAD Business School in France, presents a theory aimed at advancing scholarly research in social entrepreneurship.

By highlighting the key trade-off between value creation and value appropriation and explaining when situations of simultaneous market and government failure may arise, Santos suggest that social entrepreneurship is the pursuit of sustainable solutions to problems of neglected positive externalities. He further discusses when positive externalities are likely to be neglected and derive the central goal and logic of action of social entrepreneurship.

Download the study here.

This publication has been prepared within INDIGISE project. The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of the project coordinator and may not always reflect the views of the European Commission or the National Agency.

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Drivers toward Social Entrepreneurs Engagement in Poland: An Institutional Approach

September 21, 2020November 11, 2020

The aim of this study is to identify the factors that influence the involvement of individuals in social entrepreneurship in Poland from an institutional economics perspective. The research is based on exploratory data analysis using qualitative data covering 22 interviews with social entrepreneurs and 10 representatives of stakeholders from Poland as well as observations and secondary data. By employing an inductive approach and a case study methodology, it can be stated that involvement of social entrepreneurs is stimulated by a complex set of factors. Moreover, the results show the importance of the institutional environment for social enterprises in Poland, including the impact of formal and informal institutions on their development. The findings contribute to enhancing the knowledge on factors determining the establishment and development of social enterprises in Poland given the institutional economics perspective.

Download full report here.

This publication has been prepared within INDIGISE project. The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of the project coordinator and may not always reflect the views of the European Commission or the National Agency.

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UPSHIFT, UNICEF’s flagship social innovation programme

September 16, 2020

There are 1.8 billion young people in the world today, nearly 90 per cent of whom live in low- and middle-income countries — the largest cohort ever.

Yet globally more than 200 million adolescents are out of school and youth unemployment is 13% globally; 3 times higher than the rate for adults. There are many different reasons for this, ranging from escaping conflict to disability to education systems that don’t provide the skills young people need for employment today. But the common challenges are a lack of opportunity and systems that fail to provide skills for work and for life.

UPSHIFT is an opportunity to support youth and adolescents to become a force for positive social and economic change, contributing to a competitive labour force, sustained economic growth, improved governance, and vibrant civil societies. The UPSHIFT programme blends leading approaches to youth and adolescent development with social innovation and social entrepreneurship. UPSHIFT empowers young people to identify challenges in their communities and create entrepreneurial solutions to address them.

The UPSHIFT approach

UPSHIFT is designed to build transferable skills and create opportunity, with a focus on the most disadvantaged young people.

The core UPSHIFT content is modular, allowing UPSHIFT to be adapted to different contexts and delivered in different settings – ranging from youth innovation labs to schools and non-formal education centres. Through a combination of Outreach & Inspiration, Human Centred Design workshops, Mentorship & Coaching and, in some cases seed funding, participants gain valuable transferable skills, including problem-solving, critical thinking, creativity, collaboration and leadership. You can find the UPSHIFT facilitation guides here.

UNICEF Innovation

UPSHIFT is an adaptable and scalable approach, which supports the development of skills for life and livelihood and supports youth to positively engage with their local communities as change-makers.

The programme is recognised as a promising solution for youth employment within the World Bank’s Solutions for Youth Employment Impact Portfolio.

UPSHIFT is recommended as a potential solution that can create results at scale for young people by Generation Unlimited and has formed the basis for developing the Generation Unlimited Youth Challenge.

UNICEF

UNICEF Innovation

Results for adolescents and youth

UPSHIFT delivers skills that support future opportunities for life and livelihood for the most marginalized and vulnerable youth. Young people develop transferable skills through both the training elements and the opportunity to work collaboratively, in a supportive environment, to identify and solve social problems.

The ’recipe’ for UPSHIFT looks different in each country, depending on identified needs, but will focus on 4 different areas:-

Building of transferable skills, including problem-solving, critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, communication and leadership skills
Adolescent and youth empowerment, including confidence, resilience, and sense of agency
Civic engagement, with young people engaging in their communities and earning respect.
Entrepreneurship, as both a skillset and a mindset

UPSHIFT in action

UPSHIFT started its journey in Kosovo in 2014 and is now in 22 different countries, but more importantly, it is impacting the lives of hundreds of thousands of young people.

UNICEF Innovation

By design, UPSHIFT specifically seeks to engage disadvantaged communities, including girls, young people with disabilities, young refugees and ethnic minority communities. UPSHIFT can be focused on specific issues (e.g. climate change adaptations, water and sanitation solutions) or can be entirely youth-led, with young people selecting the issues that most affect them and their communities.

To read more about the Programme go here: https://www.unicef.org/innovation/upshift

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This publication has been prepared within INDIGISE project. The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of the project coordinator and may not always reflect the views of the European Commission or the National Agency.

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What’s the relation between entrepreneurship education and innovation?

September 12, 2020November 2, 2020

As part of the InDigiSE Erasmus+ project we would like to recommend you this hypothesis and theory article exploring the relationship between entrepreneurship education and innovation.

‘How Does the Entrepreneurship Education Influence the Students’ Innovation? Testing on the Multiple Mediation Model’

by Xingjian Wei, Xiaolang Liu and Jian Sha

INTRODUCTION:

Entrepreneurship education cultivates innovative talents, which are an important driving force for future development. At present, innovation-driven development strategies place new demands on entrepreneurship education. However, most of the current research and discussion in this field focuses on the construction of teaching staff in the entrepreneurial education ecosystem (Ruskovaara and Pihkala, 2015), curriculum development (Falck et al., 2016), and whether entrepreneurship education can influence the Intention of entrepreneurship (Martin et al., 2013; Pittaway and Cope, 2016). Based on the theory of social cognitive, the individual traits and environmental of learners greatly influence the realization of entrepreneurship education. In-depth study of the mechanism of entrepreneurship education, which drives innovation and development, can further improve the research on entrepreneurship education (Baum et al., 2001; Morris et al., 2013).

Innovation is seen as an internal driver; innovation relates to an entrepreneurial mindset; thus, development of new products or entrance to new markets is the result of entrepreneurship (Miller, 1983; Covin and Slevin, 1989). Entrepreneurship education is an important way for entrepreneurs to acquire resources, enhance innovative ability and innovative personality, and build multi-level learning channels for entrepreneurs by integrating various knowledge and value systems. From knowledge learning to skills improvement, entrepreneurship education includes general ability development and improvement of professional ability. Entrepreneurial competence, which is important for success, mainly refers to the ability to identify opportunities and develop the necessary resources and capital (Arthurs and Busenitz, 2006; Kettunen et al., 2013), in addition to technical, financial, and legal knowledge (Kuratko, 2005). Considering that entrepreneurship ability is diversified, Bacigalupo et al. (2016) build an entrepreneurial competency framework that includes opportunity identification, entrepreneurial skills that represent “resources,” action areas, and 15 competency lists. Gianesini et al. (2018) compared models and classifications of entrepreneurial abilities, arguing that entrepreneurial abilities consist of personality traits, entrepreneurial knowledge, and skills. The research on entrepreneurial ability is increasingly concerned with relevant knowledge and experience to improve skills and develop potential resources to enhance the innovation.

Entrepreneurship education is concerned with fostering creative skills that can be applied in practices, education, and environments supporting innovation (Binks et al., 2006; Gundry et al., 2014). Student entrepreneurs use multi-party interaction to achieve knowledge iteraction in the learning network; the innovation process is the result of interactions among the environment, organization, and entrepreneurs (Anderson et al., 2014). Entrepreneurial ability involves adaptive behaviors and strategies to influence others’ actions in relational contexts (Ferris et al., 2005; Tocher et al., 2012), thereby driving innovation and bringing high returns. The entrepreneurship framework by Bacigalupo et al. (2016) considers opportunity identification, entrepreneurial skills, and action as three key areas of entrepreneurial competence. Studies have shown that political skills can help entrepreneurs feel a sense of confidence and control over their work environment. They are likely to be engaged confidently in the dynamics of the environment, and effectively alter attitudes and behaviors to adapt to uncertain conditions (Ferris et al., 2005), with political skills said to explain how individuals recognize opportunities (McAllister et al., 2016). Student entrepreneurs with highly developed political skills can effectively integrate existing resources, accurately identify and interpret social cues from the environment, and gradually become a major force in technology and product innovation. This study selects political skills and entrepreneurial opportunities as mediators to explore how perceived entrepreneurial education influences innovation.

Full article can be found here: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01557/full

This publication has been prepared within INDIGISE project. The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of the project coordinator and may not always reflect the views of the European Commission or the National Agency.

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Developing Social Entrepreneurship in the EU: A Cross-Country Analysis

August 31, 2020September 28, 2020

The development of the European social model rests on the concept of social entrepreneurship. The concept has a significant contribution to the development of the European social economy. Social entrepreneurship has a remarkable potential, through its innovative solutions, to play an indispensable role in the social cohesion of EU Member States. The development of social economy in the EU contributes significantly to employment creation, sustainable growth and a fairer distribution of income and wealth.

Thanks to the social sector it is possible to combine profitability and social inclusion and to achieve correspondence between services and needs in the public and private sectors. It is essential that compared to other sectors this one has demonstrated its economic and social potential to better address the economic crisis. Therefore, it is getting more and more support for development in almost all EU countries. However, there are significant differences in the scope and scale of development of social economy within the European Union.

The purpose of this study is to examine the state and development of social entrepreneurship based on different national models in six EU countries. The majority of the study is based on the results of the comparative analysis of experts’ evaluations occupying different positions in the social economy structure of the following European countries: Greece, Bulgaria, Ireland, Italy, Malta and Estonia.

As the current study shows, social economy enterprises in their various forms (including social enterprises) play an important role in boosting the competitiveness and efficiency of the European economy in many different ways: by directing the fragmented and untapped resources towards economic activity; local resources mobilization; enhancing the culture of entrepreneurship; elimination of market rigidities; promotion of market flexibility and production at multiple locations – and these are just some of the examples. Social economy enterprises also have a greater capacity to preserve employment and prevent job loss during difficult stages in economic cycle, as we have seen in the current economic crisis. The number of advantages of social economy enterprises obviously lead to their growth within the EU. This trend is confirmed in the countries surveyed – Bulgaria, Greece, Italy, Ireland, Estonia and Malta.

The results of the survey show that the interest in establishing enterprises with predominantly social objectives and providing social services to vulnerable groups and society in general, is big in EU countries. This interest is particularly strongly expressed in Estonia, Italy and Ireland.

The diverse nature of social economy, as well as its concepts and organizations with different legal forms, are perceived in all surveyed countries, without any particular differences. The establishment of social enterprises identifies and distinguishes those organizations that work within the framework of the statutory standards and are eligible to benefit from policies designed to promote and stimulate social economy and the establishment of social enterprises in cooperation with the private sector (Tepavicharova, Bencheva, 2016d).

Social enterprises require a wide variety of supports in order to maximize their benefit to society and many sectors from Government to the media can help to provide these supports. One particular type of support which is required, however, is that of business advisers who are specifically competent in the kinds of supports and capacity building required by social enterprises.

The social enterprise in the countries surveyed is perceived as a way of doing business. The objectives of social enterprise are often linked to social and/or environmental programs. These are for-profit enterprises but they are created to address social issues; they are aimed at satisfying the needs of the local community or achieving social changes, not just for personal profit. They strive to combine entrepreneurial leadership and innovation – typical of the best of private business practices – with social objectives. They deal with a wide range of social and environmental issues and operate in all areas of the economy.

An important feature is that they pay dividends to shareholders, just as in the private sector. Their aim is to reinvest the profits in order to achieve social goals. Social enterprises have a key role in regeneration and economic development and in the promotion of social inclusion. They provide jobs and services sometimes where the private sector has not entered or has withdrawn, sometimes on behalf of the public sector, and sometimes through a joint venture. Social enterprises in the EU play an essential role in helping to create a strong, sustainable and socially inclusive economy.

Please download the full article text here.

Full reference of this scientific article is here: Vasilyeva, T., Bilan, S., Bagmet, K., & Seliga, R. (2020). INSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT GAP IN THE SOCIAL SECTOR: CROSS-COUNTRY ANALYSIS. Economics & Sociology, 13(1), 271-294.

This publication has been prepared within INDIGISE project. The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of the project coordinator and may not always reflect the views of the European Commission or the National Agency.

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The Rexel Foundation’s joint-skills Platform for social entrepreneurship

August 24, 2020September 28, 2020

The purpose of the social innovation Platform is to boost innovative social models that improve access to energy efficiency.

The joint-skills Platform for social entrepreneurship is a collaborative work tool to drive the adoption of energy efficient practices:

Identify social innovations in France and Europe
Accompany and support the initiatives of social entrepreneurs
Provide a place for members to share knowledge and resources
Evaluate the performance and impact of these innovative models for a sustained investment

IDENTIFY SOCIAL INNOVATIONS IN FRANCE AND EUROPE
The Rexel Foundation, with help from its partners, identifies associations, cooperatives and social enterprises providing innovative models in the energy sector.
The first entrepreneurs to have joined the Rexel Foundation platform were the eight winners of the IMPACT Energy Efficiency program organized with Ashoka in 2013.
Seeking to expand its research in Europe and Asia, in 2015 the platform sent two partners to meet with energy industry actors: Advise for Change in Southeast Asia and Europe Tomorrow in Europe.

ACCOMPANY AND SUPPORT THE INITIATIVES OF SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURS
At each step in implementing their project, then developing their activity, the needs of social entrepreneurs are both numerous and diverse: from the communication plan to financial expertise, from marketing strategy to recruitment, every department in a partner company has skills to share.
When an entrepreneur expresses a need, the Rexel Foundation clarifies it with the entrepreneur before identifying professionals from among the partners who wish to contribute their expertise.
Many forms of support exist and every partner can use its resources to help advance the projects of social entrepreneurs: donating equipment, providing logistical support, funding or expertise.

PROVIDE A PLACE FOR MEMBERS TO SHARE KNOWLEDGE AND RESSOURCE
The purpose of this platform is also to bring together various players in the Social and Solidarity Economy: social entrepreneurs/innovators, and in the traditional economy: partners (NGOs, companies, associations, etc.), all striving for a Better Energy Future.
Newsletters, webinars and annual meetings help keep members informed and active. Tools will be added to enhance the platform over time.

EVALUATE THE PERFORMANCE AND IMPACT OF THESE INNOVATIVE MODELS FOR A SUSTAINED INVESTMENT
A tool for assessing impact is available to platform members so that they can evaluate (1) their project’s performance and (2) the impact generated. It includes:

An illustrated guide with projects already supported by the platform
Tools to encourage reflection
A dictionary of energy sector impact and indicators

More information can be found here.

This publication has been prepared within INDIGISE project. The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of the project coordinator and may not always reflect the views of the European Commission or the National Agency.

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Design a Striking SWOT Analysis with Canva. SWOT analysis templates

July 30, 2020September 28, 2020

SWOT is the leading online SWOT Analysis tool, template, and platform to help you build and execute a winning strategy.

When it comes to building a strategic vision, a SWOT analysis is a crucial first step. It’s an important step for businesses and organizations to gain insights into their internal and external core strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats.

Create an amazing SWOT analysis in just minutes

Create a new Canva account to get started with your own SWOT analysis designs.
Choose from our library of professionally created templates.
Upload your own photos or choose from over 1 million stock images.
Fix your images, add stunning filters and edit text.
Save and share.

The SWOT analysis tool is available here.

This publication has been prepared within INDIGISE project. The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of the project coordinator and may not always reflect the views of the European Commission or the National Agency.

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Social Entrepreneurship Research: A Review and Future Research Agenda

July 30, 2020October 27, 2020

Social Entrepreneurship (SE) is a popular area of research and practice. An analysis of the existing literature reviews on SE reveals a dearth of studies classifying the existing SE literature into multiple research themes and further presenting popular and less popular research themes. With the aim of bridging this gap, this study presents a systematic review of 188 peer reviewed SSCI journal articles published in last decade. It presents an overview of recent SE research, classifying it in five main themes while identifying the thrust areas of research in
each. Based on identified research gaps, we provide future research directions, contexts and methodology.

In this context, scientists conducted a review of articles on SE published during 2007–2018 by examining those focused on social entrepreneurial activities, clustering these articles to filter major themes and sub-themes while identifying the popular and less popular research themes.

This study goes a step further by exploring the research methods used and providing an overview of research studies conducted
in different geographic locations and the journals publishing them.
The remainder of this paper is structured as follows: Section two deals with the methodology of the Review Process. Findings and Discussion are reported in section three. Section four is dedicated for providing future research directions, followed by implications for
policy makers and limitations of the study in section five.

From the perspective of theoretical implications, this study offers an overview of existing scholarly research, and research themes of greater and lesser popularity in the SE domain along with the research gaps in each. Thus, the study provides a quick snapshot of research conducted in the field of SE with the thrust areas in each theme. In addition to providing an overview of recent high-impact SE research, this study also discusses contextual settings and research methods used by SE researchers in the recent past. The present study further provides important implications from a practical perspective. The most-reported challenges faced by social entrepreneurs include difficulty in accessing funds, the absence of a legal framework, a shortage of suitable support structures for social enterprises, and a lack of training programs. As discussed, the social objective of the SEs creates greater challenges in measuring firm performance as opposed to the commercial entrepreneur who relies on quantifiable measures like financial indicators, market share, customer satisfaction, and quality (Hynes, 2009). Hence, the measurement of impact, essential for attracting impact investors, becomes an issue. Between for-profit and not-for profit SEs, not-for profit SEs stand a better chance than for-profit SEs to raise investments because they serve a very large market through offering a broader social good at their core (Estrin et al., 2016). On the other hand, for their counterparts (for-profit SEs), impact investment becomes a crucial source of funding. The government can promote impact investment by providing legal protection for these funds, most of which are based outside domestic markets (GIIN & Dalberg, 2015). Unfortunately, SEs, especially those operating from developing countries, do not get any institutional and legal safeguards (Frank & Shockley, 2016). There are three prominent challenges for social enterprises: access to resources, establishing the legitimacy of their operations, and organisational effectiveness.
Social networks are likely to influence each of the abovementioned challenges because they broadly affect the economy in three ways: controlling the quality and flow of information, building trust among the actors and acting as a source of rewards and punishments (Granovetter, 2005). Therefore, SEs leverage their social networks when faced with a resource or technology constraint. This has direct implications for innovation because such tie ups with network partners provide cost-effective solutions to SEs (Dufays & Huybrechts, 2014).
Because of a lack of awareness, private business firms usually do not recognise the existence or impact of social enterprises as legitimate partners. This is where institutional support can be instrumental in connecting SEs with competent partners in domestic and foreign markets.
One such initiative taken by the European Commission called for proposals to establish a “Challenge Platform” to mobilise SEs and SMEs to jointly address topical societal challenges (Galitopoulou & Noy, 2018). For-profit SEs generate part of their income by operating in the market to scale up social impact and making their social operations sustainable. Many such SEs who wish to scale from qualifying for and participating in the public procurement process face major challenges in terms of specific pre-qualification requirements. To lift this barrier, policy makers may learn from an initiative taken by European Union (EU) that introduced social clauses within the existing regulation and encouraged local authorities to use them (EC Directive 2014/24/EU).
Therefore, policymakers must develop a holistic institutional and regulatory environment for SEs to smooth the process of social innovation to achieve sustainable and relevant outcomes for society and organisations.
Government bodies and policymakers may also find this study useful in identifying the thrust areas of government involvement to encourage SE activities in a particular destination. Although a rigorous methodology was employed to conduct the systematic literature review, there are certain limitations of this study.

Researchers and policymakers should consider the following limitations while using its results. First, a protocol was developed to extract samples of articles from the relevant online databases. A set of keywords was used in the protocol for this purpose. However, potential articles may not have been filtered as they might not have the search key terms in their text. Moreover, other relevant articles published in those journals (not SSCI indexed journals) might have been overlooked.
Second, books, book chapters, and conference proceedings were not included in the sample used in this study, as it only considered peerreviewed articles published in high impact factor journals to ensure quality. Lastly, although the classification of SE research themes was the result of a systematic step-by-step process, all extracted themes may not be mutually exclusive. This is because of the presence of some hybrid sub-themes and the interrelation among various other subthemes.
Despite these limitations, this review study provides a picture of more popular and less popular research themes in the SE research domain.

Gupta, P., Chauhan, S., Paul, J., & Jaiswal, M. (2020). Social entrepreneurship research: A review and future research agenda. Journal of Business Research, 113, 209-229.

Full text of this scientific article can be downloaded here.

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“Hidden aspects of social entrepreneurship’s life: a content analysis”

July 28, 2020

What defines and motivates a social entrepreneur? As part of the InDigiSE Erasmus+ project we would like to draw your attention to this scholarly article by Ruchita Pangriya, who aims at explaining social entrepreneur’s profile and his/her motivation to run a social business.

‘Hidden aspects of social entrepreneurs’ life: a content analysis’

by Ruchita Pangriya , Journal of Global Entrepreneurship Research volume 9, Article number: 66 (2019)

Abstract: Social entrepreneurship has been defined as entrepreneurship with a social goal; social entrepreneur is a change agent. Literature shows that social entrepreneurship is treated as a youthful field of study and needs thorough observational appraisals to develop, which proposes a plenitude of research openings (Hoogendoorn, Pennings, & Thurik, ERIM Report Series Reference No. ERS-2009-044-ORG, 2010; Hand & Lewis, Stanford Social Innovation Review, 2016). The work on social entrepreneurship is on the rise; however, little attention was given to the traits and motivational factors for social entrepreneurs. To fill this gap, this study explores the traits and motivations of social entrepreneurs. A content analysis technique has been used to analyse the data. The interviews, speeches and articles on nine social entrepreneurs were analysed. The results indicate education, global exposure, prior work experience, creativity, empathy, community roots and contentment were the main characteristics of a social entrepreneur. Self-transcendence, unique ideas and innovation to solve pain points, inspiration and personal experience motivate an individual to become a social entrepreneur. Findings of this study will contribute to the practical and research in the area of social entrepreneurship. The present research will contribute to the growing literature that attempts to explain the profile of a social entrepreneur and motivational factors.

Full article can be found here: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40497-019-0199-6

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Proposed Article: Drivers toward Social Entrepreneurs Engagement in Poland: An Institutional Approach

July 28, 2020July 28, 2020

We hope that the proposed scholarly article related to social businesses will help you to find the necessary information in order to start your social economy-related activity. If you wish to know more about our “InDigiSE” Erasmus+ project or you would like to your social business initiative to be promoted on the website, just let us know. You can contact BISER Team or any other IndigiSe partner in your area https://socialenterprisebsr.net/partners/. You can read more about the project here: https://biser-en.org.pl/indigise-project-adjusting-to-and-supporting-youth-on-socialenterprisebsr-net/

Thus, this month we recommend you to read the latest article by Agnieszka Pacut, Department of Management of Public Organisations, Cracow University of Economics, 31-510 Krakow, Poland. This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Entrepreneurship: Theory, Research and Practical Applications

email to the Author: agnieszka.pacut@uek.krakow.pl

Pacut, A. Drivers toward Social Entrepreneurs Engagement in Poland: An Institutional Approach. Adm. Sci. 2020, 10, 5.

Abstract: The aim of this study is to identify the factors that influence the involvement of individuals in social entrepreneurship in Poland from an institutional economics perspective. The research is based on exploratory data analysis using qualitative data covering 22 interviews with social entrepreneurs and 10 representatives of stakeholders from Poland as well as observations and secondary data. By employing an inductive approach and a case study methodology, it can be stated that the involvement of social entrepreneurs is stimulated by a complex set of factors. Moreover, the results show the importance of the institutional environment for social enterprises in Poland, including the impact of formal and informal institutions on their development. The findings contribute to enhancing the knowledge on factors determining the establishment and development of social enterprises in Poland given the institutional economics perspective.

Keywords: social enterprise; social entrepreneurship; social entrepreneur; factors; institutional environment; Poland

Full article can be find here: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3387/10/1/5 or download it here:

admsci-10-00005-v2 (3)

Educational Materials | English

European social economy regions pilot (ESER)

July 28, 2020

European Commission launched the European social economy regions pilot (ESER) in February 2018. It aims to raise visibility and awareness about the social economy at the regional and local level. ESER supports regional authorities that organise awareness-raising events. There, we encourage regional social economy stakeholders (regional/local public authorities, SMEs, social enterprises etc.) to build active networks. Between 2018-2020, the ESER initiative generated more than 100 new regional and local partnerships, without any financial support from the European Commission.

The recently launched ESER 2020 attracted many regional and local social economy stakeholders who will organise awareness-raising events during 2020. In addition to previous years, the 2020 edition offered regions and cities that already played an active role in 2018/2019, the opportunity to raise their awareness-raising activities to the next level. The ESER 2.0 component motivated many ESER partners to come up with innovative proposals. This led to partners involving citizens in regional debates about the social economy or joining forces with neighbouring regions and cities, further developing the interregional dimension.
More than 30 regions and cities from EU countries and COSME third countries applied for ESER 2020.

During the European Social Economy Summit in Mannheim (26-27 November), regional and local social economy stakeholders (the ESER partners) have another opportunity to share knowledge and table proposals/recommendations for social economy policies.
See the ESER 2020 official partners.

We hope that the presented educational material will encourage you to start your social economy-related activity in the Baltic Sea Region or the EU. If you wish to know more about our “InDigiSE” Erasmus+ project or you would like to your social business initiative to be promoted on the website, just let us know. You can contact BISER Team or any other IndigiSe partner in your area https://socialenterprisebsr.net/partners/. You can read more about the project here: https://biser-en.org.pl/indigise-project-adjusting-to-and-supporting-youth-on-socialenterprisebsr-net/

The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of the project coordinator and may not always reflect the views of the European Commission or the National Agency.

Blog | Educational Materials | Library | News | Successful Business Models

How to start up a social enterprise in 10 steps

July 25, 2020July 29, 2020

So you’ve got an idea you think could make the world a better place. Even better, you think it can make money. How do you go about turning your idea into a real business?

There are 10 steps for You to launch successful social enterprise. Have a look here for details.

How to be a social entrepreneur?

July 22, 2020

For all those of you who think about becomming a social entrepreneur , we highly recommend watching a very inspiring speach by Andy Stoll at TEDx UIowa:

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8LVa9pb-n8[/embedyt]

Andy Stoll – a Senior Program Officer at the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, which is one of the largest entrepeneurship & education – support foundations in the world. A storyteller and connector-at-heart. He committed to social entrepreneurial work where his main focus is innovation, creativity, community-building, cities and most of all turning ideas into reality. He is a co-founder of a community-building creativity- and social entrepreneurial-incubator The James Gang and Seed Here Studio.

During his 4 year long trip around the world he explored entrepreneurial opportunities and had a chance to study communities, economies, different education systems, cultures, media industries and of course people.

For his public service and social entrepreneurial work Stoll has been nationally recognized by such organizations as Rotary International, The American Institute of Public Service and The Harry S. Truman Foundation.

Stoll is also a global facilitator for an initiative called Startup Weekend, which is a 54-hour event organized in more than 500+ cities worldwide, to give anyone that chance to try entrepreneurship.

Blog | Educational Materials | English | Learn | Youth

How does emotion influence the creativity evaluation of exogenous alternative ideas?

July 20, 2020August 17, 2020

The interaction of emotions with creative cognition is one of the most intriguing topics in the creativity research. The study of Serena Mastria, Sergio Agnoli and Giovanni Emanuele Corazza has investigated the extent to which various emotional states influence the evaluation of ideas, which is a crucial component of the creative thinking process. To this end, emotional (both positive and negative) and neutral pictures were used to induce emotional states and then asked participants to evaluate the creativity of exogenous ideas (i.e., those generated by other people) as part of an alternative use evaluation task. As the results of previous studies suggest the existence of a negative bias when judging highly creative ideas, the participants with non-creative, moderately creative, and highly creative uses for everyday objects were presented. Overall, the participants gave higher creativity ratings when under positive emotional engagement than when in negative or neutral conditions. Moreover, neutral and emotional context differently moderated the creativity evaluation of the three object use categories. Specifically, participants gave higher ratings for non-creative uses, and (to a lesser extent) for highly creative uses when in a positive emotional state, than they did when in the neutral condition. On the other hand, when in a negative emotional state, the participants gave lower ratings for moderately creative uses than they did in either the positive or neutral conditions. These data provide initial evidence that emotional states can influence the creativity evaluation of exogenous alternative ideas that are generated through divergent thinking.

Download the full article or read it here.

Reference: Mastria S., Agnoli S., Corazza G.E., How does emotion influence the creativity evaluation of exogenous alternative ideas?, 2019.

Photo by Patrick Aere: https://dribbble.com/PatrickAere

This publication has been prepared within INDIGISE project. The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of the project coordinator and may not always reflect the views of the European Commission or the National Agency.

Blog | Educational Materials | English | Learn | Youth

Models for scaling the impact of youth entrepreneurship programmes

July 16, 2020August 17, 2020

Youth entrepreneurship is recognised as a crucial driver for sustainable economic development, therefore has being promoted for the last decade. However, youth unemployement rates still demonstrated the need for scaling the impact of youth entrepreneurship programmes to fulfil the potential of young people and help them to create jobs, build communities and transform lives.

Scaling of social impact in entrepreneurship has been defined by John Kalafatas (Duke University)* as

“the process of increasing positive social impact to better correspond to the magnitude of the identified social need”.

The process itself sets the folowing targets:

Increasing quantity and/or quality of impact;
Diversifying communities served;
Diversifying services offered;
Expanding geographically;
Promoting a model;
Influencing public policy;
Establishing a social movement;
Changing/creating markets.

This Report “Models for scaling the impact of youth entrepreneurship programmes” brings together experiences scaling entrepreneurship programmes within and outside of the YBI network, in order to provide valuable insights for organisations wishing to scale their impact. It summarises different strategies and models for scaling entrepreneurship programmes, and the success factors, challenges and lessons learned to be taken into consideration with each strategy. It provides an overview of scaling frameworks and models, together with a set of case studies of scaling strategies applied by organisations within and outside the Youth Business International (YBI) network.

Different models for scaling and replication are introduced by means of frameworks developed by innovation and scaling experts Nesta and Spring Impact (formerly known as the International Centre for Social Franchising). These provide a helpful categorization of the options according to 1) the amount of control versus flexibility inherent in the selected model, and 2) the type and purpose of partnerships developed. A 10-step framework for organisations wishing to develop a scaling strategy is also included (see p.22).

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About the authors

Youth Business International is a global network of expert organisations in over 50 countries supporting underserved young people to turn their ideas into successful businesses, creating jobs and strengthening communities. YBI connects and supports member expert organisations, partners and young people to develop and scale new solutions to the critical challenges facing underserved young entrepreneurs. As a result, member organisations of different profiles deliver better quality support to more young people through sector-leading solutions and products.

Each year YBI members support young people across the world to realise their entrepreneurial potential. Success stories are collected on YBI website to inspire young people across the world to take steps further entrepreneurial activity and social impact.

* Kalafatas, J. (2015). Approaches to Scaling Social Impact. Duke: The Fuqua School of Business. Center for the Advancement of Social Entrepreneurship

This publication has been prepared within INDIGISE project. The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of the project coordinator and may not always reflect the views of the European Commission or the National Agency.

Blog | Collaboration tools | Educational Materials | Successful Business Models

22 Awesome Social Enterprise Ideas and Examples

July 6, 2020November 2, 2020

There are several ways you can go about searching for social enterprise ideas. Seeing examples of social enterprise in action is one of these best ways to get inspired for what you might want to create!

Social enterprise ideas, unlike conventional business ideas, typically result from a desire to solve a social need; similar to how many non-profit and charity organizations find their beginning.

As the message of merging business acumen and innovation with the task of building lasting social change spreads, and along with increasing numbers of powerful examples of positive change manifesting around the world, the social enterprise movement continues to gain traction. With this entrepreneurial approach to diversifying funding streams, an organization can be freed from “strings-attached” grant funding and often unreliable corporate or individual donations.

More information is available here.

This publication has been prepared within INDIGISE project. The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of the project coordinator and may not always reflect the views of the European Commission or the National Agency.

Am I a Social Entrepreneur?
Jason Aviles

July 6, 2020November 2, 2020

Youtube video is here.

Are you a social entrepreneur? Jason Aviles, born and raised in The Bronx, tells his inspiring story of working professionally with youth and what lead him to adopting a Yoga lifestyle and transforming his life. While on his journey of service and self discovery, he takes a moment to reflect on the topic of what it means to be a social entrepreneur.

Jason Aviles is CEO of FLYOGI LLC, Executive Director of Wilmington Placemakers Inc., Program Director of Wilmington Green Box and Co-Founder of Artist Ave Station. Jason graduated from consciousness-based institution, Maharishi University of Management (MUM), where he developed an original interdisciplinary course of study in Youth Development and Social Change. While attending MUM, Jason was introduced to Yoga and lost over 60 pounds. Jason later obtained his Yoga instructor certification and after graduating transitioned back to Wilmington, Delaware to launch his Yoga company, FLYOGI, which offers Yoga classes and outreach to schools, community spaces, and corporate workplaces. Since being back in Delaware he has lead several social impact ventures in Wilmington to support the arts and culture under his NPO, Wilmington Placemakers Inc., including programs like Artist Avenue Station and Wilmington Green Box. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community.

Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

This publication has been prepared within INDIGISE project. The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of the project coordinator and may not always reflect the views of the European Commission or the National Agency.

Social Innovation Trends 2020-2030

June 18, 2020August 17, 2020

The beginning of 21st century has marked the significance of Social Innovation development for tackling social, political, economic and environmental challenges. The next decade, according to Frost and Sullivan

(The Whitepaper Social Innovation to answer Societal Challenges., 2014), will be characterized by ‘the need to harmonize multiple types of innovation to address complex and interlinked global societal challenges’ and in this sense, the notion of ‘convergence’ regarding social innovation becomes crucial.

The report ‘SOCIAL INNOVATION TRENDS 2020-2030. THE NEXT DECADE OF SOCIAL INNOVATION’, prepared by Social Innovation Academy, analyses the bunch of research papers and initiatives of European and global actors, that has shaped the state-of-art and are considered as transformation drivers towards more innovative, effective, creative and collaborative societies. A number of publications on social innovation and the website materials provided by the European social innovators were used in analysis to identify the core trends.

The authors identify the pressing issue of the ageing population and offer to rethink how to improve social systems around the globe and make them more inclusive and equalitarian, in accordance with 17 Sustainable Development Goals. The key focus is not centered on how to encourage more innovation in more places, but rather which kinds of innovation should be encouraged while at the same time discouraging harmful innovation. The future of social innovation will definitely be focused on the issues of:

Urbanization, enhance the development of innovative labs and spaces for experimentation;
Migration, encouraging the design of efficient cultural and social integration;
Education, facilitating social innovation participatory learning among experts in education, practitioners, researchers and policy-makers;
Climate change, combatting negative effect of fossil fuels and plastic pollution;
Technological development, exploring the ways to strengthen open and collaborative societies;
Circular economy, looking for new ways to minimize the pressure on ecosystems;
Future of work, exploring new needs and abilities of societies to adapt to them;
Social Impact, fostering the social value and facilitating new ways of impact measurement;
Democracy, improving institutional trust, civic participation and inclusion;
Gender, working on awareness-raising, coalition building and advocacy for poverty reduction and human development;
Health, looking for efficient ways to tackle global pandemics and other challenges.

Download ‘SOCIAL INNOVATION TRENDS 2020-2030. THE NEXT DECADE OF SOCIAL INNOVATION’ and explore more!

More references to social innovation trends:

This publication has been prepared within INDIGISE project. The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of the project coordinator and may not always reflect the views of the European Commission or the National Agency.

Educational Materials | English | Library

Business models for social entrepreneurs in a time with Corona

May 9, 2020

Tara Anderson has written series of three articles for Pioneers Post on social enterprise business models in a time with Corona. The articles works as a guide for social entrepreneurs to help them develop the best possible and most resilient businessmodel for social enterprises to be able to survive through times of crises.

In the first article Tara Anderson gives a thorough beginners guide to what a social enterprise is. This gives social entrepreneurs a chance to see if they got the basics right. She focuses on the different elements that needs to be in the social enterprise business to be successful. In a time with Corona it has become even more important for social entrepreneurs to make sure they have the right business model.
Tara Anderson also explains why it is more complicated to run a social enterprise with two goals both to earn a profit and to have a social purpose and create impact. This means that social entrepreneurs constantly have to balance decisions between mission versus money, customers versus beneficiaries stakeholders with social priorities versus stakeholders with commercial priorities and so forth.

In part Part 2 Tara shares shares 17 social enterprise business model types in order to inspire and help social entrepreneurs to shift their business model to more adopt to the Corona situation.
The 17 different businessmodels are also described in Business Model Zoo a material developed by Cass Business School
for each businessmodel type Tara Anderson gives examples of existing social enterprises.

In the final part of the series Tara Anderson suggests seven questions that every social entrepreneur needs to answer when they set out to build a social enterprise business model.
The questions are:

1. What social impact do you create for which beneficiaries?
2. Who are your customers, what do they want, and how do you structure the value proposition?
3. What products and services can you offer that achieve the best balance of profit and social impact?
4. What are your business model options, and how many should you run?
5. How do you finance the model?
6. How do you organize your resources to deliver profit and social impact?
7. Is your product and services portfolio balanced?

You can read Tara Andersons articles on Pioneers Post:

Part 1 Covid-proof your business model: a guide for social entrepreneurs

Part 2 Reimagining your business model: 17 social enterprise types to guide you

Part 3 Seven steps to consider when pivoting (or building) a social enterprise business model

Tara Anderson is director and co-founder at The Dragonfly Collective and a strategic marketing advisor for On Purpose both organisations that are working with helping social enterprises.

Blog | Educational Materials | English

Learning material for community activation and participation from ViSEnet project

April 30, 2020April 30, 2020

As many countries rural areas are facing the same contemporary societal challenges, such as a tightening economy and diminishing local services, there is a need to find new tools for rural communities to cope with the future. ViSEnet project works on materials to help do just that – by aiming to enhance the ideas and methods to promote and support social entrepreneurship in rural areas.

The second international newsletter form ViSEnet-project has been published and can be read here .

The project website has also materials regarding social entrepreneurship in rural areas.

The material bank already consists of a range of information in different formats – but we suggest following on the project regularly as their material bank grows over the project lifetime.

The earlier post about the project and the materials here.

Educational Materials | English | Polish | Support for SocEnts

POLISH INSTITUTIONS SUPPORTING ENTREPRENEURSHIP OF SOCIALLY EXCLUDED PEOPLE

April 29, 2020May 4, 2020

Entrepreneurship of people excluded in the transformation process

In the program scope of incubators in Poland, initiatives focusing on entrepreneurship of socially excluded people are most often absent. This situation was conditioned by the processes of economic and social transformation in which snowballing unemployment required the creation of dedicated aid programs. Large groups of people were dependent on a state employer and did not have the skills of an entrepreneurial approach to overcoming social exclusion. Another large group of socially excluded were the disabled people that had an extremely difficult access to the labor market. Large support programs were launched, neglecting the creation of institutions and instruments to stimulate self-resourcefulness. It was particularly visible in the countryside adjusting from farming in state-owned farms into the free-market rules.

Polish entrepreneurship has slightly different features than it is usually in Europe. It is the result of the transformation from socialism to liberal democracy. Selected entrepreneurship indicators in Poland and in Europe 2018 differ, for example among the motives for entrepreneurship a good career path is mentioned significantly mor often in Poland (86% in Poland and 61% in Europe – report of the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor Poland 2019). Another difference in the entrepreneurial culture is the much higher share of people who set up a company due to the lack of other job opportunities (in Poland, declared 8%, and in Europe 18% – according to the GEM research cited above). These sociological features contribute to the fact that in Polish initiatives and activities of incubators, the dominant emphasis has been put on the technologically innovative direction of development. In general terms, the goal of the incubators’ activity is to help in creating and to assist in the first period of operation of a new company. The main forms and development directions of these incubators are: technology transfer centers, seed capital funds, business angel networks, local and regional loan funds, loan guarantee funds, training and consulting centers. The world of innovative business, which was located in technology parks, start-ups, and business incubators, was strongly associated with the economic career path of people with great creativity and ambition potential. Whereas the trend of socially innovative forms of stimulating entrepreneurship of people with disabilities was located in centers financed from public funds.

In order to show initiatives stimulating entrepreneurship of excluded people, the following forms can be mentioned:

Entrepreneurship incubation activities are most often located within a network of public institutions. Usually, those are institutions with the characteristics of incubators created by large local governments that cooperate with specialized non-governmental organizations. Social Economy Support Centers, that are located in all voivodeships, are the strongest institutionalized form of such activities.
The activities of entities supporting entrepreneurship of socially excluded people (the disabled and the unemployed), are financed from three basic sources: state budget funds directed at social assistance; from EU funds directed at specific projects; and from local government funds.

INSTITUTIONAL INITIATIVES SUPPORTING ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN POLAND

State Fund for the Rehabilitation of the Disabled

Supporting the employment of people with disabilities involves large public funds, which are directed, among others, to: reducing the costs of employment of people with disabilities (co-financing the remuneration of people with disabilities, refunding social security contributions for the company owner); co-financing of insurance fees for those who start their own business; adapting jobs for people with disabilities; help for disabled people who start a business or agricultural activity. 2/3 of the fund’s resources were allocated to employment support, i.e. approximately $ 900 million in 2018.

Social economy support centers (OWES)

There is a system of 62 centers in Poland that operate for the benefit of the social economy and have considerable public funds at their disposal. The centers running these units are most often NGOs or foundations established by local governments. The centers operate through animators and trainers who support the process of creating social cooperatives that have favorable and even preferential legal regulations and get financial support from public funds. OWES’s priority is supporting employment within the program “From exclusion to activation. A program to help socially and professionally excluded people.” This program creates procedures for adjusting the offer of professional reintegration to the needs of employers operating on the local labor market, including in particular social economy entities such as social cooperatives, foundations and non-profit companies. An important element of OWES activity is strengthening of cooperation between social employment entities and employers, especially social cooperatives and social economy entities, thanks to which participants will be able to smoothly move from classes in Social Integration Centers to employment.

A very important methodological aspect of entrepreneurship incubation of socially excluded people are OWES’ specialists working to support those in need. There are three types of advisors:

a) Animators – their task is to identify excluded persons interested in taking up a job. In cooperation with a given local government, it organizes preliminary talks inventorying the resources and expectations of those interested in a given environment. It creates a context and knowledge about the environment in which a right support path needs to be created’

b) Key advisers – their task is moderation in the field of legal and business problems and identification of industry problems that require additional support;

c) Industry advisors – their task – being a specialist in a given industry in which a group of excluded people wants to operate – is to analyze technological and market problems of a given industry. Figuratively speaking, the adviser must set the excluded in the realities of the industry.

The OWES system operates based on the entire network of cooperating institutions, which aims to map the path of professional activation of the socially excluded. The basis of this network are the following institutions:

The Center for Social Integration that is focused on building up the potential of economic activity and independence of participants and includes, for example: production of leaflets, posters in a printing workshop; repair services for residents, working in a garbage sorting plant.

2. Professional activity center, that is an institution financed from public funds and employing people with disabilities who have been diagnosed with a significant and moderate degree of disability. For example, it carries out the activities of carpentry and wicker, paper and bookbinding, sewing and weaving.

3. Occupational Therapy Workshop operates in the environment of handicapped people. This economic activity exceeds the forms of ordinary therapy and produces products and services that are commercialized. It occurs, for example, in such forms as: production of handmade paper, stationery, occasional paper, postcards, invitations, etc .; production of brewed and cast stearin – various types of decorated candles; tailor production – shopping bags, gift bags, patchwork tapestries, pillows;

4. Municipal Social Assistance Center – is a systemic institution of social assistance of local government that has an important instrument that can affect the improvement of professional competence and employment. The path to this is an individualized contract, a support contract concluded by a social worker with a person applying for assistance, specifying the rights and obligations of the parties to the contract, as part of jointly undertaken actions aimed at overcoming the difficult life situation of a person or family and to counteract social exclusion (art. 6 point 6 of the Act on social assistance). According to OWES experts, the key problem of cooperation between these institutions is having a leader, who does not have to be a socially excluded person, but a social animator usually operating in associations and foundations, who undertakes, using OWES’ support, to launch a business initiative in the form of a social cooperative, a foundation, or a non-profit company.

Text by: dr hab. Witold Toczyski, BISER vice-president www.biser.org.pl

Project Social entrepreneurship development in the Baltic Sea region SEBS2 is executed under the Erasmus+ program and co-financed by the European Union.

Responsible for the content solely publisher/presenter; it does not reflect the views of the European Commission or any related financial body. Those institutions do not bear responsibility for the information set out in this website.

Blog | Educational Materials | Finnish | Impact Measurement Methodology

Green Care -based wellbeing services and impact? How to.

March 10, 2020March 10, 2020

Natural Resource Center in Finland has published learning materials and a workbook about modelling and measuring your wellbeing service’s impact. The materials are available in Finnish. The workbook is part of a wider impact program aimed to service providers who provide green care -based wellbeing services.

The materials state that impact modelling, measurement and communication is important, because the methods used in them can be used also in quality work and service development. Measuring impact helps service providers differentiate themselves from competitors, and impact-driven ways of describing services is the way to succeed in results-based contracting.
The workbook is designed so that service providers are able to use the tools directly into their own services. More learning is available through webinars where Saila Tykkyläinen from Vaikuttava Yritys, an experienced impact trainer teaches how to use them.

Materials are part of Natural Resource Center in Finland project HyvinVoikoordinaatio 2018–2021 and is funded by EU.

Find the whole workbook here . Contents, topics, tools and tips of the workbook include:

Different levels of impact work
Mapping of stakeholders
Service impact communication planning
Defining the problem and designing the impact goals
Modelling impact
Setting measurement practices and planning for data gathering
Building an impact story.

Picture: Natural Resource Center of Finland

Blog | Educational Materials | Library | Polish

Local entrepreneurship ecosystems and emerging industries: Case study of Pomorskie, Poland

March 10, 2020March 10, 2020

We highly recommend the latest article from the OECD with the case study examines the Pomorskie local entrepreneurship ecosystem and regional smart specialisation approach. It identifies bottlenecks and enablers in the local entrepreneurship ecosystem and makes policy recommendations on how to further strengthen local entrepreneurship and industrial renewal. The case study offers a number of policy suggestions and models for Pomorskie and for other regions interested in promoting entrepreneurship and emerging industries.

This case study examines the local entrepreneurship ecosystem of the Pomorskie region in Poland and its capacity to promote productivity upgrading and industrial renewal. It forms part of the workstream on local entrepreneurship ecosystems and emerging industries of the OECD’s Local Economic and Employment Development (LEED) Committee. The OECD local entrepreneurship ecosystems work examines the main dimensions of local entrepreneurship ecosystems that affect innovative start-ups, scale-ups and innovation in existing enterprises in case study regions. It relates the policy development of local entrepreneurship ecosystems to the principle of regional smart specialisation and investigates how smart specialisation strategies are helping to strengthen entrepreneurship and innovation in regions. Pomorskie is a very interesting case study region with high potential for entrepreneurship and innovation. It has key assets in a strong set of universities, research organisations, large enterprises, local clusters and start-up development infrastructure. Its regional government has an active policy for promoting entrepreneurship and emerging industries through its smart specialisation strategy. This case study examines the Pomorskie local entrepreneurship ecosystem and regional smart specialisation approach. It identifies bottlenecks and enablers in the local entrepreneurship ecosystem and makes policy recommendations on how to further strengthen local entrepreneurship and industrial renewal. The case study offers a number of policy suggestions and models for Pomorskie and for other regions interested in promoting entrepreneurship and emerging industries.

Read the full text here: https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/docserver/8fd63992-en.pdf?expires=1583822962&id=id&accname=guest&checksum=5EDAA729CE735BB4D9BAFFD71E15A0ED

Or download: Social entrepreneurship poland pomorskie case study oecd

Projects Social entrepreneurship development in the Baltic Sea region and Improvement of the social entrepreneurship networking and educational possibilities in the Baltic Sea region (No. 2017-1-LV01-KA204-035413) are executed under the Erasmus+ program and co-financed by the European Union.

Responsible for the content solely publisher/presenter; it does not reflect the views of the European Commission or any related financial body. Those institutions do not bear responsibility for the information set out in this website.

Blog | Educational Materials | English

Why values are important

February 7, 2020

Why are values important because they define you (and your social enterprise). They define the decisions you make. They are a means to communicate how and why you do the things you do.

Your compass

When you take a journey, even a day trip, what do you usually equip yourself with? A map or in most cases today Google Maps on your phone. In addition, in the adventure stories of pre-technology, the adventurer was equipped with a compass. Our compass is our values. They are the basis upon we make decisions. They point us to the proverbial “true north”. Without a clearly defined set of values we will falter in our decision making process and ultimately, lead us off the track of our end destination, our mission. Our purpose is the fuel that keeps us going, never giving up on our journey. Our vision, well that’s your binoculars (smile), to see beyond the horizon to know what is coming and how to fine tune our steps on our path. And finally the map. As with any map, we have various choices of routes to take to get to the end destination, whether it be the scenic route or the bullet route where bathrooms stops aren’t an option. The ultimate route is the silver lining path, it’s the balance point, and it’s the path of least resistance.

Every day we are faced with decisions. As social entrepreneurs we will likely come across challenges that ‘test our metal’, decisions that other’s lives depend on and discussions that re-iterate your leadership abilities. Values are our friends, they are essential to understand and clearly define for ourselves. They set the culture of a company, as culture is defined as “how we do things around here”. For any partner, employee and customer, by clearly stating your values you’re demonstrating the core of the ‘how’ you operate your business. Statistics show that the highest ranking page on any business site is the ‘about us’ page. People want to know who you are, what your purpose is and how you do your business. So including a section or page on your values is truly, invaluable.

Common ground for change

Our world is changing and we’re seeing increasing collaboration in the fourth sector (social enterprise, social business, BCorps) with the public, private and voluntary sectors in finding collaborative solutions. But the question that remains in non-capitalist sentiments is how can a social changemaker bridge these differing views of ‘how we do things’ and actually come to an agreed upon set of principles that all collaborators base their decisions on. I see the answer to that is: values. We can agree to a common set of values in our collaborative efforts no matter from which sector the individual or organization stems from. With defined values we have a clear set of guidelines to enable effective decision making.

In Muhammad Yunas’ book “Building Social Business: The New Kind of Capitalism That Serves Humanity’s Most Pressing Needs” he sees crises as an opportunity to exercise change:

“Furthermore, the current crisis— or, more accurately, the intertwined economic, environmental, agricultural, energy, health, and social crises— provides an opportunity for bold experimentation with new solutions. Social business has a better chance of changing the world than some past ideas because the concept is so powerful yet so flexible and accommodating.”

Values challenge us; sometimes it may not be easy. But at the end of the day, if we remain true to our values we achieve “success beyond success”

How to Build a Values-Driven Business

Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash

Blog | Educational Materials | English | Library

How to Stop Procrastination: A social entrepreneur’s toolkit

February 7, 2020

How to stop procrastination? Through action. Procrastination is the child of endless excuses of why something cannot be done. I’m sure, if prompted one could come up with a whole list of reasons “why not something won’t succeed“ or “why it’s not worth doing”. The remedy: it’s the active doing that will ‘break the spell’ of procrastination.

What causes procrastination?

There could be a number of reasons why someone would be numbed from pursuing their purpose. At the top of my head:

Fear: fear of failure, fear of success,

Perfectionism

Self-Doubt

Not feeling worthy

Underestimating ourselves

Action. What comes to mind is the sounding of the word “action” on a film set. All preparation is complete and it’s time for all the players (actors, director, camera personnel and all the myriad of roles of personnel on a film set) to come together and record everything that has been up to that point. And this analogy serves another point: that particular scene could be “take 1” and it’s a wrap. Most likely, it will take many more until all contributors are happy with the scene. So too, it will take practise and a few attempts before you feel your end product (your product or service delivers customer value that directly addresses their pain point) is where you intend it to be. Fear of failure, self-doubt and fear in general was discussed in the last post in this series, so let´s look at a few other procrastination partners.

Perfectionism

Perfectionism is an interesting ´ism in itself, as it implies there is a perfect representation for everything and everyone. What this little habit or belief instils is that nothing is ever good enough unless it´s perfect. Perfect is a relative term: it changes and depends on each person and their perspective. Perfect is never static, it is for ever changing, as we grow and change ourselves. So when we get fixated with something is only worth doing when it is perfect, is the continues proverbial „carrot on the stick“ that will forever be illusive and never attainable. That spells: P-R-O-C-R-A-S-T-I-N-A-T-I-O-N. The companion to perfectionism is also the feeling of: nothing is ever good enough, because ultimately nothing is ever perfect. Or perfect could be that one time experience that we framed as perfect in our minds, but never to be repeated again. And so the perfectionist´s journey is a continuous search for that perfect ´thing’ or ´someone’ or ´experience´: searching, but never finding. Given perfectionism can produce action for the search, but it will ultimately lead in depression when the perfect ´ism is almost never in reach.

Not feeling worthy

Not feeling worthy could be likened to lack of self-worth. If we carry a feeling, even subconscious that we are not worthy of the thing(s) we desire most, then we will not be able to give ourselves that experience or even see it when it presents itself. Self-worth is believing you are worthy of something. And you certainly are. Many people carry, in varying degrees, feelings of not being worthy of for example a loving partner, financial abundance or independent income or believing in themselves and what they have to offer. Putting the psychology sofa chat aside, it is worth getting a hold of this pattern that just like the self-doubt CD, if we aim to succeed as change makers and hero´s in our personal and social entrepreneurial journey.

Underestimating yourself

Underestimating or overestimating yourself both carry with them either a sense of „not good enough“ or a tendency for ego games (maintaining a self-image that is necessary to survive). As with the coin, either side is not the true answer. The answer is the middle road, the silver lining, the point of balance and humility. A tendency to underestimate ourselves is often due to a sense of failure through experienced challenges or listening to others that may deflate our sense of self. Here‘s the thing: challenges and how we approach them, even if we felt we didn´t come out a winner, can still hold the silver lining within it by the „how“ we choose to look at them.

„Challenges create strength“, not necessarily by the challenge itself, but either by how we approach it or by viewing the results from it, as an experience to learn and grow from. For example: a challenge may be a loss of something: job, partner or house. The experience may be challenging at first, and bring about all the usual thoughts of loss, sadness, depression and grief. To succeed beyond success, or walk on the silver lining path, we can look at these situations as opportunities. Opportunities to learn about ourselves and where we may be out of balance in our lives and ultimately this self-observation will lead to choices that are more in line with our purpose and values.

Action: Breaking the spell of procrastination

If we buy into our fears and all the procrastination partners we´ve discussed here, what we will find is a loop. We will continually move from stage 1 (this is my current reality and I am uncomfortable with it) to stage 2 (something must change) and then stage 3 (the change instils fear) and then back to stage 1. The cycle is broken through action. Actively pursuing our purpose and the greater driver to overcome fear and its partners, to break the chains that keep us locked in the current status quo. Until we actively become self-aware of our ´isms and actively work with them in conjunction with the thrust of the purpose we aim to experience, we will remain in the loop. A prisoner of our own experience: „what you resist persists“.

In the journey of the hero, this internal cycle will continue unless the hero becomes proficient at the internal game. Facing the internal and external challenges will ultimately create the path where the experiences he encounters can be either side of the coin, or the silver lining that is the balance point: the path of least resistance. What this truly teaches us through the experience is trust. Trust in our own heroic self. Trust that when we choose to look at the challenge, a solution will reveal itself when we face all the fear and procrastination partners. Trust becomes the greatest tool for the hero and social entrepreneur in fulfilling their purpose.

Tips to stop procrastination

If you´re feeling stuck, find out the cause (active self-awareness). Is there a self-image your attempting to protect, if you did ´x´ then you would be perceived as ´y´. What other people think of you is not your business, what you think of yourself is your business. Let go of ego games and grab a slice of humble pie.
Are you willing to change: where you are now and where you want to be? Loosen up on your ideas about yourself and your life.
If you feel your purpose or your objective is too big, which is causing the procrastination, look at the small steps that can get you there. Every step counts, even if it seems small in comparison to what you would like to achieve, it all adds up. Start now, and take action, one step at a time.

Photo by Jakob Owens on Unsplash

Educational Materials | English

On the way to more innovative, collaborative and inclusive cities

December 17, 2019

All around the world urbanization is shaping the ways how societies live and work. The city is a living organism, moreover, it is a mirror of the society – the more creative, innovative and collaborative are the people, the more it will be felt also in the environment of the city.

Each and every city has its challenges and problems, and the city itself can become either a place with unsolvable issues or it can bloom as a hub for innovation, collaboration and new opportunities. The most important task for the near future will be to create and promote such urban ecosystems that enhance communication, cooperation among different stakeholders and where the necessity to meet people’s social needs will be put at the top of the priority list. The collection of nine essays by nine innovation leaders from around the world gives an insight in the ways how modern cities work to tackle societal challenges, and what is the role of the city in the development of innovative tools and mechanisms that make the everyday living of the inhabitants better.

Authors of the essays touch upon such challenges as the lack of interest and resources allocated for the collective intelligence – in a time when huge amounts of resources are invested in the artificial intelligence, we cannot forget about the importance of the human collaboration and development of more efficient collective solutions for various societal issues. While the machines may be more effective in many mechanic jobs, they are (at least so far) not able to tackle the challenges present at every community and city in the world. In the collection of essays one can also get to know some key suggestions for more innovation and collaboration within the cities that helps to tackle significant societal challenges. The suggestions of such initiatives include announcing awards and prizes for innovative ideas and practices that enrich community life, providing free, open and engaging spaces for displaying the work of local artists, organization of Community food kitchen labs, providing open and free sources of informal education for everyone, especially emphasizing the digital learning tools. More ideas include organizing children creativity workshops and idea contests, finding the resources for creation of mobile libraries, open wi-fi hotspots, as well as ensuring opportunities and providing the necessary knowledge for launching a social business. Essay authors also emphasize the importance of experiencing the real life of the city and the community in order to find the most effective solutions for issues that the particular city is facing. This may include such initiatives as in the Netherlands where in the municipality of Amersfoort civil servants are doing their job outside of the City Hall in order to be closer to the people and the real situation. Moreover, the necessary effect can be reached also by promoting closer cooperation between the policy makers and other parties – such as NGOs, Universities, interest groups and others.

There are many more thoughts, ideas and initiatives for the creation of innovative and inclusive cities presented in this collection of essays. Read the whole text here: https://socialinnovationexchange.org/insights/future-trends-innovative-cities

Blog | Educational Materials | English | Finnish

Growth for the Common Good? Learnings from social enterprises’ growth process

December 10, 2019December 10, 2019

For those readers interested in research, there’s a new juicy read from Finland. Saila Tykkyläinen’s doctoral theses about social enterprise growth has just been published. The researcher has been following up and analyzing the growth of 7 Finnish social enterprises of different business fields over the period of 5 years.

Here’s a short overview on the findings – the theses report as whole can be found from Lappeenranta University research gate: https://lutpub.lut.fi/handle/10024/160328

Rare social enterprise research

According to the report, research on social enterprise growth is still in its infancy. The purpose of this thesis is to pave the way towards a more holistic understanding of social enterprises’ growth process. As firm growth research is a theoretically more mature research field, it is utilised as a reference point in this research; even if prior studies on social enterprise growth have emphasised the distinctiveness of social enterprise growth, the researcher thinks that separating these two domains of research may be unnecessary.

Research questions

This study addresses the following questions:

Why do social enterprises pursue growth?
What actually grows while they pursue growth?
How is growth pursued?

Findings

Answers to the research questions can be summarized as follows:

Growth orientation is conceptualised as managers’/owners’ growth motivations, which are influenced by their perceptions of the firm’s external environment and goals for growth. Also, social enterprise leaders’ are more growth-oriented than their colleagues running commercial enterprises and they are driven to grow by concerns related to their firms’ financial survival.
The overall value of social enterprise growth cannot be reduced to changes in sales, employees and assets. For many social enterprises, organisational growth is a way to achieve social outcomes.
Creating a virtuous circle between financial and social missions of the firm is possible if the firm remains committed to its social mission and successfully finds partners that enable balanced growth.

The findings of this research are quite interesting as they call into question the dominance of social missions and social impact within the growth of social enterprises. The research showed that:

Finnish social enterprises are very market-oriented (as compared to social enterprises in many other countries)
the financial aspects of growth play a role from formulation of growth-related goals to implementation of growth modes, and
social enterprises grow faster than commercial enterprises in a recession. In the long run, the pace of growth of social and commercial enterprises was equal as social enterprises grew slower during an economic boom.

Towards fostering the balance of financial and social missions

As a suggestion, the researcher points out, that as the expected outcomes of growth are produced throughout the growth process, attention should be placed on ensuring that goals of growth and daily business activities foster the balance of financial and social missions.

Value to social enterprise development

According to the researcher, the thesis contributes to the theoretical development of research on social enterprise growth by drawing attention to the operationalisation of growth and influence of the operational environment on the growth process. Likewise, it provides insights for policy-makers and practitioners by increasing the understanding of how the pursuit of growth can facilitate the common good.

Educational Materials | Polish

BUSINESS MODELS VERSUS APPLICATION OF INNOVATIONS IN SOCIAL COMPANIES in Poland

October 21, 2019

Polecamy artykuł Jana BRZÓSKI z Politechniki Śląskiej, Wydział Organizacji i Zarządzania Instytut Zarządzania i Administracji : MODELE BIZNESU A WYKORZYSTANIE INNOWACJI W PRZEDSIĘBIORSTWACH SPOŁECZNYCH

Streszczenie. Wsparcie umożliwiające rozwój sektora ekonomii społecznej w UE jest związane z pomocą dla grup społecznie wykluczonych i walką z bezrobociem. Specyfika podmiotów ekonomii społecznej w stosunku do przedsiębiorstw konkurencyjnej gospodarki wynika z komplementarności celów ekonomicznych i społecznych, co rzutuje na ich modele biznesu. Przedmiotem prezentowanych w artykule badań jest problematyka budowy i aplikacji modeli biznesu, głównie w odniesieniu do organizacji ekonomii społecznej. W szczególności badano możliwości wdrażania innowacji przez zastosowanie odpowiedniego dla przedsiębiorstw społecznych modelu biznesu.

BUSINESS MODELS VERSUS APPLICATION OF INNOVATIONS IN SOCIAL COMPANIES

Summary. Support enabling development of social economy sector in EU is related to assistance for socially excluded groups and combating unemployment. Specificity of social economy entities in relation to companies of competitive economy results from complementarity of economic and social goals which fact affects their business models. The object of the research presented in the paper is issues related to design and application of business models, especially in reference to social economy organizations. In particular, options to implement innovations by means of application of business model proper for social companies.

Read full text here: brzoska_modele_78_2015

Collaboration tools | Educational Materials | English | Library | Polish

The Role of Stakeholders in Development of Social Economy Organizations in Poland: An Integrative Approach

October 21, 2019October 21, 2019

We recommend the article by Norbert Laurisz, Department of Public Administration, Faculty of Public Economy and Administration, University of Economics in Krakow, 27 Rakowicka St., 31-510 Krakow, Poland; norbert.laurisz@uek.krakow.pl

The Role of Stakeholders in Development of Social Economy Organizations in Poland: An Integrative Approach

Abstract:

The aim of this article is to explore key changes in the mode of operation of Polish social economy organizations (SEOs) that result from a social policy targeted at strengthening their independence and sustainability. The activities of SEOs are largely supported by public institutions, but their opportunities for assistance of capacity building are considered insufficient. Owing to the current policy, not only an economic independence, but also the structure and behavior of supported social organizations, especially in their relations with other stakeholders, can be strengthened. Based on the exploratory analysis on how SOEs change their independence and sustainability as a result of implementation of the public policy, a conceptual model of value co-creation will be used. The model enables analyzing the scope and scale of stakeholder engagement in the development of SEOs. The empirical research was conducted using a survey among 112 Polish social economy organizations. The results of the study show that the market-oriented approach not only reduces the scale of relations between SEOs and their stakeholders but also affects the way SEOs work, transforming them to be more like traditional businesses.

Read the full text here: The Role of Stakeholders in Development of Social

Educational Materials | English | Polish | Support for SocEnts

Presentation on social economy support system in Poland

October 21, 2019

Presentation: Social entrepreneurship – investments from the ESF in Poland by Aleksandra Dmitruk, Deputy Director, ESF Management Department.

National Programme for Social Economy Development (NSPED)

The social economy support system in Poland has two main components:

(1) Creating “environment” for SEE creation and growth including soft support by country-wide Social Economy Support Units

(2) Providing finance to SEE through the ESF 2014-2020, ESF 2007-2013 and state budget resources.

See full presentation here: DMITRUK_PL_presentation_case study_EP 2018

Educational Materials | English | Polish

The Meaning of Education to the Development Strategies of Social Economy Enterprises

October 21, 2019

Znaczenie edukacji dla strategii rozwoju podmiotów ekonomii społecznej
The Meaning of Education to the Development Strategies of Social Economy Enterprises

Author(s): Grażyna Krzyminiewska
Subject(s): Social Sciences, Economy, Education, Economic policy, Socio-Economic Research
Published by: Wydawnictwo Naukowe Uniwersytetu Szczecińskiego
Keywords: social economy; education;

Summary/Abstract: The paper The Meaning of Education for Development Strategies of Social Economy Enterprises Focuses on education as significant support for the social economy. It enables education of stakeholders of this socio-economic activity. The paper outlines the proposed directions of creating the education process, the conscious effect on social communities through the dissemination of the axiology of social economy and equipping the stakeholders with definite competences. It also discusses the project of the National Programme of Social Economy Development with regard to education activities which are to support the development strategy of the social economy in Poland.

Read full text here: The Meaning of Education to the Development Strategies of Social Economy Enterprises

Educational Materials | English

Materials from teh 7th EMES International Conference are available online

September 27, 2019

EMES is a research network of established university research centres and individual researchers whose goal has been so far to gradually build up an international corpus of theoretical and empirical knowledge, pluralistic in disciplines and methodologies, around our Social Enterprise concepts: social enterprise, social entrepreneurship, social economy, solidarity economy and social innovation.

The 7th EMES Conference took place on July 24-27th 2019. Here is take on the findings from the conference by one of the participants:

Serving as a United States delegate at the 7^th EMES International Research Conference on Social Enterprise in Sheffield, England this July gave me the amazing opportunity to learn more about social enterprises in other geographic contexts.

My own research focuses on how social enterprises are addressing social problems, how they generate revenue, and the legal structure they operate under in the United States. Thus, while this conference was not my first engagement in EMES, the conference presentations and visits gave me a wealth of knowledge and connections with social enterprise scholars from all over the world.

Here are some things that I have learned from the experience:

The future of social enterprises and the social enterprise ecosystem are optimistic. Countries around the world are doing a diversity of work in this burgeoning field. It was exciting to meet scholars from England, South Africa, Ireland, Lithuania, Korea, and more countries. These scholars are developing academic programs, serving on social enterprise advisory boards, using their research to foster national policy and more. It was intriguing to see that while we share a common focus on social enterprise, the way that we go about doing our work is different and thus has different implications for our national and local communities.
Mapping initiatives aimed at tracking the growth of social enterprises at the national level are growing. Countries such as Australia, Canada, and Scotland all have benefited from capturing the growth of their social enterprise sectors. Benefits include the establishment of government-social enterprise procurement relationships (government commitments to purchase social enterprise supplies), the development of new research studies, and the creation of entrepreneurial support organizations that provide operational and leadership training opportunities for social entrepreneurs. On a personal level, this helped me to better understand the reach and impact that I could have with Weaver’s Social Enterprise Directory, a social enterprise directory that I created in 2018 to help track the growth of social enterprises in the Unites States. The more our social enterprise sector grows, the better it is to capture that growth. In doing so, we can identify, support, and make use of the diversity of opportunities that stem from it.
On a similar note, the United States has one of the highest rates of social enterprises in the world. However, we lack a unified governmental commitment to advancing the sector. The Social Innovation Fund was created by the Obama Administration in 2009 to fund projects that find new solutions to solving social problems (which may or may not include social enterprises). However, the fund has recently been dissolved. At the state-level, various states have enacted legal structures (e.g. Benefit Corporation) that aid social enterprises in achieving their social and economic goals. Some states (e.g. New Jersey) even have funding programs for kickstarting social ventures. However, without a national commitment to financially back competitive research, new ventures, and new supports for the field, the United States social enterprise sector is not making the best use of its potential. Seeing the commitment that other nations have made to their social enterprise sectors inspires me to be a driving force for change in this area in the United States.

Overall, I left the conference feeling like there is an abundance of undiscovered and underemployed opportunities in this growing field. As such, I am enthusiastic about the future of social enterprise around the world. In regard to my own contribution to the field, the EMES International Research Conference on Social Enterprise left me motivated to take my work to the next level. In both my teaching and in my research, I see a variety of ways that I can help shape the field in the United States and beyond.

Rasheda L. Weaver, PhD is Assistant Professor at the Hynes Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Iona College (United States)

Abstracts of all presentations are available online:

https://7emesconf.exordo.com/programme/presentations

Educational Materials | English

EMES launched podcasts on Social Innovation and Social Entrepreneurship

September 27, 2019

EMES is a research network of established university research centres and individual researchers whose goal has been so far to gradually build up an international corpus of theoretical and empirical knowledge, pluralistic in disciplines and methodologies, around our “SE” concepts: social enterprise, social entrepreneurship, social economy, solidarity economy, and social innovation.

Podcasts have proven to be a unique tool for expanding knowledge about specific topics. Within the #EmpowerSE_EU Action, we are producing the #EmpowerSEpodcast series that offer a unique insight into the work that this large community of international researchers is achieving together (over 300 researchers have participated in the Action so far!).

Whether you are teaching, researching or raising awareness around #socialenterprise, #socialeconomy, #socialandsolidarityeconomy, #socialentrepreneurship this podcast is for you.

The first chapter of the series focus on the work carried out around the theoretical foundations of SE. Our researchers Jacques Defourny (BE), Melinda Mihály (HU) and Yulia Aray (RU) are the incredible researchers sharing their voice and knowledge on the topic with us. We thank them and all the #EmpowerSEcommunity for their enthusiasm and input.

Thanks to our podcast producer, Andrea Barbosa and the #EMESCoordinatioUnit

You can find the podcasts here:
http://www.empowerse.eu/result-categories/podcasts/

Blog | Educational Materials | English

Social enterprise learning materials from Visenet

September 22, 2019September 22, 2019

Ruralia Institute in Finland is currently working on a project, which aims to create social enterprise learning materials, guidance and networking. Visenet – Village social enterprise learning material, guidance and networking aims to (amongst others) enhance the ideas and methods to promote and support social entrepreneurship in rural areas by creating an open access digital learning material and opportunities for rural communities and people to foster the knowledge and awareness of the social enterprises. The project ends in June 2021.

Open access learning material

The project outcomes will include Open access learning material, International Network of Rural Social Enterprises and Practical Guidebook of Good Practices for supporting the development of social entrepreneurship (SE) in rural areas. Results of the project will be shared through disseminating outputs in the open access format. All products and materials will be available and accessible online to all who are interested in social entrepreneurship and community development.

The learning material is created in cooperation between strategic partnership of consortium based on the common consistency of good practices and experiences; and is divided to three thematic learning modules based on the practical needs of rural actors aiming to support the development of the rural social enterprises.

The learning modules

The learning modules will be:

1) Community Activation and Participation Methods in Rural Areas

2) Partnerships and Networking of Social Entrepreneurs

3) Social Enterprise Solutions for Sustaining Rural Communities and Measuring Social Impact.

Each module is based on good practices and experiences identified by consortium and will be tested in national pilot groups.

Visenet has a closed Facebook group. The group supports the networking and interaction of rural representatives of the ViSEnet-project. The purpose of this “ViSEnet Community” is to enhance the exchange of information, best practices and knowledge between project partners and as such to support social enterprises in rural areas.

Project partners:

University of Helsinki Ruralia Institute (coordinator), Finland
The Bucharest University of Economic Studies (ASE), Romania
Estonian University of Life Sciences (EMU), Estonia
Nürtingen-Geislingen University (NGU), Germany
Inspiralba, Scotland

More information:

Visenet Project

Project Newsletter – June 2019

Helsinki University Research Portal

Blog | Educational Materials | English | Library

Flow State – a social entrepreneur’s ideal mindset

September 6, 2019

Being in a flow state is the epitome of being in a state of being in the moment. Flow state is what I believe we’re all looking for when we’re fully engaged in something on our own or co-created with others. It’s when everything seems to perfectly come together when you, others and everything around you is in perfect harmony.

The flow state

The flow state is something when we’re engaged with an activity we feel absolutely in harmony with the said activity. To attain a flow state the activity would have some level of challenge, engagement and complete enjoyment or fulfilment. This is the goal for example in gaming; that developers attempt to mimic or create for the gamer. A degree of challenge (too little and you get bored and too much and you feel frustrated), complete focus on one’s attention, enjoyment (as it’s a game after all) and a relaxed state of mind.[1]

Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi [2], a flow state researcher notes the following on characteristics of flow state:

Completely involved in what we are doing – focused, concentrated.
A sense of ecstasy – of being outside everyday reality.
Great inner clarity – knowing what needs to be done, and how well we are doing.
Knowing that the activity is doable – that our skills are adequate to the task.
A sense of serenity – no worries about oneself, and a feeling of growing beyond the boundaries of the ego.
Timelessness – thoroughly focused on the present, hours seem to pass by in minutes.
Intrinsic motivation – whatever produces flow between its own reward.

I am sure there is something we have all participated in where we may have touched upon this sense of flow: it could be writing, cooking, gardening, painting or drawing, dancing or coding (if you’re a programmer), or as a social entrepreneur contributing to your project and its success. It’s when you’re so fully engaged with the process and focused on the task at hand, yet completely relaxed and positively enjoying what you’re doing. You often walk away from these experiences feeling uplifted; you have gained something from the experience.

State of flow with others: teamwork

It is a masterful art to create a team that can not only jam together, but can create a state of flow together; harmony. In those moments all are equal, and all are completely respected for what they have to offer the whole. Awareness of purpose of all members is the uniting force, for all passionately pursue it in their own respects and as a whole unit. Their values are the guiding force that deems what is OK and not OK, in the circle of co-creation. In the state of flow in a team, there is nothing needed to be discussed in these respects as each individual instinctively and intrinsically hold it as given (purpose and values). In Tuckman’s stages of group development the ultimate state is performing. But I dare say there is even more. It is harmony. It is as if as a whole, each person knows exactly what and when to contribute their part instinctively, they’re tuned into each other. They know, as with dancers, what the next step is, without having previously rehearsed. It just… flows.

Flow state inspires creativity

Ever been stuck and looking for inspiration? That usually implies you’re not in the flow. Flow can happen in your daily life, when people and situations just naturally come together. You couldn’t in those circumstances have planned it better, even if you tried. And that’s the point, you didn’t plan, you flowed. You allowed it to unfold and were open to the experience. Creativity is unplanned, unexpected. It is stimulated when we step out of the ‘usual’. Letting our life and experiences talk to us, in serendipitous occurrences.

Flow state is mastery. And none of us, not that I know of, can say they’re in it all the time. But I have have observed that people who do what they love and love what they do, more often step into the flow than those who don’t. Flow is one of those gifts we receive, when we step into the unexpected and allow ourselves to be vulnerable: to be open to the unknown, to experience and just “go with the flow”. I have never met anyone in a state of flow who regretted it. It’s highly recommended, and something we (me included) can all learn to cultivate a bit more in our daily lives, alone or with others.

How to attain a flow state ( an experiment)

Flow state is best discovered in a group environment. And the easiest and most available I have found is through music: a good old jamming session. You would require a few members who are musically in tune and have the skills. They would provide the base or continual movement. Other’s more novel to the experience would join in at moments when they feel they want to add into the song: be it a different octave vocally, hands clapping on the table, cups or spoons. To feel the state, it requires a bit of letting go, and going with the flow.

References

[1] Jon Radoff in Game On: Eneregize Your Business with Social Media Games discusses a section on flow state.

[2] TED Talk: Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi: Flow, the secret to happiness

Photo by Owen Hartley on Unsplash

Educational Materials | Library | News | Uncategorized

Educational module “Social entrepreneur’s competencies and mindset”

August 25, 2019September 29, 2019

In August this year, Social innovation center from Latvia are completing a two-year project with the support of Nordplus Adult Education Program “Boosting Key Mindset for Successful Social Business Development”, which is being implemented with partners from Lithuania and Sweden.

The main objective of this project was to study the existing mindset and competency situation and to develop a new educational module to stimulate the development of the social entrepreneur’s thinking and core competencies: self-initiative, leadership and involvement in social and economic processes.

The study involved social entrepreneurs from all partner countries, namely Latvia, Lithuania and Sweden. The results of the study can be found in the “Report on Key Elements of Thinking in the Development of Social Entrepreneurship”, available only in English here.

A summary of the study results is presented in the infographic.

Based on the research results, a training module “Social Entrepreneurial Skills and Mindset” has been developed. The training module is primarily intended for adult trainers, social entrepreneurs and individuals who want to become one. A module with effective adult learning techniques provides an opportunity to evaluate and identify the personal skills needed to solve social problems. The training module is created by cooperation of internationally experienced organizations from Latvia, Lithuania and Sweden in the field of adult education.

Target group:

– Adult learning managers who can assess someone’s skills or assist in the assessment process;

– People who see social problems and want to solve them using the business model;

– Social entrepreneurs who want to test their skills from time to time.

You can use the training module by downloading it in English: please download the full educational module description here.

You can use module as web based online open education resource:

in Latvian: APMĀCĪBU MODULIS Sociālā uzņēmēja prasmes un domāšanas veids

in Lithuanian: MOKYMO MODULIS Socialinių verslininkų kompetencija ir mąstysena

in Swedish: UTBILDNINGS MODUL Kompetenser och tänkesätt för sociala företagare

Partners:
Social innovation centre: Latvia
Nordic Association for Social Innovation: Sweden
Skudutiskis academy: Lithuania

This material is part of the project “Boosting key mindset elements for successful social business development”, co-financed by Nordplus programm “Nordplus Adult”, project identification number NPAD-2017/10203.
Responsible for the content solely publisher/presenter; it does not reflect the views of Danish Agency for Science and Higher education, the Administrator of Nordplus and any related financial body. Those institutions do not bear responsibility for the information set out in the material.

APMĀCĪBU MODULIS Sociālā uzņēmēja prasmes un domāšanas veids

August 25, 2019September 28, 2019

Uzņēmējdarbība, pielietojot inovācijas ar mērķi veicināt ekonomisko izaugsmi, darbojas kā pasaules dzinējspēks. Iepretim sociālie uzņēmēji, atpazīstot sociālu problēmu un tās risināšanai pielietojot uzņēmējdarbības principus, tiecas radīt, organizēt un pārvaldīt pārmaiņas sabiedrībā. Tomēr bez atbilstošām spējām un prasmēm tiem, kas vēlas kļūt par sociālajiem uzņēmējiem, ir apgrūtinoši risnāt sociālas problēmas un sasniegt savus mērķus.

Šis mācību modulis, galvenokārt, paredzēts pieaaugušo apmācību vadītājiem, sociālajiem uzņēmējiem un personām, kuras par tādiem vēlas kļūt. Modulis ar efektīvu pieaaugušo apmācības tehniku sniedz iespēju izvērtēt un noteikt personīgās prasmes, kuras nepieciešamas sociālu problēmu risināšanai.

Apmācību modulis izveidots, sadarbojoties pieaugušo izglītības jomā starptautiski pieredzējušām organizācijām no Latvijas, Lietuvas un Zviedrijas.

Tas tapis NORDPLUS programas projektā “Sociālās uzņēmējdarbības izaugsmei būtiska domāšanas veida stiprināšana”, iesaistoties trīs partnerorganizācijām – Sociālās inovācijas centrs (Latvija), Nordic Association for Social Innovation (Zviedrija) un Skudutiskis academy (Lietuva).

MODUĻA Sociālā uzņēmēja prasmes un domāšanas veids APRAKSTS

Apmācību programmā jānodrošina: Lai nodrošinātu veiksmīgu sociālā uzņēmēja prasmju novērtēšanu, pieaugušo apmācību vadītājiem jāpiemīt atbilstošām spējām, lai mācību laikā varētu atbalstīt un asistēt rezultātu apkopošanā, kā arī, ja nepieciešams, to izvērtēšanā.

Mācīšanās filozofija: Balstoties vērtībās:

1. Sadarbība un koleģialitāte;

2. Vienlīdzība, kompetence un iekļaušana mācību aktivitātes;

3. Dalībnieka individualitāte, autonomija, uzsverot mācību aktivitātes;

4. Dalībnieks ir reflektējošs praktizētājs;

5. Uzsvars uz dalībnieku zināšanu uzlabošanu, kā arī prasmju un spēju attīstību.

Ilgums: 12 stundas

Mērķis: Nodrošināt pieaugušo izglītotājiem papildu zināšanas un līdzekļus, kas palīdzētu novērtēt un attīstīt sociālajiem uzņēmējiem vajadzīgās prasmes.

Mērķauditorija:

– Pieaugušo apmācību vadītāji, kuri var novērtēt kādas personas prasmes vai var palīdzēt to vērtēšanas procesā;

– Cilvēki, kuri saskata sociālas problēmas un vēlas tās risināt, pielietojot uzņēmējdarbības modeli;

– Sociālie uzņēmēji, kuri laiku pa laikam vēlas pārbaudīt savas prasmes.

Prasības apmācību vadītājiem:

Augstākā izglītība; Zināšanas par attiecīgo jomu; Pieredze, zināšanas un prasmes pieaugušo izglītošanā; Atbilstošas prasmes, attieksme un vērtības, kas balstītas uz cilvēka pašnoteikšanos, savstarpēju cieņu, kā arī atbildību par savu rīcību.

Apmācībām nepieciešamie resursi: Telpām jābūt dalībnieku skaitam atbilstošām un jāpieļauj iespēja strādāt grupās. Dators, projektors, tāfele vai molberts ar papīra lapām, katram dalībniekam nepieciešamie kancelejas materiāli, kā arī iespēja atskaņot mūziku, piekļuve spēcīgam interneta savienojumam.

Mācību metodes: PowerPoint prezentācijas, individuāls darbs un uzdevumi, kā arī darbs grupās, novērtēšana, t.sk. dažādu veidu aptaujas.

Dalībnieku attīstītās prasmes: Prasmju novērtēšana, pašnovērtējums – spēja novērtēt personas, kuras vēlas uzsāks sociālo uzņēmējdarbību vai novērtēt sociālā uzņēmēja prasmes.

Izvērtējums: Apmācību laikā gūtās zināšanas ļaus dalībniekiem pašiem novērtēt savas prasmes. Pieaugušo apmācību vadītājiem jāspēj noteikt, cik labi dalībnieki izprot tematu, novērtēt to aktivitāti mācību laikā, kā arī iesaistīt grupu diskusijās un sekmēt līdzdalību praktiskajos semināros.

TEMATISKAIS CEĻVEDIS

	Nodaļa	Teorija	Prakse
1.	Iepazīšanās ar apmācību moduli		1
1.1.	Mācību atmosfēras radīšana, prezentācijas, sasniedzamais rezultāts, noteikumi, saliedēšanās
1.2.	Apmācību programmas tematiskais ceļvedis
2.	Sociālā uzņēmēja aktivitāšu un prasmju koncepts	1	2
2.1.	Sociālā uzņēmēja lomas analīze
2.2.	Sociālā uzņēmēja vajadzības un to nozīmīgums
3.	Sociālā uzņēmēja prasmju novērtējums/ pašnovērtējums	1	3
3.1.	Sociālā uzņēmēja SVID
3.2.	SVID analīzes kopsavilkums
3.3.	SVID un sociālās ietekmes korelācija
4.	Personīgo prasmju pašnovērtējums un personīgās izaugsmes plāna izstrāde	1	2
4.1.	Sociālo uzņēmēju prasmes novērtēšanas/ pašnovērtēšanas metode.
4.2.	Sociālā uzņēmēja personīgā attīstības plāna sagatavošana.
5.	Apmācību moduļa kopsavlikums		1
5.1.	Atgriezeniskā saite “Zelta izteicieni par sociālo uzņēmēju“
5.2.	Apmācību kopsavilkums, sertifikāts, atvadīšanās.
	KOPĀ	3	9
	KOPĀ	12

Katra tematiskā ceļveža sadaļa aizved uz atsevišķu sadaļu, kurā pieejams sadaļas satura izklāsts un izmantojamie materiāli

1.Iepazīšanās ar apmācību moduli
1.1.Mācību atmosfēras radīšana, prezentācijas, sasniedzamais rezultāts, noteikumi, saliedēšanās

1.2.Apmācību programmas tematiskais ceļvedis

2.Sociālā uzņēmēja aktivitāšu un prasmju koncepts

2.1.Sociālā uzņēmēja lomas analīze

2.2.Sociālā uzņēmēja vajadzības un to nozīmīgums

3.Sociālā uzņēmēja prasmju novērtējums/ pašnovērtējums

3.1.Sociālā uzņēmēja SVID

3.2.SVID analīzes kopsavilkums

3.3.SVID un sociālās ietekmes korelācija

4.Personīgo prasmju pašnovērtējums un personīgās izaugsmes plāna izstrāde

4.1.Sociālo uzņēmēju prasmes novērtēšanas/ pašnovērtēšanas metode

4.2.Sociālā uzņēmēja personīgā attīstības plāna sagatavošana

5.Apmācību moduļa kopsavilkums

5.1.Atgriezeniskā saite “Zelta izteicieni par sociālo uzņēmēju“

5.2.Apmācību kopsavilkums, sertifikāts, atvadīšanās

6.Pielikumi, veidlapas, prezentācijas

Pilnu apmācību moduļa aprakstu PDF formātā variet lejupielādēt šeit

Šis materiāls tapis projekta “Sociālās uzņēmējdarbības izaugsmei būtiska domāšanas veida stiprināšana” NPAD -2017/10203 ietvaros ar Nordplus Adult programmas finansiālu atbalstu. Par publikācijas saturu atbild projekta vadītājs un tas ne vienmēr atspoguļo Nordplus vai citu finansiāla atbalsta sniedzēju un ieinteresēto pušu viedokli.

Educational Materials | Educational Module | Library | Swedish

UTBILDNINGS MODUL Kompetenser och tänkesätt för sociala företagare

August 25, 2019

Företagare i näringslivet fungerar som motorer för tillväxt, genom att utnyttja innovation som bränsle för deras ekonomiska tillväxt. Sociala entreprenörer däremot är individer som känner igen ett socialt problem och använder sina entreprenöriella principer till att organisera, skapa och hantera en satsning för att göra social förändring. Utan färdigigheter och relevanta kompetenser är det dock svårt för dem som vill bli en social entreprenör att uppnå sina mål för att kunna lösa sociala problem.

Denna utbildningsmodul riktar sig främst till vuxna utbildare, sociala entreprenörer och personer som vill tillhöra den sociala sektorn. Modulen „utbildning av effektiva tekniker“ är en vuxenutbildning som presenterar möjligheten till att testa förmågan samt utvärdera personlig kompetens vilken behövs för att kunna fastställa de mål som krävs för att kunna lösa sociala problem.

I detta projekt så ingår tre stycken projekt partners – tre organisationer (LV,LT, SE) som alla har transnationell erfarenhet, alla är erfarna att arbeta med utbildningar inom vuxenutbildning och har ett stort nätverk inom området för vuxenutbildning genom att samla resurser samt är en viktig arena för utbyten i vuxnas lärande.

Denna ubildningsmodul för vuxna har tagits fram I samråd mellan dessa tre partners ((Social innovation center -LV, Skudutiskis academy (SkA)- LT, Nordic Association for Social Innovation (SE-NordicASI)-SE) inom ramverket för NORDPLUS projektet “Framgångsrik utveckling av sociala företag.

Beskrivning av utbildningsprogrammet Kompetenser och tänkesätt för sociala företagare

Kravbild utbildnings program: För att kunna säkerställa och framgångsrikt bedöma kompetensen hos sociala företagare så måste vuxen utbildaren ha lämpliga färdigheter för att kunna stödja metoder som bedömningar, resultat och kunna betygsätta dem på rätt sätt om det behövs.

Utbildning/ inlärnings filosofi: Baserat på värderingar:

samarbete och kollegialitet;
jämställdhet, kompetens och delaktighet i lärande;
deltagares individualitet, autonomi och betoning på lärande;
deltagare är en reflekterande praktiker;
Betoning av deltagarnas kunskaper, förmågor, kunskaper, förbättring och utveckling.

Tidsåtgång: 12 timmar

Mål: Att kunna erbjuda vuxna utbildare med ytterligare kunskaper och färdigheter som gör det möjligt för att bedöma sociala entreprenörers kompetenser.

Grupp mål:

Vuxna utbildare som kan bedöma någons kompetenser eller kan hjälpa i bedömningsprocessen;
Människor som ser sociala problem och använda affärskompetens till att lösa detta problem;
Sociala entreprenörer som emellanåt vill kontrollera deras kompetenser.

Krav på utbildare:

Utbildaren skall ha högre utbildning.
Utbildaren skall ha kunskaper som motsvarar det relevanta ämnet;
Dokumenterad erfarenhet som visar kunskap, kompetens och vana i att arbeta med vuxenutbildning.
Lämpliga personliga färdigheter, attityder och värderingar, baserat på respekt för mänsklig värdighet och självbestämmande, ansvar för sina handlingar.

Resurser, verktyg som behövs för att nå resultat i utbildningsprocessen: Lokaler måste kunna matcha antalet elever samt ha möjligheter för elever till att kunna arbeta i grupper. Datorer, bildspel projektor, skrivare eller ha tillgång till stora pappersark, anteckningsblock och penna för varje elever, möjlighet att använda musik, bra tillgång till internet.

Utbildnings metodik: Power-point presentationer, uppgifter för grupparbete, uppgifter för individuellt arbete, utvärdering av inlämningsuppgifter, olika frågeformulär.

Kompetens utveckling hos deltagare: Kompetensutvärdering, självutvärdering, möjlighet att kunna bedöma kompetens av personer som vill påbörja en socialt engagerad rörelse eller utveckla andra sociala entrepenörers kompetens.

Utvärdering: Den kunskap som erhållits under utbildningen hjälper eleverna till att kunna utvärdera och själva bedöma behövlig kompetens. Vuxen utbildaren skall kunna bedöma hur eleverna förstår motivet, elevens medverkan i aktiviteterna under kursens hela inlärningsprocess samt elevens deltagande i gruppdiskussioner och praktiska uppgifter.

Tematisk plan

	Ämne	Teori	Praktik
1.	Introduktion till utbildningsmodul		1
1.1.	Skapande av presentationer ibland deltagarna, regler, förväntningar, känslomässig miljö, „isbrytare“
1.2.	Presentation av utbildnings program
2.	Utveckling av sociala entreprenörers verksamheter och kompetenser	1	2
2.1.	Sociala företagares rollanalys
2.2.	Sociala entreprenörers behov och behovs betydelse
3.	Bedömning / självutvärdering av sociala företagares kompetenser	1	3
3.1.	Socialt företagande SWOT
3.2.	Summering av SWOT analys
3.3.	SWOT analysens relation/korrelation med sociala konsekvenser
4.	Självutvärdering av personliga kompetenser och utvecklingen av personlig förbättrings plan	1	2
4.1.	Bedömning/självutvärderings metod för sociala företagarens kompetenser
4.2.	Beredning av sociala företagares personliga utvecklingsplan
5.	Summering av utbildnings modul		1
5.1.	Reflektioner runt ‘Färgade tankar om inlärning av en social entreprenör’
5.2.	Sammanfattning av utbildning, certifiering, kursavslutning
	TOTAL	3	9
	TOTAL	12

varje avsnitt i den tematiska guiden tar dig till ett separat avsnitt som innehåller avsnittets innehåll och material att använda

1.Introduktion till utbildningsmodul

1.1.Skapande av presentationer ibland deltagarna, regler, förväntningar, känslomässig miljö, „isbrytare“

1.2.Presentation av utbildnings program

2.Utveckling av sociala entreprenörers verksamheter och kompetenser

2.1.Sociala företagares rollanalys

2.2.Sociala entreprenörers behov och behovs betydelse

3.Bedömning / självutvärdering av sociala företagares kompetenser

3.1.Socialt företagande SWOT

3.2.Summering av SWOT analys

3.3.SWOT analysens relation/korrelation med sociala konsekvenser

4.Självutvärdering av personliga kompetenser och utvecklingen av personlig förbättrings plan

4.1.Bedömning/självutvärderings metod för sociala företagarens kompetenser

4.2.Beredning av sociala företagares personliga utvecklingsplan

5.Summering av utbildnings modul

5.1.Reflektioner runt ‘Färgade tankar om inlärning av en social entreprenör’

5.2.Sammanfattning av utbildning, certifiering, kursavslutning

6. Bilagor, formulär, presentationer

Den fullständiga PDF-beskrivningen av utbildningsmodulen kan laddas ner här

Detta projekt har finansierats med hjälp ifrån Nordplus programmet. Projektet återger endast projektmedarbetarnas åsikter. Nordplus programmet kan inte hållas ansvarigt för hur innehållet i denna information används eller tolkas. Projekt ID NPAD -2017/10203.

Educational Materials | Educational Module | Library | Lithuanian

MOKYMO MODULIS Socialinių verslininkų kompetencija ir mąstysena

August 25, 2019

Verslininkai biznio pasaulyje veikia kaip varikliai, panaudodami inovacijas, kurios skatina ekonominę pažangą. Nors socialiniai verslininkai yra asmenys, kurie pripažįsta socialinę problemą ir naudojasi verslumo principais, kurdami ir valdydami socialinius pokyčius, tačiau be įgūdžių ir atitinkamų kompetencijų tiems, kurie nori tapti socialiniu verslininku, sunku pasiekti savo tikslus sprendžiant socialinę problemą.

Šis mokymo modulis skirtas daugiausia suaugusiųjų mokytojams, socialiniams verslininkams ir asmenims, norintiems tapti tokiais. Mokymo modulis, skirtas efektyviam suaugusiųjų mokymo metodui, suteikia galimybę išbandyti gebėjimą įvertinti asmenines kompetencijas, kurios reikalingos sprendžiant socialines problemas.

Projekto partneriai – trys tarptautinės patirties turinčios organizacijos (LV, LT, SE), dirbančios suaugusiųjų mokymo srityje, sutelkdamos išteklius, yra svarbi suaugusiųjų mokymo metodų kaitos platforma.

Šį bendrą suaugusiųjų mokymo modulį atliko trys partneriai ((Socialinių inovacijų centras -LV, Skudutiškio akademija (LT) – LT, Šiaurės šalių socialinės inovacijų asociacija (SE-NordicASI) -SE) pagal „NORDPUS“ projekto projektą „ Svarbiausių mąstysenos elementų skatinimas sėkmingam socialinio verslo vystymui “

MOKYMO MODULIO Socialinių verslininkų kompetencija ir mąstysena APRAŠYMAS

Poreikis: Siekiant užtikrinti sėkmingą socialinių verslininkų kompetencijų vertinimą, andragogai turi turėti reikiamų įgūdžių, kad sugebėtų padėti, ir jei reikia, gebėti rezultatus įvertinti teisingai.

Mokymo / mokymosi filosofija: Remiasi:

Bendradarbiavimas ir kolegialumas;
Lygybė, kompetencija ir įtrauktis į mokymosi veiklą;
Dalyvio individualumas, savarankiškumas ir dėmesys mokymosi veiklai;
Dalyvis yra reflektuojantis;
Dalyvio įgūdžių, gebėjimų ir žinių tobulinimo akcentavimas.

Trukmė: 12 valandų

Tikslas: Suteikti andragogams papildomų žinių ir įgūdžių, kurie leistų įvertinti socialinių verslininkų kompetencijas.

Tikslinės grupės:

andragogai, kurie gali įvertinti žmogaus kompetenciją arba gali padėti vertinti;
žmonės, kurie mato socialines problemas ir naudodamiesi verslo įgūdžiais, nori išspręsti šias problemas;
socialiniai verslininkai norintys pasitikrinti savo kompetencijas.

Reikalavimai mokytojams: Aukštasis išsilavinimas; Patirtis, žinios ir įgūdžiaisuaugusiųjų švietimo darbe, dalyko žinios. Tinkami asmeniniai įgūdžiai, nuostatos ir vertybės, grindžiamos pagarba žmogaus orumui ir apsisprendimui, atsakomybė už jų veiksmus.

Mokymo procesui reikalingi ištekliai: Patalpos turi atitikti klausytojų skaičių ir turėti galimybę dirbti grupėse. Kompiuteris, skaidrių demonstravimo projektorius, rašymo lenta su dideliais popieriaus lapais, rašimo reikmenys kiekvienam klausytojui, galimybė naudotis muzika, gera interneto prieiga.

Mokymo metodai: Medžiagos pristatymai, darbas grupėse, individualios užduotys, vertinimas, skirtingi klausimynai.

Dalyvio įgyti gebėjimai: Kompetencijų vertinimas/ savęs įsivertinimas – gebėjimas vertinti asmens, norinčio pradėti socialinį verslą ar įvertinti socialinio verslininko turimas kompetencijas.

Vertinimas: Mokymo metu įgytos žinios padės dalyviams įvertinti kompetencijas. Andragogai turėtų sugebėti įvertinti, kaip besimokantieji supranta dalyką, besimokančiojo veiklą visą mokymosi procesą.

TEMINIS PLANAS

	Temos	Teorija	Praktika
1.	Įvadas į mokymo modulį		1
1.1.	Emocinės aplinkos sukūrimas. Lūkesčiai, taisyklės.
1.2.	Mokymo modulio pristatymas.
2.	Socialinių verslininkų veiklos ir kompetencijų samprata.	1	2
2.1.	Socialinių verslininkų vaidmens analizė.
2.2.	Socialinio verslininko poreikiai ir jų svarba.
3.	Socialinių verslininkų kompetencijų vertinimas/įsivertinimas.	1	3
3.1.	Socialinio verslo SSGG
3.2.	SSGG analizės apibendrinimas
3.3.	SSGG koreliacija su socialiniu poveikiu
4.	Asmeninių kompetencijų vertinimas ir asmeninio tobulinimosi plano rengimas	1	2
4.1.	Socialinio verslininko kompetencijų vertinimo/ įsivertinimo metodas.
4.2.	Socialinio verslininko asmeninio tobulėjimo plano rengimas.
5.	Mokymo modulio apibendrinimas		1
5.1.	Refleksija „Spalvingos mintys apie socialinio verslininko mokymąsi“.
5.2.	Mokymo apžvalga, sertifikatas, atsisveikinimas
	VISO	3	9
	VISO	12

Kiekviename teminio vadovo skyriuje pateksite į atskirą skyrių, kuriame yra skyriaus turinys ir medžiaga, kurią reikia naudoti

1.Įvadas į mokymo modulį

1.1.Emocinės aplinkos sukūrimas. Lūkesčiai, taisyklės

1.2.Mokymo modulio pristatymas

2.Socialinių verslininkų veiklos ir kompetencijų samprata

2.1.Socialinių verslininkų vaidmens analizė

2.2.Socialinio verslininko poreikiai ir jų svarba

3.Socialinių verslininkų kompetencijų vertinimas/įsivertinimas

3.1.Socialinio verslo SSGG

3.2.SSGG analizės apibendrinimas

3.3.SSGG koreliacija su socialiniu poveikiu

4.Asmeninių kompetencijų vertinimas ir asmeninio tobulinimosi plano rengimas

4.1. Socialinio verslininko kompetencijų vertinimo/įsivertinimo metodas

4.2.Socialinio verslininko asmeninio tobulėjimo plano rengimas

5.Mokymo modulio apibendrinimas

5.1.Refleksija „Spalvingos mintys apie socialinio verslininko mokymąsi“

5.2.Mokymo apžvalga, sertifikatas, atsisveikinimas

6.Priedai, formos, pristatymai

Visą mokymo modulio aprašymą PDF formatu galite atsisiųsti čia

Šis projektas finansuojamas pagal „Nordplus“ programą. Projektas atspindi tik projekto partnerių požiūrį, o „Nordplus“ programa negali būti laikoma atsakinga už bet kokį jame pateiktos informacijos naudojimą. Prjektas ID NPAD -2017/10203.

Educational Materials | Library | Swedish

Alla pratar om det, men få gör det

July 29, 2019

Om Mötesplats Social Innovation

Mötesplats Social Innovation är den samlande nationella kunskapsnoden för social innovation och socialt entreprenörskap. Vår främsta uppgift är att aktivt följa vad som händer inom fältet, både i Sverige och internationellt och se till att kunskap och erfarenheter utvecklas, delas och kommer till användning. Tillsammans med akademi, näringsliv, off entliga och ideella aktörer bygger vi kapacitet för innovation som möter samhällsutmaningar.

Den här handboken är tänkt som en steg-för-steg-guide till den person som ansvarar för påverkansmätningar i din organisation. Alla sociala företag och entreprenörer som vi har samarbetat med betonar vikten av att det finns en särskild eller specifik person som ansvarar för att mäta påverkan och resultat. Detta är lika viktigt som att det finns en revisor i ett vanligt företag, eftersom nyckeltalen för ditt arbete finns i påverkansmätningarna, kanske i större utsträckning än i balansräkningen. En annan aspekt som våra entreprenörer påpekat är att den personen dock inte ska vara ensam i det arbetet. Det är extremt viktigt att hela gruppen integreras i processen och känner att de gemensamt äger och ansvarar för mätningarna. Det hela är en samarbetande och kreativ process.

Ladda ner manualen här

I takt med att intresset för social innovation, socialt entreprenörskap och socialt företagande växer, ökar också kraven på att dessa aktörer ska kunna visa på nyttan av och det värde som skapas genom deras arbete. På så vis är det enklare för finansiärer, såväl privata som offentliga, att välja vad de ska investera i och följa utvecklingen.
Det finns såklart både för- och nackdelar med detta.
Att mäta kan driva kvalitet och ge bättre fokus på målet. Genom att tydliggöra effekterna är det lättare att få finansiering.
Å andra sidan, mätning och utvärdering kan vara en komplicerad process för en enskild entreprenör med begränsade resurser. Och i ett större perspektiv, vad händer i ett samhälle där kraven på mätbarhet hela tiden ökar? Ska man verkligen mäta allt?
Med den här handboken vill vi ge en introduktion till ämnet effektmätning, med såväl de möjligheter som utmaningar det innebär. Vi börjar med att djupdyka in i effektmätningens olika beståndsdelar, genom intervjuer med och analys av sociala entreprenörer och intermediärer som är tongivande då det gäller effektmätning. Avslutningsvis ger vi en mer övergripande bild av området och hur trenderna ser ut i samhället då det gäller utvärdering och effektmätning och tittar närmare på exemplet deltagarbaserad forskning och hur det utvärderas.
Mer utförliga beskrivningar av de sociala entreprenörerna i handboken finns att ta del av i slutet av denna skrift.
Den här handboken riktar sig inte bara till sociala entreprenörer, utan till alla som på olika sätt är intresserade av att lära sig mer om det här växande fältet. Genom att låta intermediärer och entreprenörer dela med sig av sin erfarenhet och sina metoder hoppas vi att ni som läser boken kan inspireras och finna något som passar just er.

Erika Augustinsson,
Redaktör, Mötesplats Social Innovation

Educational Materials

Engaging citizens in the social innovation

June 4, 2019

When launching a social business or a social innovation project, there are several different aspects that should be taken into consideration. Among various practical things such as the right time, location and funding, the social innovator should always seek for another very important aspect – participation and engagement of the community. Social business or other social innovation ideas are usually born when facing a certain societal issue or challenge, therefore engaging the local community in different phases of the business or social project is not only important – it is crucial.

A European research report “Engaging Citizens in Social Innovation: A short guide to the research for policymakers and practitioners” suggests different ways how to engage citizens in social innovation. At the first stages of the innovation or launching of the business, citizen involvement can be very valuable for the purposes of “informing about the present states” – providing information regarding their needs and challenges that they are experiencing at the moment. This information and opinion gathering can take different forms – research and consultations, practical workshops or online activities. The opinions and experiences of the community members can be very valuable also when developing future solutions – through such activities as idea camps or competitions people can help to create better solutions for social innovation projects or social businesses.

The research report indicates three main ways of how citizens can be engaged in social innovation processes. Providing information and resources is one of those approaches. As previously stated, the opinions and experiences of the citizens are very important throughout all the phases of social innovation projects – either by helping to define the main challenges and needs or in later phases when evaluation and feedback of the involved people is of very high importance. This category also involves providing resources – not only time but also money. Local people can get engaged in the social innovation projects by volunteering or donations – therefore providing very practical support for social innovation. The second way how to engage the local community is through problem-solving which essentially means engaging groups of people in the development processes. Involving people with different backgrounds can be very beneficial to a social initiative as it helps to make it valuable and useful for a variety of social groups in the local community. Engaging in the problem solving also means involving people who are facing specific challenges that the social initiative or business is trying to tackle – when those initiatives are not done for the people but are done with the people. The third approach to engage citizens in social innovation is through taking and influencing decisions. This form of engagement is more consistent and requires continuous involvement and cooperation with the people rather than just taking part in events or workshops. Through this approach, the community is given quite a significant power in decision making. A very good example of this approach is participatory budgeting when the local community is given the power to decide on the spending of a certain part of the municipal budget.

There are many reasons why to strive to engage the community in the social innovation processes. First of all, sometimes the people who are planning to launch the business or the social initiative are not very well informed about the actual desires and needs in society. Asking them to engage and share their thoughts and actual every-day challenges may render the social initiative a lot more useful, valuable and legitimate. Moreover, engaging citizens through workshops and competitions can lead to new innovative ideas as often the local people themselves are full of genius ideas on how to solve the challenges that the community is facing. Involving community members often means cooperating and finding common solutions with people with completely different opinions, experiences, and viewpoints. This diversity of approaches can help to develop the social business or social initiative further and make it more appealing to various groups of society.

Read the full research and also a few interesting case studies here: https://youngfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Engagign-citizens-in-social-inno.pdf

(Davies, A and Simon, J, (2013). Engaging Citizens in Social Innovation: A short guide to the research for policy makers and practitioners. A deliverable of the project: “The theoretical, empirical and policy foundations for building social innovation in Europe” (TEPSIE), European Commission – 7 th Framework Programme, Brussels: European Commission, DG Research.)

Blog | Educational Materials | English | Impact Measurement Methodology

Ten Reasons Not to Measure Impact—and What to Do Instead

April 15, 2019

It’s important for every social enterprise – especially the small ones with fewer resources to place their focus on right things. Making impact happen.

10 Reasons Not to Measure Impact – and What to Do Instad provides a thought-provoking ideas and an important learning – the side in impact measurement that’s still very rarely talked about. Why might impact measurement not be the appropriate focus at all times, all situations?

Read carefully, the article provides insight on how to focus on making decisions and actually create a culture of making impact happen – instead of pausing to measure too many or not-relevant things – and not having enough focus on the doing. It also provides practical examples of how this focus can be made more clear – which type of questions to ask and how to make them relevant.

(Illustration by Davor Pavelic, from the original article)

Educational Materials | News

New report on youth entrepreneurship in Baltic Sea Region countries

March 5, 2019September 3, 2019

Project “Entrepreneurial mindset development within youth sector” (ENT-MIND) was started in September 2017. The main objective of the project was to research the available support and existing culture of entrepreneurial mindset among young people in the Baltic Sea Region countries and propose new methodologies and relevant tools that would contribute to development of entrepreneurial mindset of youth. Now the work in this project has been finished and the main project output – report “Entrepreneurial mindset development within youth sector. Current and future trends for an entrepreneurial society” is available for everyone who is interested in this in-depth analysis of the current situation of the Baltic Sea Region countries.

Report looks into the specifics of each country by providing general overview of entrepreneurial activities and support organizations in five Baltic Sea Region countries: Sweden, Finland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. The analysis of this report was conducted using the content analysis method by assessing the available documents and reports in each country. Moreover, in order to provide more elaborate overview, each project partner conducted an online questionnaire for young people with the aim to get youngsters’ opinion on such aspects as entrepreneurial mindset perception and personal attributes to become an entrepreneur as well as their opinion on the level of support that the specific country provides in the field of youth entrepreneurship development. Data collected from the questionnaires is applied in the analysis of the existing situation within partner countries and serves as a good method to display the views of the target group of this project – young people. Report also indicates the success stories by describing initiatives undertaken by young people in various fields of entrepreneurship – digital technology, finance, e-commerce, food production and many others. Analysis of this report concludes with the overview of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and possible threats regarding the overall entrepreneurial mindset and available support in the five Baltic Sea Region countries, indicating that there are great deal of initiatives undertaken in all partner countries in this field, however more support and, what is very important – more sustainability of the efforts is needed in order to ensure consistent development of youth entrepreneurship in the Baltic Sea Region.

Click here to download full report in English:Entrepreneurial mindset development within youth sector. Current and future trends for an entrepreneurial society

Project ENT-MIND and work for the report “Entrepreneurial mindset development within youth sector. Current and future trends for an entrepreneurial society” was lead by South-Eastern University of Applied Sciences from Finland in cooperation with Social Innovation Centre and Latvijas Jauno uzņēmēju centrs “Jobs&Society” from Latvia, Inovacijų biuras from Lithuania and Nordic Association for Social Innovation from Sweden.

Source: http://socialinnovation.lv/en/new-report-on-youth-entrepreneurship-in-baltic-sea-region-countries/

Educational Materials | English | Library | Polish | Support for SocEnts

“Theorizing On Social Enterprise Behaviors In Challenging Environments – Evidence From Five Social Cooperatives In Poland”

March 1, 2019August 23, 2019

This content is delivered to you in the framework of the SEBS2 project co-funded by the Erasmus+, as our aim is to popularize social business and social entrepreneurship in the Baltic Sea Region.

We recommend great reading on polish social entrepreneurship sector by PhD Marzena Starnawska from Gdansk Technical University. Her paper: THEORIZING ON SOCIAL ENTERPRISE BEHAVIORS IN CHALLENGING ENVIRONMENTS – EVIDENCE FROM FIVE SOCIAL COOPERATIVES IN POLAND concentrates on the following:THEORIZING ON SOCIAL ENTERPRISE BEHAVIORS IN CHALLENGING ENVIRONMENTS – EVIDENCE FROM FIVE SOCIAL COOPERATIVES IN POLAND

Entrepreneurial behaviour in challenging institutional environments have been widely investigated in the literature. One of the characteristics of these environments is resource scarcity. This is particularly valid in the context of social entrepreneurship and social enterprises. The aim of this paper is to identify entrepreneurial behaviours in social entrepreneurship and what is happening behind these processes in the context of transition country, against the backdrop of challenging environment and weak institutional framework in particular in Poland. We use a purposive sample of 5 social cooperatives, and report the data from several in-depth interviews with their representatives as well as an observation from the cooperatives. We have attempted to widen the existing categories on entrepreneurial behaviour namely boundary blurring and diversification, and discuss them in social entrepreneurship context.

Read the full text here: Theorizing on social enterprise behaviors in Poland

Marzena Starnawska, 2015.
"Theorizing On Social Enterprise Behaviors In Challenging Environments – Evidence From Five Social Cooperatives In Poland,"
GUT FME Working Paper Series A 28, Faculty of Management and Economics, Gdansk University of Technology.
<https://ideas.repec.org/p/gdk/wpaper/28.html>

Educational Materials | English

Read the newset article: ‘Social Entrepreneurship Education: Is it Achieving the Desired Aims?”

March 1, 2019August 23, 2019

We recommend a very recent research article (2019) on social entrepreneurship “Social Entrepreneurship Education: Is it Achieving the Desired Aims?” by Debbi D. Brock and Susan D Steiner. This content is delivered to you in the framework of the SEBS2 project co-funded by the Erasmus+, as our aim is to popularize social business and social entrepreneurship in the Baltic Sea Region.

Please see the abstract here:

This study’s purpose was to uncover the challenges and best practices in the field of social entrepreneurship. We examined definitions of social entrepreneurship; the most widely used cases, articles and textbooks; and the most popular pedagogical approaches in 107 social entrepreneurship courses. Our findings suggest that faculty have done an excellent job of utilizing powerful pedagogical methods like service learning. In addition, the majority of courses covered opportunity recognition, innovation, acquiring limited resources, measuring social impact and building sustainable business models as core elements of social entrepreneurial activity. The greatest challenge involved teaching students about scaling social innovations*.

Brock, Debbi & Steiner, Susan. (2009). Social Entrepreneurship Education: Is it Achieving the Desired Aims?. SSRN Electronic Journal. 10.2139/ssrn.1344419.

The full text is here: Social_Entrepreneurship_Education_Is_it_Achieving_

Educational Materials | English

Social Entrepreneurship in education systems

February 28, 2019

Education plays a crucial role in shaping the minds and opinions of the future generation. Debate regarding the much needed changes in our current education systems has been ongoing for some time now – if we want to equip children with knowledge and skills that they will need tomorrow, we cannot teach them things that were relevant yesterday. This has been argued also concerning the entrepreneurial education – for too many years teachers in Economics classes have emphasized only the traditional business models – therefore promoting entrepreneurship where the main success indicator is profit.

British Council addresses these issues in the report “Social Entrepreneurship in education”, by providing in-depth analysis of the entrepreneurship education in several European countries as well as already existing Social Entrepreneurship education examples and suggestions and recommendations for more successful implementation of SE education in the classes of Business and Economics. This report argues that there are several reasons why national education systems need to seriously consider incorporation of Social Entrepreneurship education, mainly focusing on the fact that the world around us has changed tremendously but education system remains as it was decades ago. Moreover, authors of the report emphasize the importance of teaching students the skill-set that will be useful for children in a variety of future professions, not only encouraging them to strive academically by remembering huge amounts of information: “Many of the skills and gifts that make a great entrepreneur are not highly valued within a traditional school environment, yet they may resonate with children who do not feel engaged by school or by some educational approaches. Social entrepreneurship education could be an opportunity for those children to shine, not another subject to fail.”

The report gives a food for thought for everyone who cares about the skills, knowledge and also welfare of the future generations. If we want to equip students with versatile knowledge and teach things that will not only help them to be better entrepreneurs, but also contribute to environment and society, it will require teamwork and collaboration of government institutions, teachers and social entrepreneurs to make the years spent in classroom more meaningful and valuable.

Read full report here: https://www.britishcouncil.org/sites/default/files/british_council_social_entrepreneurship_in_education_web_final.pdf

Educational Materials | English | World

Report: Social Enterprise Develpment in the Middle East and North Africa

February 13, 2019

Report: SOCIAL ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT IN THE MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA, A Qualitative Analysis of Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt and Palestine, 2017:

soc_ent in mideast

Educational Materials | Impact Measurement Methodology | Library

Deloitte Social Investment Leveraging Index in CEE

February 6, 2019February 6, 2019

The new Deloitte Social Investment Leveraging Index (DSILI) developed by Deloitte in partnership with EVPA and GSEN provides arguments on why investing for impact through social investment may yield significant social returns in Central and Eastern Europe. Showcasing the social investment leverage across the four sub-regions in CEE (the Balkans, South Eastern Europe, the Baltics and the Visegrad Countries), this report argues that by investing in one of the countries of this region, one is contributing to the growth and development of an integrated Europe. The report also offers specific steps one can take to actively invest in the region.

You can download social_impact_investment_report

Educational Materials | English | Library

Reconfiguring the social and solidarity economy in a Danish/ Nordic welfare context

February 4, 2019

When looking at definitions and understandings of the social and solidarity economy, one issue stands out as particularly significant. The issue of how it links to organizational (micro and meso level dimensions) and societal specificities. Whereas social enterprise also in the EMES ideal-typical version (Borzaga & Defourny, 2001) is only indirectly linked to a Polanyian framework (Gardin, 2006), the notion of solidarity economy can hardly be understood at an elaborate level without reference to the Polanyian framework of plurality. Accordingly, in this paper, researchers will first highlight the difference between adopting a social economy and a solidarity economy approach to social enterprise and social entrepreneurship. Within the framework of a social economy perspective, social enterprise is first defined through a set of organizational criteria leaving the relation to the broader and deeper issues of economy and democracy open. As a contrast to this, solidarity economy links the organizational dimension of a particular social enterprise to the broader political and economic framework of the particular society (Laville, 2010: 230 ff.).

Secondly, it will be presented and discussed two specific social enterprises that both reflect the diversity of social enterprise and social entrepreneurial initiatives in a Danish welfare context and provide important insights for developing theories on solidarity economy. The two initiatives differ in shape, space/geography and organizational structure but are important examples of pluralism in a Danish welfare context (Andersen, 2015). Roskilde Festival and Skovgård Hotel share a number of features that place them as interesting agents of solidarity economy. They both display a differentiated activity portfolio of business; public and civil character and they display a differentiated profile of reciprocity, redistribution and democracy that place them as influential in local, regional and national/international contexts.

Finally, in the concluding section, it is discussed how an analysis based upon solidarity economy differ from one based solely upon a social economy perspective, and secondly some future perspectives for the continued evolution of the Danish/Scandinavian welfare model.

To read the full paper, please download the pdf:

https://emes.net/publications/members-publications/reconfiguring-the-social-and-solidarity-economy-in-a-danish-nordic-welfare-context/

Educational Materials | English | Library

Impact investing for climate change

February 4, 2019

As maintained in a report recently issued by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development [OECD, 2017], policies on climate changes are key for development and growth, as are structural reforms and environmental investments. The combination of these three elements is crucial to promote inclusive and sustainable growth, contributing to the increase in market competition and fostering access to employment and the improvement in people’s skills.

Therefore, along with policymakers, the finance sector can give – and is giving – a considerable contribution. Finance that protects the environment and supports the social fabric could necessarily become the finance of the future and, maybe, also of the present. In the wake of the Paris Agreement, the concern for climate changes has become a driver, new “green” financial products have started to be used and climate bonds continued to be in high demand. Finally, pension funds from all over the world are demonstrating that they consider sustainable investments as critical factors for long-term investments and are increasingly asking for their investment to be supplemented with environmental, social and governance (ESG) elements. Evidence of this is the first report on ethical and sustainable finance in Europe, which has estimated that this sector accounts for a total of Euro 715 billion worth of assets, close to 5% of the EU gross domestic product.

However, even though finance plays a key role in addressing climate changes, most players involved are less than transparent in reporting the impact of their investments. This is the reason why this document focuses on impact finance, which includes investing in businesses, organizations and funds that operate with the goal of achieving a measurable, positive social impact alongside and a financial return [Social Impact Investing Task Force, 2015]. Impact investing stands out for the investor’s express intention to generate social and/or environmental impacts; moreover, the investor must be motivated by an expected financial return. The flexibility of the expected rate of return may come below the average market level or in line with it. Therefore, very briefly, we are speaking of external investors that invest capital, which is remunerated based of the measurement of the generated impact.

Impact finance is becoming more and more important in Europe, as stated in the recent interim report published in July 2017 by the European High Level Expert Group on sustainable finance, during the international “One Planet Summit” on 12 December. In Italy, the interest in this topic is also growing: participation in the G8 Social Impact Investment Force (2014) and the creation of the Social Impact Agenda (2016) are two big steps in this direction. Moreover, institutional investors and banks are paying constant attention to this topic. As regards the climate change challenge, a lot still needs to be done in terms of impact investing tools and supporting metrics, both at a domestic and at a European level. The report gives an overview of the metrics and indicators used, along with some significant cases.

You can download the report here:

http://www.aiccon.it/en/pubblicazione/impact-investing-for-climate-change/

Educational Materials | Library | Lithuanian

SOCIALINIS VERSLAS KAIME. SOCIALINIO VERSLO GAIRĖS

January 8, 2019September 2, 2019

Socialinis verslas (angl. social entreprise) – verslo modelis, pagal kurį, išnaudojant rinkos mechanizmą, pelno siekimas susiejamas su visuomenei naudingais tikslais ir prioritetais, remiamasi socialiai atsakingo verslo bei viešojo ir privataus sektorių partnerystės nuostatomis, taikomos socialinės inovacijos.

Pagal socialinio verslo gaires remiantis Lietuvos kaimo plėtros 2014-2020 m. programa:

Nevyriausybinių organizacijų ir socialinio verslo skirtumai pasireiškia:

socialinio verslo veiklos komerciniu pobūdžiu, t .y. nuolatinių pajamų iš komercinės veiklos turėjimu, siekiu būti tvariu bei save išlaikančiu ir komercine veiklą naudoti kaip įrankį socialiniams/visuomeniniams tikslams pasiekti;

· socialiniam verslui daroma rinkos pokyčių ir nuolat atsirandančių galimybių įtaka;

· kliento, perkančio socialinio verslo kuriamas prekes ir/ar teikiamas paslaugas, užsitikrinimu (nereiktų painioti su tikslinei grupei teikiamomis prekėmis ir/ar paslaugomis);

· verslo ilgalaikiu planavimu (būdingas ne projektinis, susijęs su trumpalaikiu finansavimu, o 3-5 metų verslo plėtros planavimas).

Tradicinio verslo ir socialinio verslo skirtumai pasireiškia:

· socialinio verslo aiškiu ne tik komercinio, bet ir socialinio tikslo turėjimu, kurie yra vienodai svarbūs;

· didesnėmis socialinio verslo pradžios išlaidomis norint pasiekti savo socialinius įsipareigojimus jau nuo verslo pradžios;

· įvairialype socialinio verslo finansavimo sandara, susidedančia iš pardavimų pajamų, komercinių sutarčių, projektinio bei valstybės finansavimo;

· socialinio verslininko motyvacija panaudoti organizacijos potencialą socialiniam poveikiui pasiekti;

· sunkesniu prieinamumu prie tradicinio verslo investicinių priemonių, tokių kaip nuosavo kapitalo finansavimas ar banko paskolos;

· dėl itin plataus spektro suinteresuotųjų šalių, tikėtina, didesne politine ir biurokratine įtaka socialinio verslo plėtros procese;

· rizikos vengimu, kai dėl savanoriškos tarybos vadovavimo socialiniam verslui stengiamasi priimti mažiau rizikingus strateginius verslo sprendimus;

· menkesne finansine investuoto kapitalo grąža;

· didesniu teigiamu pamatuojamu socialiniu poveikiu visuomenei;

· socialinio verslo skaidriu ir įtraukiančiu valdymu, viešinant informaciją apie pelną bei socialinį poveikį suinteresuotoms šalims ir užtikrinant subalansuotą įvairių suinteresuotų šalių dalyvavimą, priimant sprendimus, ypač dėl uždirbto pelno reinvestavimo socialinei misijai įgyvendinti;

· inovacijų kūrimu ir jų neapmokestinimu/nepatentavimu, siekiant, kad jos plistų kuo plačiau ir būtų pasiekta kuo didesne socialinė nauda.

Socialinių įmonių ir socialinio verslo skirtumai pasireiškia:

· didesniu socialinio verslo teigiamu socialiniu poveikiu visuomenei, kai tuo tarpu socialinėse įmonėse skatinama tik darbo integracija, kai suteikiamos darbo vietos tik nepalankioje darbo rinkos padėtyje atsidūrusiems piliečiams;

· socialinio verslo skaidriu ir įtraukiančiu valdymu, viešinant informaciją apie pelną bei socialinį poveikį suinteresuotoms šalims ir užtikrinant subalansuotą įvairių suinteresuotų šalių dalyvavimą, priimant sprendimus, ypač dėl uždirbto pelno reinvestavimo socialinės misijos įgyvendinimui.

Įmonių socialinės atsakomybės ir socialinio verslo skirtumai pasireiškia:

· tikslo skirtumais: socialinio verslo pirminis tikslas – tai teigiamas ir pamatuojamas socialinis pokytis, kuriam įgyvendinti yra skiriamas uždirbtas pelnas, o socialiai atsakingo verslo pirminis tikslas išlieka kaip ir tradiciniame versle – uždirbti pelną įmonės savininkams, savanoriškai prisiimant įgyvendinti papildomus socialinius, aplinkosaugos, verslo skaidrumo aspektus daugiau nei to paprastai reikalauja teisės aktai. Akcentuojamas atsakingas pelno siekimas, todėl socialiai atsakingas verslas nesiekia sumažinti pelno siekimo tikslo.

Viešųjų įstaigų ir socialinio verslo skirtumai pasireiškia:

· socialinio verslo nepriklausomumu, kai socialinio verslo steigėjais negali būti valstybės ar savivaldybės institucijos;

· aiškiu ir pamatuojamu socialinio verslo tikslu ir poveikiu tikslinės veiklos naudos gavėjų grupėms.

Europos Komisija mano, kad socialinio verslo plėtra turėtų vykti dviem kryptimis – skatinant tiek tradicinio privataus verslo susidomėjimą socialiniu verslu, tiek nevyriausybinių organizacijų domėjimąsi naujomis galimybėmis.

Įvertinant jau įgyvendinamų socialinio verslo iniciatyvų Lietuvoje sėkmingumą, jų plėtros potencialą ir valdžios ketinimus skatinti socialinio verslo plėtrą, matyti, kad perspektyvos socialiniam verslui yra didelės. Sudarant sąlygas socialinio verslo plėtrai, jo skatinimui, panaudojant Europos Sąjungos finansines priemones, Lietuvos kaimo regionuose atsirastų daugiau galimybių ir inovatyvių būdų ne tik spręsti kylančias socialines problemas, bet ir sustiprinti nevyriausybinio sektoriaus pajėgumus.

Socialinis verslas kaime

KOKIUS VERSLO MODELIUS TAIKANT GALI BŪTI PLĖTOJAMAS SOCIALINIS VERSLAS?

Įgyvendinant pagal Lietuvos kaimo plėtros 2014-2020 m. programą remiamas priemones, socialinis verslas gali būti vykdomas pagal vieną ar kelis modelius:

Socialinio verslo subjekto veiklos modelis	Vykdoma ekonominė veikla:
IŠORINIS	nėra tiesiogiai susijusi su teigiamu socialiniu poveikiu, tačiau iš ekonominės veiklos gautas pelnas arba didžioji jo dalis investuojama konkrečiai socialinei problemai spręsti siekiant gauti teigiamą socialinį poveikį ir socialinė veikla vykdoma nuolatos;
INTEGRUOTAS	turi tiesioginį teigiamą socialinį poveikį, o socialinės programos sutampa su verslo veiklomis (pavyzdžiui, socialiai pažeidžiamų grupių asmenų įdarbinimas, prekių ir paslaugų teikimas palankesnėmis sąlygomis tam tikrų socialinių grupių asmenims ir pan.);
ĮTERPTINIS	turi tiesioginį teigiamą socialinį poveikį ir tuo pat metu užtikrinama finansinė grąža, kuri tiesiogiai susijusi su sukurtu socialiniu poveikiu. Kitaip tariant, vykdoma ekonominė veikla negalėtų veikti be socialinės veiklos paslaugos ar prekės, kurios yra skirtos konkrečiai socialinei grupei, ir kurios nariai yra ir socialinės naudos gavėjai (pavyzdžiui, socialinio finansavimo, mažo finansavimo organizacijos).

KOKIE SOCIALINIO VERSLO KRITERIJAI IR JŲ ATITIKČIAI KELIAMI REIKALAVIMAI TAIKOMI SOCIALINIO VERSLO VYKDYTOJAMS?

Kriterijai ir jų atitikčiai keliami reikalavimai:

1. PAGAL SAVO ĮSTATUS AR KITĄ ĮSTATYMO NUSTATYTĄ JURIDINIO ASMENS STEIGIMO DOKUMENTĄ VYKDOMA NUOLATINE EKONOMINE VEIKLA SIEKIAMA PAGRINDINIO TIKSLO – IŠMATUOJAMO TEIGIAMO SOCIALINIO POVEIKIO

A. Juridinio asmens steigimo dokumentuose turi būti nurodyta:

1. kokia (-ios) numatoma (-os) vykdyti ekonominė (-ės) veikla (-os) pagal Ekonominės veiklos rūšių klasifikatorių (EVRK2 red.) (negali būti įrašyta, kad juridinis asmuo užsiims visa Lietuvos Respublikos įstatymų nedraudžiama veikla);

2. tikslinė (-ės) grupė (-ės);

3. socialinio poveikio tikslas, įvardijant socialinę problemą, kurią siekiama spręsti;

4. pagrindinė (-ės) orientavimosi kryptis (-ys), nurodant kokioje (-iose) srityje (-yse) numatomas socialinis poveikis.

B. Socialinio poveikio pagal Lietuvos kaimo plėtros 2014-2020 m. programos priemones galima siekti šiose srityse:

1. užimtumo skatinimo;

2. sveikatos apsaugos;

3. švietimo;

4. prevencijos įvairiose srityse.

C. Papildomo (-os) orientavimosi kryptis (-ys), nurodant kokioje (-iose) srityje (-yse) numatomas papildomas socialinis poveikis:

1. pagrindinių ūkio šakų (pvz.,: transporto, pramonės, energetikos, žemės ūkio paslaugų, būsto, turizmo ir kt.) poveikio aplinkai mažinimas;

2. efektyvesnis gamtos išteklių naudojimas, atliekų tvarkymas ir pasaulio klimato kaitos ir jos padarinių švelninimas;

3. biologinės įvairovės ir kraštovaizdžio apsauga;

4. gyvūnų globa;

5. kultūra ir visuomenės kūrybingumo skatinimas, kultūros paslaugų prieinamumo plėtojimas;

6. pilietiškumo, patriotiškumo ugdymas, visuomenės švietimas ir informavimas valstybės gynybos klausimais;

7. žmogaus teisių ir lygių galimybių užtikrinimas ar kt.

D. Vykdydamas socialinį verslą ir siekdamas teigiamo socialinio poveikio, socialinio verslo subjektas turi:

1. vadovautis sąžiningumo, protingumo, naudos visuomenei siekimo, socialinio jautrumo, visuotinio gėrio principais;

2. socialiniam verslui pradėti ar plėtoti suteiktą paramą, įskaitant nereikšmingą (de minimis) pagalbą, naudoti tik teigiamam socialiniam poveikiui siekti ar didinti;

3. socialinio verslo pripažinimo fakto (suteikus paramą) nenaudoti nesąžiningai konkurencijai.

2. GAUTAS PELNAS REINVESTUOJAMAS PAGAL IŠ ANKSTO APIBRĖŽTAS PELNO PASKIRSTYMO PROCEDŪRAS IR TAISYKLES, KAD BŪTŲ PASIEKTI PAGRINDINIAI IR PAPILDOMI SOCIALINIO VERSLO TIKSLAI BEI RODIKLIAI

A. Vidaus dokumente aiškiai apibrėžiama pelno paskirstymo socialinei problemai spręsti siekiant teigiamo socialinio poveikio procedūra, nurodant:

1. kokia pelno dalis yra skiriama;

2. kas gali priimti galutinį sprendimą dėl pelno paskirstymo;

3. kokiu dokumentu įforminamas pelno paskirstymas;

4. parengiama pelno lėšų paskirstymo ir sąsajų su numatytais socialinio poveikio tikslais ir rodikliais lentelė, kuri yra laikoma dokumento dėl pelno paskirstymo priedu ir gali būti tikslinama, keičiama tokia pat tvarka, pagal kurią buvo patvirtinta;

5. interneto svetainės, kurioje viešai skelbiamas pelno paskirstymo dokumentas su visais priedais, adresas.

B. Tuo atveju, jeigu galimi socialinio verslo naudos gavėjai turi būti atrinkti, t. y. nėra galimybių paslaugas suteikti visiems norintiems ir tikslinę grupę atitinkantiems naudos gavėjams, vidaus dokumente turi būti nustatyta aiški jų atrankos procedūra.

C. Gautas pelnas paskirstomas (reinvestuojamas) laikantis reikalavimų:

1. kai socialinį verslą vykdo viešieji juridiniai asmenys, konkrečiai socialinei problemai spręsti reinvestuojamas visas iš ekonominės veiklos vykdymo gautas pelnas (100 proc.);

2. kai socialinį verslą vykdo privatūs juridiniai asmenys, konkrečiai socialinei problemai spręsti reinvestuojama ne mažesnė kaip 80 proc. iš ekonominės veiklos vykdymo gauto pelno dalis;

3. visi tinkami socialinio verslo vykdytojai, vykdydami nuolatinę ekonominę veiklą, nurodytą juridinio asmens steigimo dokumentuose, ir (arba) siekdami išmatuojamo ir teigiamo socialinio poveikio, daugiau nei 50 proc. pajamų turi gauti iš ekonominės veiklos. Gauta parama, labdara, dovanos, dotacijos, lėšos, gautos iš valstybės ir (arba) savivaldybės biudžeto konkurso ir (arba) ne konkurso būdu, skirtos konkretiems projektams finansuoti, negali būti laikomos pajamomis iš ekonominės veiklos.

3. SOCIALINIO VERSLO SUBJEKTAS YRA VALDOMAS ATSKAITINGAI IR SKAIDRIAI, ĮTRAUKIANT Į VALDYMĄ SUINTERESUOTUOSIUS SUBJEKTUS AR JŲ TEISĖTUS ATSTOVUS, KURIEMS DARO POVEIKĮ VYKDOMA VEIKLA

A. Socialinio verslo subjekto vidaus dokumente aprašoma atskaitingo ir skaidraus valdymo tvarka, kurioje turi būti nurodoma:

1. informacija apie nustatytą darbo užmokestį konkrečiai (-ioms) pareigybei (-ėms);

2. informacija apie padarytas investicijas ir kokią pajamų dalį sudaro socialinio verslo (subjekto) sąnaudos;

3. informacija apie planuojamus ir vykdomus pirkimus;

4. informacija apie gautą paramą, labdarą, dotacijas, kitokią pagalbą ir įgyvendinamus projektus;

5. informacija apie galimybes dalyvauti socialinio verslo veikloje, projektuose ir (arba) galimybes savanoriauti.

B. Socialinio verslo subjekto vidaus dokumente aprašoma suinteresuotųjų subjektų įtraukimo į valdymą tvarka, vadovaujantis demokratinio valdymo ir partnerystės principais:

1. nurodoma, kokios organizacijos, institucijos dalyvauja valdyme, priima sprendimus;

2. pateikiama organizacijos struktūra, kurioje aiškiai nurodomas suinteresuotųjų asmenų įtraukimo mastas, jų pareigos priimant valdymo sprendimus, turinčius įtakos socialinio poveikio mastui, bei priimamų sprendimų galia. Privatūs juridiniai asmenys turi sudaryti patariamąjį valdymo organą, kuris užtikrina tinkamą suinteresuotųjų asmenų atstovavimą;

3. nurodomas suinteresuotųjų asmenų įtraukimas į socialinio poveikio planavimą, stebėseną ir matavimą.

4. SOCIALINIO VERSLO SUBJEKTAS YRA NEPRIKLAUSOMAS NUO VALSTYBĖS IR SAVIVALDYBIŲ INSTITUCIJŲ BEI ĮSTAIGŲ, VIEŠOJO SEKTORIAUS ORGANIZACIJŲ

A. Socialinio verslo subjekto valdymas turi būti nepriklausomas nuo įmonių, įstaigų, organizacijų ar institucijų.

B. Viešųjų juridinių asmenų vykdomame socialiniame versle (steigėjo ar dalyvio teisėmis) gali dalyvauti savivaldybių ar valstybės institucijos, nepažeisdamos Lietuvos Respublikos nevyriausybinių organizacijų plėtros įstatymo nuostatų. Tokiu atveju, jeigu savivaldybės ir (arba) valstybės institucijos dalyvauja socialiniame versle steigėjų ar dalyvių teisėmis, jų dalyvavimo būtinybė, poreikis turi būti aiškiai pagrįsti.

C. Socialinis verslas gali turėti partnerių, tokiu atveju santykiai tarp partnerių aptariami partnerystės (bendradarbiavimo) arba jungtinės veiklos sutartyje, kurioje negali būti numatyta socialinio verslo savarankiškumą varžančių nuostatų.

KAIP MATUOJAMAS SOCIALINIO VERSLO SOCIALINIS POVEIKIS?

Socialinio poveikio numatymas, jo stebėsena ir matavimas – būtina tinkamai ir kryptingai vykdomo socialinio verslo sąlyga.

Socialinio verslo vykdytojai:

turi nusistatyti aiškius, pamatuojamus pagrindinius socialinio poveikio rodiklius, pagal kuriuos vykdys nuolatinę (kasmetinę) vykdomo socialinio verslo stebėseną ir numatyto socialinio poveikio matavimą;
gali pasirinkti papildomus socialinio poveikio rodiklius (papildomiems socialinio poveikio efektams matuoti). Papildomų rodiklių pasiekimams netaikoma kontrolė, jie yra reikalingi socialinio poveikio istoriniams duomenims kaupti ir socialinio verslo efektyvumui didinti;
turi nustatyti aiškią socialinio poveikio teritoriją (kaimas, miestelis, seniūnija, savivaldybė, apskritis ar kt.);
turi nurodyti socialinės problemos nustatymo būdą ir mastą socialinio poveikio teritorijoje (pagrindžiama aktualiais statistiniais duomenimis, moksliniais tyrimais, kitais oficialiais dokumentais, kuriuos pateikia institucija ar organizacija, kaupianti tokius duomenis, pvz.,: priklausomybių ligų centras, probacijos tarnyba ar pan.).

ŠALTINIS: https://ismanuskaimas.lt/socialinis-verslas-kaime-kulturine-veikla-kaime/

Fotografija: http://invega.lt/lt/parengtas-socialinio-verslo-gidas/

Educational Materials

How to train your innovative thinking?

December 30, 2018

The assumption that innovative and creative thinking is something we are born with is not quite correct. Of course, to a certain extent there are some traits and characteristics that are inherited and can play a role in your decision making process, but overall innovative thinking is something we can learn and train every day. Creative thinking usually starts with a problem – when facing a challenge we have two options – either to let it remain a problem and to ignore it, or to try solving it with what is in our power. The second choice is the one that triggers innovation both in classical business models and in social enterprises. Social innovation is born in the combination of social challenge and a creative idea for solving it.

Education, research and knowledge of business basics play a crucial role in creation of a social enterprise. But of the same importance is the way the entrepreneur thinks on a daily basis as very often brilliant social innovation ideas come from common challenges we are facing every day.

Universal Class has created a list of skills that every social innovator should be aware of and train as often as possible:

Skill 1: Think outside of the box

This often heard expression is actually very important in the innovative thinking process. The problem is – we often do not know how to actually do this “outside of the box” thinking. The idea is to go beyond all existing constraints – imagine how you would solve the problem if you had unlimited resources? Try solving your problem in big steps without letting all the little practical and administrative obstacles to get in your way. Try solving only a part of your challenge, then another part. Try changing the physical environment you are in – let your body and mind experience different surroundings and new fresh ideas will come in your mind.

Skill 2: Get curious

Adults are often very concerned of what others will think of them that they abstain from asking questions and exploring just because of the fear that they will sound or look silly. In order to get new innovative ideas you need to let your mind wonder – imagine, ask questions, see different places, play like a child and creativeness will come naturally.

Skill 3: Look at life from another’s perspective

Trying to “walk in other’s shoes” is a very important tool in achieving successful social innovation. Try to understand what is the everyday life of a person with disability? What are the challenges they have to face on a daily basis? How can you improve it? What are the problems in a less developed communities? The perspective of the people you are trying to help is crucial when generating your innovative ideas.

Skill 4: Let go of emotional attachments

Brainstorming and exchanging the views is of great importance when looking for innovative ideas. Sometimes people are so attached to their ideas that they can lose the possibility for reaching the most productive and effective result. Listening to others and critically evaluating both your own and others arguments can lead to the best social innovation.

Skill 5: Learn to fail

In order to be innovative, you need to go the unknown path, to explore and experiment. In this creative way the possibility of failure is very high. Many successful products and services have emerged from several failures – only after realizing their week spots they grow strong and successful. This can be seen both within regular businesses and social enterprises.

Skill 6: Get uncomfortable with comfortable

Social innovation is based on a certain social challenge. The entrepreneur should always seek for new and new ways how to improve the situation in this field, how to come up with improvements for both the business and the society. Comfort zone is not the place where great innovations are born. “It is when we are sitting on the cactus that we get the initiation to jump.”

Skill 7: Wake up your senses

Experiencing different cultures, different places, tastes and sights is the best way to open your mind for new innovative ideas. Looking how social problems are tackled in other countries, exchanging experiences with people form completely different backgrounds gives your mind the spark that leads to new innovative solutions.

Read the whole article here: https://www.universalclass.com/articles/business/developing-innovative-thinking-skills.htm

Educational Materials | English

How to change the world: Social Entrepreneurs and the Power of New Ideas” by David Bornstein (Book Review)

December 29, 2018

Quoted as the bible in the field of social enterprise I was eager to discover what lay within my Kindle edition of “How to change the world: Social Entrepreneurs and the Power of New Ideas” by David Bornstein. I was certainly not disappointed, and more so, inspired. The book weaves the tale of Bill Drayton & Ashoka throughout its pages, exemplified by the examples of the Ashoka fellows themselves. And indeed it serves as a message of inspiration, of pioneers and role models of all walks of life that are leading the way into a burgeoning world of solutions based social innovation.

A few highlights of the book below:

Definition of social entrepreneur (Chapter 1)

“The designation “social entrepreneur” has gained popularity in recent years. America’s leading universities offer courses in social entrepreneurship. Journalists, philanthropists, and development workers frequently invoke the term. However, most of the attention focuses on how business and management skills can be applied to achieve social ends—for example, how nonprofits can operate for-profit ventures to generate revenues. While this is an important trend, this book looks at social entrepreneurs differently: It sees them as transformative forces: people with new ideas to address major problems who are relentless in the pursuit of their visions, people who simply will not take “no” for an answer, who will not give up until they have spread their ideas as far as they possibly can.”

“One of the most important things that can be done to improve the state of the world is to build a framework of social and economic supports to multiply the number and the effectiveness of the world’s social entrepreneurs.”

The Role of the Social Entrepreneur (Chapter 8)

“An idea is like a play. It needs a good producer and a good promoter even if it is a masterpiece. Otherwise the play may never open; or it may open but, for lack of an audience, close after a week. Similarly, an idea will not move from the fringes to the mainstream simply because it is good; it must be skillfully marketed before it will actually shift people’s perceptions and behavior.”

If ideas are to take root and spread, therefore, they need champions—obsessive people who have the skill, motivation, energy, and bullheadedness to do whatever is necessary to move them forward: to persuade, inspire, seduce, cajole, enlighten, touch hearts, alleviate fears, shift perceptions, articulate meanings and artfully maneuver them through systems.”

Four Practices of Innovative Organizations (Chapter 16)

Institutionalize Listening
Pay Attention to the Exceptional
Design Real Solutions for Real People
Focus on the Human Qualities

Six Qualities of Successful Social Entrepreneurs (Chapter 18)

Willingness to Self-Correct
Willingness to Share Credit
Willingness to Break Free of Established Structures
Willingness to Cross Disciplinary Boundaries
Willingness to Work Quietly
Strong Ethical Impetus

The Ashoka Fellows’ interviewed by David Bornstein are listed below. Their stories tell the tale of persistence and believing in their vision which shaped their lives in an unexpected journey. Most didn’t set out thinking they would achieve the results they have today. They were housewives, nurses, social workers, academics and doctors, yet each of them today exemplify the Ashoka fellow social entrepreneur definition.

Gloria de Souza

Fábio Rosa, Brazil: Rural Electrification

Jeroo Billimoria, India: Child Protection

Vera Cordeiro, Brazil: Reforming Healthcare

J.B. Schramm, United States: College Access

Veronica Khosa, South Africa: Care for AIDS Patients

Javed Abidi, India: Disability Rights

James Grant, United States: The Child Survival Revolution

Blog | Educational Materials | English

Social entrepreneurship online course by University of Pennsylvania

December 20, 2018

How do we create innovative and effective solutions to social problems around the world ? This course was designed for individuals and organizations who want to identify and bring about transformative societal change.

Professors Jim Thompson and Ian “Mac” MacMillan help you develop both a strategy and a framework for your social enterprise based on their years of experience and expertise teaching social entrepreneurship and advising entrepreneurs. You’ll learn how to define a social problem, understand contextual realities, develop a solution, and plan for effective deployment. By the end of this course, you’ll have a deep understanding of the realities of launching an enterprise, be prepared for every step of the process, and put your social entrepreneurial venture on the path to success.

“A class that introduces solid theoretical and practical tools to prepare for a social venture. Would recommend without a doubt.”

The course includes 4 modules, with videos, readings and practice excercises.

Enrollment open! The course starts Dec 20th 2018, but it’s flexible with deadlines. Takes approx 8 hours to complete.

Find the more detailed syllabus and enroll free HERE

The course is part of the Business Strategies for A Better World Specialization

Blog | Educational Materials | Library

What Social Enterprise Is and Is Not

November 25, 2018September 2, 2019

What Social Enterprise Is

Social enterprise is, about using a market-driven business model to address critical social and environmental issues. Many people believe that a fundamental element of social enterprise – is collective ownership.

Until we come up with a broader term than “social enterprise”, some would advocate for a broad interpretation that does not limit it to collectively-owned businesses. If the overarching purpose of the business is to address a social and/or environmental issue, it’s a social enterprise – regardless of its ownership structure. This is a pragmatic position — the world’s problems are far too great to be creating arbitrary silos that limit participation and sharing.

What Social Enterprise Is Not

Social enterprise is not about balancing the “double bottom lines” of profit and social impact, as though they are equally important. The real bottom line for a social enterprise, the goal by which its success should ultimately be evaluated, is its social (or environmental) impact, and being profitable (or at least financially sustainable) is the entirely necessary.

Of course, there can be no social mission without money, but the first goal is mission.

Social enterprise is not the exclusive domain of. While nonprofits have been – and continue to be – leaders in the social enterprise movement, social enterprise need not be limited to nonprofits. Moreover, simply being owned by a nonprofit is not sufficient to make a business a social enterprise. The enterprise must have as its overarching purpose the amelioration of social and/or environmental issues.

Social enterprise is not just another fundraising strategy for nonprofits Social enterprise is not about “saving” the nonprofit sector – While social enterprise has great potential for enhancing the vitality and sustainability of the nonprofit sector, that potential impact is secondary to its real purpose – helping (directly, through the operation of the business) to make the world a better place.

Why Social Enterprise Matters

Social enterprise matters because it is focused on making positive change at a time when we desperately need it. Social enterprise is important tool, among many, that is actively and directly making our world a better place to live.

Social enterprise is more responsive. Social enterprise doesn’t rely on the shifting priorities of government and major foundations; it gets on with making the change that is needed within a community and (sometimes) grows to affect whole cities, countries, and regions.

Social enterprise is scalable. Like all businesses, social enterprise has, with investment and sales revenue, the ability to grow to meet needs and priorities of the communities it serves, as opposed to traditional nonprofit programs, which are often limited to the funds available from government and philanthropic funders.

Social enterprise actively engages stakeholders. Social enterprise gives the people help – a direct voice in the operation of the business – as owners, employees and paying customers.

Article based on : https://managementhelp.org/socialenterprise/index.htm

Educational Materials

Social Innovation Toolkit 2018

November 21, 2018

NESTA from UK has created useful Toolkit on Social Innovation that can be of help to every aspiring social entrepreneur (the link is below).

How can we create more economic, social and environmental value in our communities? Over the last few years, the European Social Innovation Competition has mobilised thousands of Europeans to tackle that question. Whether the issue is how to make digitalisation inclusive, providing refugees with opportunities to take part in society or using place-based approaches for empowering
young people in a changing economy: social innovation is about coming up with new responses to such societal needs and problems. This toolkit aims to support social innovators all across Europe to develop their ideas, by using the steps of the innovation spiral. Each step is presented with a set of tools and sources that you can use to transform your idea into a viable and effective initiative.
Social innovation is not a new phenomenon, but it has grown in prominence over the last decade both as a term and as an important driver of social change. There is no universal definition of ‘social innovation’, but one that is both elegantly simple and widely-used is
‘ideas that are social in their ends and in their means’ (see Nesta 2010). Ideas may vary to be products, services, processes or organisational models. Social innovation concerns the process of developing and deploying new effective solutions to challenging and often
systemic social and environmental issues.
The European Social Innovation Competition seeks social innovation ideas that are social in both their ends and their means. Each year, the European Social Innovation Competition raises awareness of a different challenge facing European society and aims to unearth
potentially game-changing ideas from all corners of Europe. The competition was established in memory of Diogo Vasconcelos, a visionary Portuguese leader who focused on fostering innovation to address some of the great societal challenges of our time. This competition will continue his legacy by inspiring more and more Europeans to become social innovators, making improvements to their communities and societies.

Here is the link.

Educational Materials

Three books for every social entrepreneur

November 10, 2018

Are you a social entrepreneur who experienced challenges and now you’re seeking for some fresh solutions or inspiration to keep doing your good job? Are you a beginner who is lost in this vast field of social entrepreneurship? Are you just thinking about becoming a social entrepreneur, but before doing so you want to be sure what you are up to? No matter what is your answer, these three books might help you.

Jonathan C. Lewis – The Unfinished Social Entrepreneur

The Unfinished Social Entrepreneur is about powering up your social justice career. This book is a compendium of 21 original essays and insights – part memoir, part handbook – about the challenges and questions every social entrepreneur thinks about. For the novice changemaker, each chapter bristles with provocative tips and tools to transform your social justice career. Social entrepreneurs are a club of conscience. Sign up. Show up. Stand up.

Jason Haber – The Business of Good: Social Entrepreneurship and the New Bottom Line

The Business of Good narrates the story behind social entrepreneurship as told by the individuals compelled to create a change in the world – not just another business. Serial and social entrepreneur Jason Haber intertwines case studies and anecdotes that show how social entrepreneurship is creating jobs, growing the economy, and ultimately changing the world. From Main Street to Wall Street, today’s social entrepreneurs are rebooting capitalism, challenging the charity industrial complex, and disrupting business models. Haber envelops the reader in the foundation of social entrepreneurship, from Benjamin Franklin to what he calls The Great Convergence, the turn-of-the-millennium zeitgeist shift which provided the fuel for social entrepreneurship’s surge to the forefront of business. Haber shares the stories of inspiring young people that are disrupting established norms and changing the world.

Ruth Shapiro – The Real Problem Solvers: Social Entrepreneurs in America

Today, “social entrepreneurship” describes a host of new initiatives, and often refers to approaches that are breaking from traditional philanthropic and charitable organizational behavior. What types of change have these social entrepreneurial efforts brought to the world of civil society and philanthropy? What works in today’s environment? And, what barriers are these new efforts breaking down as they endeavor to make the world a better place? The Real Problem Solvers brings together leading entrepreneurs, funders, investors, thinkers, and champions in the field to answer these questions from their own, first-person perspectives. In no other book are so many leaders presented side-by-side. Therefore, this is the ideal accessible and personal introduction for students of and newcomers to social entrepreneurship.

Educational Materials | English

Smart villages – a new way providing services in rural areas

November 10, 2018

European Network for Rural Development published a material about Smart Villages in May 2018. There is a full overview about the concept of Smart Villages, the meaning and importance of the concept. Community-lead actions are responding directly to local needs and opportunities and can be fully innovative. Social enterprises in rural areas with a high level of social capital can be pioneers of social innovation. Social innovation models in rural services are provides in the material.

The full publication is available in English: https://enrd.ec.europa.eu/sites/enrd/files/enrd_publications/publi-enrd-rr-26-2018-en.pdf.

Educational Materials | Library | Polish | Successful Business Models | Support for SocEnts

Wykorzystanie komercyjnych modeli procesowych przedsiębiorstw w tworzeniu zintegrowanych modeli przedsiębiorstwa społecznego opartych na holistycznych koncepcjach

November 4, 2018August 23, 2019

Polecamy apoznanie się z artykułem Małgorzaty Kurleto “Wykorzystanie komercyjnych modeli procesowych przedsiębiorstw w tworzeniu zintegrowanych modeli przedsiębiorstwa społecznego opartych na holistycznych koncepcjach”.

This content is delivered to you in the framework of the SEBS2 project co-funded by the Erasmus+, as our aim is to popularize social business and social entrepreneurship in the Baltic Sea Region.

W niniejszym opracowaniu, eksponującym rolę modeli procesowych w funkcjonowaniu przedsiębiorstw komercyjnych, autorka ma na celu zwrócenie uwagi na możliwości ich wykorzystywania dla zintegrowanego modelu przedsiębiorstwa społecznego. W analizie pokazano możliwości stosowania wybranych modeli procesowych przedsiębiorstw (np. zintegrowany model przedsiębiorczości, oparty na powiązaniach między wejściami a wyjściami przedsiębiorstw, model interaktywny czy też model 4 E) dla funkcjonujących form przedsiębiorstw społecznych, takich jak spółdzielnie socjalne czy przedsiębiorstwa, podejmujących się usług użyteczności publicznej lub innych typów przedsięwzięć hybrydowych łączących działalność gospodarczą z wypełnianiem misji społecznej. Autorka skoncentrowała się na procesowych uwarunkowaniach zarządzania strategicznego przedsiębiorstw społecznych, w tym szczególnie na takim modelu działania tych podmiotów, który można rozważać jako proces realizacji transakcji między przedsiębiorstwem a otoczeniem.

Pełne opracowanie i wszystkie artykuły znajdują się tutaj: http://www.wz.uw.edu.pl/portaleFiles/6133-wydawnictwo-/Przedsiebiorczosc_e-book_.pdf

Kurleto M., 2015, Wykorzystanie komercyjnych modeli procesowych przedsiębiorstw w tworzeniu zintegrowanych modeli przedsiębiorstwa społecznego opartych na holistycznych koncepcjach, [w:] Przedsiębiorczość, jednostka, organizacja, kontekst, red. Postuła A., Majczyk J., Darecki M., Warszawa, Wyd. Naukowe Wydziału Zarządzania Uniwersytetu Warszawskiego.

This paper exposing the role of process models in the functioning of commercial enterprises is trying to draw attention to the possibility of their use for the integrated model of social enterprise. The analysis shows the possibility of using selected business process models (integrated business model which is based on the relationship between inputs and outputs businesses, interactive model or a model 4 E) for functioning forms of social enterprises such as social cooperatives or enterprises undertaking public services and other types of hybrid projects (which link business with a social mission fulfillment). The paper is trying to focus on process determinants of strategic management of social enterprise and especially on the model of these entities, which can be considered as a process of transactions between the business and the environment.

Educational Materials

Building a Successful Social Venture:

November 4, 2018

Building a Successful Social Venture: A Guide for Social Entrepreneurs is a new book by Eric Carlson and James Koch both from Leavey School of Business at Santa Clara University in USA.

The book is one of the first on creating and running a social enterprise, which combine theoretical discussions with existing cases from around the world, an in that way it can be very for people who want to start, sustain, and grow social ventures on a longer term.

Since 2003 Eric Carlson’s and James Koch’s has been working with and mentored morethan 800 aspiring social entrepreneurs at the Global Social Benefit Institute (GSBI), cofounded by Koch at Santa Clara University’s Miller Center for Social Entrepreneurship. The experiences from this work is the basis for Building a Successful Social Venture.

First part of the describes a bottom-up approach to social change, a focus on base-of-the-pyramid markets, and a specific approach to business planning developed by the GSBI.
Second part of the book presents the seven elements of the GSBI business planning process
Third part of the book describes how to executing it.

The book presents several social enterprise cases to show how organizations have realized different elements of the plan. As early versions of the book were used in both undergraduate and MBA, the book also includes a number of useful checklists and exercises.

This book is for both students, social entrepreneurs, and the field researchers, who wants to learn more about social enterprise business models and how to advance social progress and create a more just and sustainable world.

More about the book here

Blog | Educational Materials | English

Social(i)Makers: Social Innovation Academy

October 23, 2018

Are you inspired to make a change? Do you wish to become involved in shaping a better future? Are you passionate for new ideas and creative collaboration with others?

If your answers are YES, then check out Social(i)Makers project’s education platform and enroll to Social Innovation Academy!

What you will learn

How to enter the stage of social innovation and understand its true nature
How to take your indivdual role in the social innovation play as a citizen and consumer
How to become an entrepreneurial actor for social good
How to explore and test your impact acting skills
How to collaborate to boost your social innovation performance
How to investigate how much impact you really have on your audience
How to ideally fund your social innovation
How to shape the framework of your innovation script through collaboration and co-creation.

The course builds on the strong expertise of the Social(i)Maker partners, which spans the entire scope of social innovation – from becoming an active citizen to creating, funding and implementing your own solutions to the societal challenges of today. See more info on the project and partners here.

Educational Materials | English | Library

Initiatives to promote social entrepreneurship and social innovation in the Nordic countries

October 15, 2018September 2, 2019

Report Social entrepreneurship and social innovation – Initiatives to promote social entrepreneurship and social innovation in the Nordic countries presents the results from a survey of initiatives to support social entrepreneurship and social innovation in the Nordic Region. The survey addresses the challenges faced by the Nordic countries with regard to maintaining and further developing social welfare. The Nordic Council of Ministers (NMR) has put these challenges on the agenda on a number of occasions. In autumn 2012 the Norwegian Presidency organised a Nordic seminar on social entrepreneurship. One experience from this seminar was that there are different types of initiative and support for promoting social entrepreneurship in the Nordic countries, so there should also be a potential for mutual learning.

The survey shows that there is a broad spectrum of initiatives in the Nordic countries.
Examples of the following types of initiative were surveyed in all the countries: Funding, advice/competence development, incubation, network
building, research & development, education, increasing visibility, lobbying, legal framework, strategic development work and safeguarding business interests.
The survey also reveals that most respondents have key initiatives that are followed up by other initiatives in order to support the key initiative.
All respondents ticked at least two types of initiative, most more than two, with some replying that they offer all types of initiative.
Both the material collected and the data for each country contained most examples of advice/competence development, increasing visibility
and network building. Initiatives focusing on advice/competence development include different types of course and other training, conferences,
workshops, guidance and advice provided through board membership.
Network building involves the creation of fixed structures around defined networks (network associations), ad hoc groups set up in various organisations, and the use of workshops and seminars. Increasing visibility is about several of the same activities and various forms of
knowledge sharing.

Download the full survey here.

Källa: Social entrepreneurship and social innovation – Initiatives to promote social entrepreneurship and social innovation in the Nordic countries

Educational Materials | Educational Module | English | English | Impact Measurement Methodology

Four types of Impact

October 1, 2018

As social entrepreneurs we have become quite familiar with the term impact, as it’s the way we bring our mission vision statement to life and create change in society. Across all the different types of organizations and their relevant impact, there are 4 distinct types of impact that can be observed according to the MetaIntegral framework.

The MetaIntegral framework clarifies the 4 types of impact being

Clear impact
High impact
Wide impact
Deep impact

Clear Impact

“One of the most common forms of impact is Clear Impact, which measures change in stakeholder performance. Many businesses and organizations include various metrics to assess this area of impact (e.g., skill assessments, analytics, observation tools, and various KPIs). What all these metrics have in common is the focus on objective criteria to track behavior and performance.”

High Impact

“The other main form of impact is High Impact, which measures change in stakeholder systems (e.g., supply chains, cash flow, customer engagement) . Many businesses and organizations include various metrics to assess this area of impact (e.g., environmental impact assessments, financial impact assessments, input indicators, and various KPIs). What all these metrics have in common is the focus on interobjective or systemic criteria to track organizational and market dynamics.”

Wide Impact

“Over the last decade it has become more common for organizations to include Wide Impact, which measures change in stakeholder relationships. With forms of network analysis and social mapping there have emerged various metrics to assess this area of impact (e.g., 360 Assessments, relationship mapping, interviews, and social impact assessments). What all these metrics have in common is the focus on intersubjective criteria to track the quality and quantity of relationships and their influence.”

Deep Impact

“Arguably, one of the most important forms of impact is Deep Impact, which measures change in stakeholder experience. There is a growing awareness among many businesses and organizations that this form of impact needs to be included. Various metrics are used to assess this area of impact (e.g., self-evaluations, psychometrics, satisfaction surveys, and happiness inventories). What all these metrics have in common is the focus on subjective criteria to track somatic, emotional, and psychological dimensions of experience.”

Knowing that there are different kinds of impacts and which your organization is most likely to focus on, enables your organization to be clearer on areas to develop with regards to growth practices as well as what measurements are best to use to track your impact in your given area.

For more information on the MetaIntegral framework and its applications, there are Youtube videos available as well as an online course.

Statements in “ “ are direct quotes from the MetaIntegral website as well as the included images.

Educational Materials | Estonian

Alustava ettevõtja käsiraamat

September 21, 2018September 21, 2018

BDA Consulting OÜ ja Ettevõtluse Arendamise Sihtasutus on koostanud abimaterjali ettevõtlusega alustajale – alustava ettevõtja käsiraamatu. Käsiraamat julgustab samm-sammu haaval läbi mõtlema ettevõtlusega alustamise etapid alates ettevõtjaks olemise plussidest ja miinustest kuni äriplaani koostamise ja äriidee esitlemiseni välja. Raamatus on toodud ettevõtjate edulugusid, mis innustavad ja inspireerivad alustavat ettevõtjat.

Käsiraamatus on ka toetavaid sõnu sotsiaalse ettevõtlusega alustajatele – julgustatakse ellu viima ka sotsiaalseid või keskonnaprobleeme lahendavaid äriideid.

Käsiraamat on kättesaadav eesti keeles: Alustava ettevotja kasiraamat.

Educational Materials | Estonian

Sotsiaalse ettevõtluse tugisüsteemi analüüs

September 21, 2018September 21, 2018

Tartu Ülikooli sotsiaalteaduslike rakendusuuringute keskus RAKE on koostanud sotsiaalse ettevõtluse tugisüsteemi uuringu (2017). Uuringus on analüüsitud nii Eesti kui ka teiste riikide sotsiaalse ettevõtluse tugisüsteeme ning on tehtud ettepanekud sotsiaalse ettevõtluse tugisüsteemi parendamiseks Eestis.

Uuringus on põhjalikult käsitletud olemasoleva tugisüsteemi elemente, sh regulatsioonid, juriidilised vormid, rahastusmeetmed, arenguprogrammid, võrgustikud jm.

Uuring on kättesaadav eesti keeles Riigikantselei kodulehel: https://riigikantselei.ee/sites/default/files/content-editors/Failid/kaust/sotsiaalse_ettevotlus_tugisysteem_rake.pdf.

Educational Materials | Estonian

A strategy for developing young people’s social entrepreneurship

September 21, 2018September 21, 2018

A new strategy has been completed in Estonia in 2018 – a strategy for developing young people’s social entrepreneurship, which aims to enhance and diversify youth entrepreneurship education.

The strategy was developed by Estonian Youth Work Centre, Estonian Social Enterprise Network and Ministry of Education and Research. The partners decided to develop a strategy to create an effective network to deliver the relevant trainings and consulting to young people and support them in starting up with social enterprise.

The strategy is available in Estonian: Noorte sotsiaalse ettevotluse arendamise starteegia

Educational Materials | English

A web-based training course for social business advisors

September 21, 2018September 21, 2018

This training material is set as a self-study course. Learnes – business advisors – can apply for new skills to provide appropriate advice to social entrepreneurs.

This is a web-based training course, which contains 12 modules:

Module 1: Understanding Social Entrepreneurship

Module 2: Role of Business Advisors

Module 3: Structures for the Development of Social Enterprises

Module 4: Operational Requirements for A Social Enterprise

Module 5: Social Enterprise Sustainability

Module 6: Managing and Governing Social Enterprises

Module 7: Financing and Accounting Social Enterprises

Module 8: Business Advisor Professional and Personal Development

Module 9: Business Advocacy and Counseling Social Enterprises

Module 10: Communication with Social Entrepreneurs

Module 11: Business Advising Tools, Equipment and Material

Module 12: Consulting Toolkit

The training course and other materials were devised by SESBA project. SESBA (Social Enterprise Skills for Business Advisers) is an EU funded project under Erasmus+ strategic partnerships, aimed at

enhancing the profile of business advisors in order to better respond to the field of social entrepreneurship.
developing new training practices and consulting techniques
cultivating new practical advisory skills by business advisors in order to be able to encourage attributes of social entrepreneurship.

The consortium of a project was made up of seven partners from Greece, Italy, Malta, Bulgaria, Estonia and Ireland. The coordinator is Olympic Training & Consulting LTD from Greece. Militos Consulting is the Greek partner, Programa Integra is the Italian partner, Acrosslimits is the Maltese partner, Agricultural University of Plovdiv is the Bulgarian partner, QUIN-Estonia is the Estonian Partner and Limeric Institute of Technology is the Irish Partner.

This training course is available for free on the project website in five (5) languages (EN, BG, ES, EL, and IT).

Educational Materials | English

A toolkit for social business advisors

September 21, 2018September 21, 2018

This toolkit is for social business advisors or potential business advisors to improve the quality of the consulting and reach the additional value of consulting session. This toolkit is adapted to the social business advisors specially and contains 8 advisory techniques for groups of social entrepreneurs.

It presents alternative advisory techniques and guidance, that when successfully implemented in real life environments, help to support business advisors in providing effective consulting sessions to social enterprises.

The direct target group of the project are the business advisors, whilst the indirect target group are all potential or existing social entrepreneurs and local societies, stakeholders, chambers and policy makers.

The toolkit and other materials were devised by SESBA project. SESBA (Social Enterprise Skills for Business Advisers) is an EU funded project under Erasmus+ strategic partnerships, aimed at

enhancing the profile of business advisors in order to better respond to the field of social entrepreneurship.
developing new training practices and consulting techniques
cultivating new practical advisory skills by business advisors in order to be able to encourage attributes of social entrepreneurship.

The consortium of a project was made up of seven partners from Greece, Italy, Malta, Bulgaria, Estonia and Ireland. The coordinator is Olympic Training & Consulting LTD from Greece. Militos Consulting is the Greek partner, Programa Integra is the Italian partner, Acrosslimits is the Maltese partner, Agricultural University of Plovdiv is the Bulgarian partner, QUIN-Estonia is the Estonian Partner and Limeric Institute of Technology is the Irish Partner.

This toolkit is available for free on the project website in five (5) languages (EN, BG, ES, EL, and IT).

Direct link to the toolkit: http://sesbaproject.eu/images/sesbaproject/files/SESBA_O3_Techniques_toolkit_FINAL_soseditsf.pdf.

Руководство по социальному предпринимательству

August 27, 2018

Образовательный модуль для социальных предпринимателей

Добро пожаловать в Руководство по социальному предпринимательству – образовательный модуль для социальных предпринимателей.

«Будь тем изменением, которое ты хочешь увидеть в мире»/Ганди

Об учебном модуле

Целевая аудитория:

Те, кто интересуется предпринимательством, особенно таким, которое создает социальный эффект.
Опытные предприниматели, которые хотят расширить свои навыки, чтобы достигать изменений в обществе.
Любой человек, который хочет использовать бизнес-навыки для создания социального эффекта.

Требуемый уровень предшествующих знаний: никаких конкретных предварительных знаний не требуется, но базовые знания в бизнесе облегчат получение новых компетенций.

Язык обучения: русский

Требования к обучению:

Формальные требования для прохождения учебного курса отсутствуют.
Курс предоставляется бесплатно.

Разработка и использование учебного модуля:

Учебный курс призван обеспечить поэтапное понимание принципов и инструментов создания и развития социального бизнеса. Каждый раздел содержит:

Введение
Навигатор освоения (перечень ключевых вопросов, отраженные в разделе)
Учебные видеоматериалы
Дополнительные учебные материалы в виде видеороликов, статей или презентаций
Контрольный список вопросов для более глубокого понимания
Материалы для более углубленного изучения темы

Вы можете просматривать все разделы друг за другом или по отдельноси – каждый раздел независим, изучение предыдущих разделов не требуется для доступа к последующим.

Вы можете загрузить полное описание модуля в документе на латышском / русском / польском языках.

Используя материал или его части в других публикациях, вам необходимо указать ссылку на источник.

Здесь вы можете загрузить полное описание модуля на русском языке.

Образовательный модуль для социальных предпринимателей

Содержание

Вступление в социальное предпринимательство

1.1. Общее введение в социальное предпринимательство

1.2 Цели устойчивого развития ООН (SDGs)

1.3 Как видеть в социальных проблемах возможности для социального бизнеса

1.4. Социальное предпринимательство в странах Балтийского моря

Основной отдел

2.1. Создание общественной организации при помощи социального бизнес-плана

2.2. Разработка продукта

2.3. Финансирование и сбор средств в Балтийском регионе

2.4. Измерение социального воздействия

2.5. Маркетинг, коммуникации и технологии

2.6. Лидерство и тимбилдинг в социальных предприятиях

2.7. Сеть, партнерство и сотрудничество

2.8. Найм людей и использование волонтеров в России

2.9. Нормативные аспекты социального предпринимательства в России

Дополнительные ссылки

Коллектив авторов

Baltic Institute for Regional and European Concern (BISER), Польша:

http://biser.org.pl/

Magda Leszczyna-Rzucidło

Pawel Jacewicz

Anna Fornalska-Skurczyńska

Bartosz Atroszko

COBUCE, Россия:

http://www.krauslab.ru/

Maxim Mikhaylov

Sociālās inovācijas centrs, Латвия:

http://socialinnovation.lv/en/
Anita Stirāne

Jevgenija Kondurova

Renāte Lukjanska

Social Entrepreneurs in Denmark, Дания:

http://www.socialeentreprenorer.dk
Gitte Kirkeby

Per Bach

2018

Это издание было создано в рамках проекта «Развитие социального бизнеса в регионе Балтийского моря», совместно финансируемого программой Nordic Council of Ministers. Идентификационный номер проекта: 17055.

За содержание публикации отвечает руководител проекта и оно не обязательно отражает мнение Nordic Council of Ministers или других поставщиков финансовой поддержки и заинтересованных сторон.

Blog | Educational Materials | Finnish | Impact Measurement Methodology

Steps towards impact – Tools and examples

August 10, 2018

We all long for simple tools and examples how to understand the logic of stepping towards social impact. Finnish innovation fund Sitra has for 3 years built a impact investment ecosystem in Finland, and as part of the work, aimed to enhance the service providers’ and municipalities’ capability to work towards more impactful procurement. As the public sector acquires products and services with a yearly sum of approximately 35 billion euros, this competency is more than highly needed.

Recently, Sitra released a publication which provides tools and examples that help develop more impactful investments and investment-ready operations. The first part of the publication brings insight to the Finnish impact investment field in general and presents ideas how service providers can engage their operations with a bigger picture. The second part describes the first impact accelerator, and gives examples of steps towards impact that the accelerator participator organizations have taken.

This case study provides an excellent study for those social enterprises trying to find practical help how to map and communicate their own impact.

Part 1

Impact chain and the impact ecosystem

Impact chain – thinking is widely used in Finland when mapping the social impacts of service providers. The principle is easy to understand and use for demonstrating organisation’s operations and solutions. Internationally, the method is known and “iooi”: input, output, outcome and impact. The model helps understand the elements that impact is built upon, and to see the relations between those elements.

Impact chain -method can be used in two different ways. The first is the impact footprint; starting with the organizations inputs and outputs and assessing their potential impacts to society, we get an organization-based description about the impact. This can be used for example in CSR reporting.

The publication puts more emphasis on the impact handprint, which refers to the goal-oriented impact. The starting point here is the actual pursued impact, which then will defines the other elements; what kind of outcomes do we aim for, and what inputs and outputs shall build these most efficiently? The impact handprint approach is needed for example when projecting future impact and it serves well in impact investment cases.

The publication goes on describing in detail the elements of impact chain, and their relations.

It also introduces an idea of impact ecosystem. As impact is many times built upon inputs, outputs and outcomes from different sources, it’s important to map the different sources and understand the whole picture. One service provider rarely produces all impacts for a certain group of beneficiary or cause alone, but there are many organizations that aim for the same goal, and impact is created together. Usually the service provider is also involved in many different societal change processes at the same time. All this can be described by using the impact ecosystem approach.

Modelling impact

Modelling impact is an important part of goal-oriented impact. There are a number of ways to modelling, as the situations for the model’s use vary. There are however 3 common stages in modelling: 1) modelling societal benefit, 2) modelling impact, and 3) modelling operations (on how benefit and impact are created). One result of careful work of modelling is that it can reveal new sources of competitive advantage for a service provider, and help in developing new and better services for customers.

Modelling societal benefit can for example reveal how much savings can be achived to society through using certain service. Model can be based for example on statistical research and expert evaluations.

Modelling impact is done based on social benefit model. It includes the inputs required for reaching the change goals and an evaluation of investments needed to make those imputs.

Depending on the impact goal, this can be describing systemic change, or it can concentrate on mapping a single intervention. For the service provider, modelling impact will show what kind of inputs are needed to reach goals, and thus helps in developing better services.

A best practice approach to modelling is to always include wider range of experts and evaluators as well as customers in the process.

Modelling operations is the most important step for a service provider. It is a carefully defined presentation on how the service is producing certain results, and so it describes in a detailed way the inputs and outputs of the service. Return on investment (ROI) calculations are often included in this stage.

Again, the publication goes on describing, with examples, the 3 ways of modelling in action. A method of impact tree is also described, as well as ideas given to data gathering and impact indicators.

Communicating impact

Impact communication is definitely a big source of competitive advantage for a social enterprise. Impact information and understanding is appreciated by customers, investors, employees and the public. Four useful tools for communicating impact are

Company story, including story of change and impact
Communicative impact chain
Impact story, describing impact through a person or a case
Indicator dashboard, and infographic about the impact indicators and their results

Part 2

Sitra Impact Accelerator

Finnish innovation fund Sitra organized 4 impact accelerators in 2015-2017, with 37 service provider participants. Most of the participants were limited companies (social enterprises), also a few service-providing non-profits attended. The aim of the impact accelerator was to support the participants development towards more impactful actors, and create new channels towards investors interested in social impact.

Accelerator was a 2-month intensive training- and mentoring program. Program themes included social impact modelling and measurement, building of results-based business logic and developing investment-readiness, for scaling up the impact business in Finland.

While these pilot accelerators provided useful experience on what type of support is needed in the field, it was also concluded that such impact accelerators should not be the only ones using the impact goal approach. Indeed, as “all operations have an impact”, more traditional business accelerators and investors could learn from these approaches and add impact education in their operations as well.

Steps towards impact

The last part of the publication describes in detail the impact accelerator participant organization’s paths to impact and their impact chains. The 24 cases demonstrate the methods and approaches discussed in this introductory blog, and are an excellent bank of ideas on any social enterprise to start thinking and designing their own approach to modelling impact.

As the original material is at the moment available only in Finnish, it is highly recommended that social enterprise communities in different Baltic region countries gather resources and translate the material to respective languages.

Source:

Heliskoski, J., Humala, H., Kopola, R., Tonteri, A. & Tykkyläinen, S. (2018). Vaikuttavuuden askelmerkit Työkaluja ja esimerkkejä palveluntuottajille. Finnish innovation fund releases 130. (Only available in Finnish)

Educational Materials | English | Successful Business Models

Book review: Reinventing organizations by Frederic Laloux

August 9, 2018

When running your social enterprise, have you ever wondered if there is a different way of doing organizational tasks and assigning titles than the traditional hierarchical structure with decisions being made mostly top down? Frederick Laloux, the author of reinventing organizations, wondered just that. He had observed different styles of running organizations which he equated to a color spectrum to help us understand the development of the consciousness of the leading styles and organizational norms.

To begin with, all types of organizational styles are relevant depending on the given circumstance, there is no better or worse, as any leader or organization may display different color types if and when required. With that said the first part of the book described the color spectrum as follows:

Red organizations: “constant exercise of power by chief to keep troops in line. Fear is the glue of the organization.” Examples: Mafia, street gangs

Amber organizations: “Highly formal roles within a hierarchical pyramid. Top-down command and control (what and how).” Examples: Military, most government agencies

Orange organizations: “Goal is to beat competition; achieve profit and growth. Innovation is the key to staying ahead.” Example: Multinational companies

Green organizations: “With the classic pyramid structure, focus on culture and empowerment to achieve extraordinary employee motivation.” Example: Culture driven organizations

Teal organizations: The organizational is seen as its own entity and the staff are its guardians. They practice to trust the abundance of life by taming the ego and use their inner rightness as their compass. They see life as a journey that continually unfolds and build on the strength of each other rather than as a deficit (viewing people as a problem to be solved). They deal gracefully with adversity and values wisdom over rationality. They strives for wholeness: in relation to others, life and nature.

In the 2^nd part of the book, Laloux describes from his research on teal organizations the structures, practices, and cultures of teal organizations. The beauty of his research which he entered into with no predetermined ideas but rather than to learn from his research subjects, he discovered that these practices had organically evolved within the 12 organizations he pinned as teal subjects, each independent and unknown to one another yet had very similar ideals and practices. The 12 companies range from the energy sector to health care to schools and health care organizations, with employees ranging from 110 to 40,000; local to global.

To delve deeper into the teal organizations practices and emergence you can purchase a new or second hand book with free shipping from BetterWorldBooks (a social enterprise).

To learn more:

Youtube videos

Educational Materials | English

How to Start a Social Purpose Business

August 9, 2018

Take a look at our 10-step framework for starting up a Social Purpose Business.

If you’re an aspiring or established entrepreneur with a passion for a social or environmental issue, there are growing opportunities available. Starting up a Social Purpose Business allows you to leverage your entrepreneurial principles to organize, mobilize and manage a for-profit business that supports social change. Here’s a 10-step framework for starting up a Social Purpose Business.

1. Choose a social issue

Most social entrepreneurs are inspired by something. Christine Poirier of Montreal, Quebec designed her own nursing top to feel more comfortable breastfeeding in public. Her desire to help other women have positive breastfeeding experiences is what inspired Christine to co-found Momzelle, which makes quality, fashionable nursing apparel, sponsors breastfeeding events across North America and donates tops to women’s centres.

Like Christine Poirier, you might be drawn to a social issue through your own experience, but the cause you choose needs to be important to many others. For example, a recycling business that helps reduce the amount of plastic water bottles in landfills can resonate with a wide audience, in turn making a greater positive impact on the environment.

2. Research your issue

Even if you have personal experience with the social issue you’re hoping to solve, that doesn’t make you an expert. You need to have a full grasp on the nature of your endeavor, so take the time to do your research. What is your target market, and what assumptions are you making about it? Is there a real need for your Social Purpose Business? What is your competition and how will you stand out from it? What is the value you want to bring to your customers? Market research and analysis, feasibility studies, industry analysis and viewpoint forums can help you validate your assumptions and determine the potential of your idea.

3. Get a global viewpoint

Even if your cause is a local one, look beyond. There’s a world of resources available – international websites, online blogs and social networks, local and global social enterprise networks, events and meet-ups and traditional media. Take advantage to find out who the relevant innovators and innovations are worldwide, and to set up interviews with experts and potential customers. Also look beyond your industry, as valuable parallels can be drawn and trends understood from Social Purpose Businesses in other sectors.

4. Grasp legal structures

The legal structure of your business will impact its structure, governance, taxation, regulations and ability to attract investments and partners.¹ Structures currently available in Canada are charities, not-for-profits, co-operatives and for-profit corporations.

The challenge faced by social entrepreneurs in Canada is that they must choose between a not-for-profit and for-profit structure from the get-go, neither of which is entirely suited to a business striving to create blended value. Before you decide upon a legal structure for your business, be sure to do your research, speak to other entrepreneurs about their experience and make sure you understand the impact your decision will make on your business. Read more about choosing a legal structure for a Social Purpose Business.

5. Establish a solid business plan

It’s time to turn your research into a business plan. A business plan should have defined goals and tasks, effective strategies and measurements for success, such as:

Clearly defining your product or service
Clearly defining your social objectives
Your plan for meeting your blended social and business goals
Your plan for measuring success – both business and social
Who your customers are and how you plan to reach them
Marketing channels you plan to use
Your plan for product development or service delivery
Your business model (legal structure)
Your operations plan (where it will be based, who is on your team, how it will work day to day)
Your financial plan (start-up costs, projected incomes, expenses and cash flow)
Skills required and staff needed

Remember, a Social Purpose Business is a for-profit endeavour that will be competing with commercial enterprises that are concerned only with financial returns. Your business plan needs to engage and convince stakeholders, investors and funders.

6. Investigate funding options

One of the greatest challenges for entrepreneurs is finding the resources and capital to start their venture – even more so for social entrepreneurs. It helps to first understand the different types of financing that are available, including various sources of private sector financing or financing from non-governmental organizations. Only then can you assess which financing options best suit your Social Purpose Business.

The struggle many social entrepreneurs have is engaging private and public investors who generally lack experience with the unique risks, business models and markets presented by social ventures. Investors consider Social Purpose Business a riskier investment because it tends to be relatively complex, takes longer to scale and often tackles uncharted areas.¹

7. Seek ongoing support from a mentor

Establishing a relationship with a mentor from the onset of your business is critical. A mentor is a business professional with the experience to provide sound business advice, support and encouragement, but it’s imperative to choose a mentor who understands the unique challenges and issues faced by socially-minded entrepreneurs. In the experience of the Futurpreneur Canada, the chances of success are much higher when a young entrepreneur has the support of a mentor, so all Futurpreneur Canada entrepreneurs are matched with a mentor, prior to receiving their loan. Read more about the value of mentorship.

8. Hire the right people

Choosing the right people for your Social Purpose Business follows the same principles as hiring for any type of business. Building a team with a mix of practical, entrepreneurial and business skills will serve your business well. Yet working for a business with a social mission may require more commitment, and any prospective employees need to understand just what’ s expected – whether that be flexibility, longer working hours or lifestyle changes. Ideally, those you hire will share the same concerns about the social issue you’re striving to change and experience with the community you’re planning to serve.

A Social Purpose Business can also benefit from a board of directors that provides specialized guidance, expertise and support. The board oversees the business and supervises management, and will make decisions that will impact all aspects of your business – employees, customers, shareholders, suppliers and communities. Depending on your social and business goals, different skills might be required from your board members, such as a lawyer, accountant, marketing executive, fundraiser, IT expert, health care provider or social worker.

9. Build a company culture

A Social Purpose Business needs to develop its own company culture and not just a campaign. For a business striving for blended value, the culture should likewise be blended, combining the best of both the traditional not-for-profit mentality and the traditional for-profit mentality. The business needs to communicate to everyone involved – employees, board members, stakeholders – how it’s founded upon blended value, measures success based on the “triple bottom line” (people, planet and profit), and serves both clients (the people benefiting socially) and customers (the people buying).

10. Reach out globally

Once your Social Purpose Business has a solid foundation and its generating both economic and social value, it might be time to build awareness about both your business and the social issue it’s impacting. Establishing a global presence can bring many benefits. It can lead to further funding, opportunities to expand your positive impact, awareness about your social issue and interest in working for your company. Recent research has demonstrated the importance and positive results of successful social media campaigns, and it’s become imperative for all types of business to reach out to people around the world with a company website, blogs and social media platforms such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and YouTube.

As powerful as social media can be for business, it comes with an element of risk. It should be assumed that anything shared on social networks lasts forever, so choose your words wisely. Also, while controversy gets people engaged – the ultimate goal of social media – you’ll want to avoid any topics (such as politics or religion) or strong views that jeopardize your business values or polarize your audience.

References

Brace for (Social) Impact: The rise of social entrepreneurship in Canada. Rachel Shuttleworth, April 2012.

Educational Materials | Library | Uncategorized

Educational Module for Social Entrepreneurs

August 8, 2018

Social Enterprise Guide “Educational Module for Social Entrepreneurs”

Social entrepreneurs are motivated by the desire to make changes for the better.

It is a phenomenon that is gaining more national and international attention.

If you want to change the world, you need to act.

“Be the change you wish to see in the world”/Gandhi

Introduction

Target audience:

people who are interested in entrepreneurship and especially in creating social impact;
experienced entrepreneurs who want to expand their skills to change society;
anyone who wants to use business skills to create a social impact.

Required level of prior knowledge: no specific prior knowledge is required, but basic knowledge in business will make it easier to acquire specific knowledge.

Language: description of full Educational module including cases of partnering countries is available in English, but online training materials – for Polish social entrepreneurs in Polish, for Russia social entrepreneurs – in Russian and for Latvian social entrepreneurs in Latvian.

Training requirements:

there is no formal requirement for the acquisition of the training course;
the training course is free.

Design and use of the training module:

The training module is designed to provide a step-by-step insight into social business. Each section contains:

introduction;
Cognitive Guide (Key Issues Explained by the Unit);
training video materials – available in modules for Latvia, Poland and Russia;
additional training materials in the form of videos, articles or presentations;
checklist for more in-depth awareness;
materials for a more in-depth study of the topic.

You can browse all sections in a series or in a freeway – each section is individual; the previous sections are not required to access the next sections.

In the case of the use of material or parts of it, please refer to the project and the team of authors.

Authors:

Baltic Institute for Regional and European Concern (BISER): Poland

Magda Leszczyna-Rzucidło
Anna Fornalska-Skurczyńska

Witold Toczyski

Bartosz Atroszko

COBUCE: Russia

Maxim Mikhaylov

Social innovation centre: Latvia

Anita Stirāne
Jevgenija Kondurova

Renāte Lukjanska

Social Entrepreneurs in Denmark: Denmark

Gitte Kirkeby
Per Bach

This publication is part of the project “Social entrepreneurship development in the Baltic Sea region”, co-financed by Nordic Council of Ministers Program, project identification number 17055.

Responsible for the content solely publisher/presenter; it does not reflect the views of Nordic Council of Ministers and any related financial body. Those institutions do not bear responsibility for the information set out in the material.

Blog | Educational Materials | English

The Platform Design Toolkit 2.0

August 6, 2018August 9, 2018

The new tool has been published to assist entrepreneurs and organizations to look at business and activities, to design strategies, products and organizations “as a platform.”

As a synthesis of different definitions, developers say that platforms are scalable collaboration agreements powered by technologies: it’s not easy to differentiate between a technology, a strategy or an organization itself; at the end, everything shapes into seeing platform thinking a way to organize value creation in a particular ecosystem.

Platform thinking is a whole new way to look at organizations or processes or even a way to think how a place or a community should work — as applying platform thinking to cities or towns policies and services.

Platforms are winning because two critical technological shifts are happening: first, there is a growing potential in every individual or small enterprise, second – now it much more easy to connect and coordinate. These changes transformed the optimal shape of a company, product or strategy from the industrial “pipeline” (and bureaucracy) to the network.

It’s made of:

the Ecosystem Canvas for mapping all entities and roles in the ecosystem you are trying to mobilize;
the Entity Portrait for analyzing the entities individual context (potential, performance pressures, goals and gains sought);
the Motivations Matrix and Transactions Board to first let emerge and then consolidate the transactions engine (interactive marketplace);
the Learning Engine canvas (formerly Experience Learning canvas) to design the learning engine (the core of the platform proposition);
the Platform Experience canvas to design ecosystem journeys and business models featured in your strategy;
the Minimum Viable Platform canvas to help you design, and prototype your validation strategy.

The Platform Design Toolkit is based on the tradition of Business Modeling, Service Design Thinking and Lean Thinking (including concepts from Customer Development, the Lean Startup, the work of Lean Startup Machine on validation, etc…) and provides a unified view, optimized for Platforms and Ecosystems, of all these relevant tools and approaches.

Przewodnik po Przedsiębiorczości Społecznej

August 1, 2018August 9, 2018

Przewodnik po Przedsiębiorczości Społecznej

Kurs edukacyjny dla przedsiębiorców społecznych

Witamy!

Witamy w Przewodniku po Przedsiębiorczości Społecznej – kursie edukacyjnym dla przedsiębiorców społecznych!

O module szkoleniowym:

Grupa docelowa:

1. Osoby, które są zainteresowane przedsiębiorczością, a szczególnie tworzeniem wpływu społecznego;

2. Doświadczeni przedsiębiorcy, którzy chcą poszerzyć swoje umiejętności w celu zmiany społeczeństwa;

3. Każdy, kto chce wykorzystać umiejętności biznesowe, aby stworzyć wpływ społeczny

Wymagany poziom wcześniejszej wiedzy: nie jest wymagana żadna konkretna wiedza, ale podstawowa wiedza biznesowa ułatwi zdobycie konkretnej wiedzy.

Język nauczania: polski

Wymagania szkoleniowe:
1. Nie ma formalnych wymagań ,aby nabyć kurs szkoleniowy

2. Kurs szkoleniowy jest bezpłatny

Projektowanie i wykorzystanie modułu szkoleniowego:

Moduł szkoleniowy został zaprojektowany w celu zapewnienia krok po kroku wglądu w biznes społeczny. Każda sekcja zawiera:

1. Wstęp

2. Przewodnik poznawczy (kluczowe zagadnienia objaśnione przez jednostkę)

3. Filmowy materiał szkoleniowy

4. Dodatkowe materiały szkoleniowe w postaci filmów, artykułów lub prezentacji

5. Lista kontrolna dla lepszego zrozumienia

6. Materiały służące głębszej analizie tematu

Możesz przeglądać wszystkie sekcje w serii lub pojedynczo – każda sekcja jest indywidualna, poprzednie sekcje nie są wymagane, aby uzyskać dostęp do następnych sekcji.

Możesz pobrać pełny opis modułu w dokumencie w języku polskim do ściągnięcia tutaj: Social_Business_edu_module_PL (1)

Spis treści

1.Wstęp

1.1. Przedsiębiorczość społeczna – wprowadzenie

1.2. Cele Zrównoważonego Rozwoju (SDG’s)

1.3. Jak rozpoznać w problemach społecznych szansę na biznes prospołeczny

1.4. Przedsiębiorczość społeczna w Polsce

2. Zagadnienia

2.1. Tworzenie przedsiębiorstwa społecznego – opracowanie biznesplanu

2.2. Tworzenie produktu

2.3. Finansowanie i zbieranie funduszy w Polsce

2.4. Pomiar wpływu społecznego

2.5. Marketing, komunikacja i technologie

2.6. Budowanie zespołu i zarządzanie nim w przedsiębiorstwach społecznych

2.7. Sieć, partnerstwo i wzajemna współpraca

2.8. Zatrudnienie i wolontariat

2.9. Aspekty prawne przedsiębiorczości społecznej w sektorze polskiej ekonomii społecznej

3. Materiały uzupełniające

Wykorzystując materiał lub jego części w innych publikacjach, należy umieścić odniesienie do źródła.

Podziękowanie

Kurs edukacyjny dla przedsiębiorców społecznych opracowali:
Bałtycki Instytut Spraw Europejskich i Regionalnych (BISER): Polska http://biser.org.pl/

Autorzy projektu:
dr Magda Leszczyna-Rzucidło
Anna Fornalska-Skurczyńska

dr hab. Witold Toczyski

Bartosz Atroszko

COBUCE: Rosja- http://www.krauslab.ru/

Autor:

Maxim Mikhaylov

Centrum Innowacji Społecznych: Łotwa http://socialinnovation.lv/en/
Autorzy:
Anita Stirāne
Jevgenija Kondurova
Renate Lukjanska

Przedsiębiorcy społeczni w Danii: Dania http://www.socialeentreprenorer.dk
Autorzy:
Gitte Kirkeby
Per Bach

Luty 2018

Publikacja jest częścią projektu “Rozwój przedsiębiorczości społecznej w regionie Morza Bałtyckiego”, współfinansowanego przez program Nordyckiej Rady Ministrów, o numerze identyfikacyjnym: 17055.

Odpowiedzialność za treść ponosi wyłącznie wydawca/autorzy; nie reprezentuje ona punktu widzenia Nordyckiej Rady Ministrów i żadnych powiązanych z nią organów finansowych. Instytucje te nie są odpowiedzialne za informacje przekazane w powyższym materiale.

Educational Materials | English | Library | Support for SocEnts

Support mechanisms for social entrepreneurship in the Baltic Sea Region

August 1, 2018August 23, 2019

Download here paper written by Renate Lukjanska (Rezekne Academy of Technologies), Magda Leszczyna-Rzucidło (Uniwersytet Gdañski) and Julia Kuznecova (Riga International School of Economics and Business Administration) and published in International Business and Global Economy 2017, no. 36, pp. 262–274 (Biznes międzynarodowy w gospodarce globalnej 2017, nr 36, s. 262–274); Edited by the Institute of International Business, University of Gdañsk ISSN 2300-6102 e-ISSN 2353-9496

This content is delivered to you in the framework of the SEBS2 project co-funded by the Erasmus+, as our aim is to popularize social business and social entrepreneurship in the Baltic Sea Region.

This paper presents an overview of support mechanisms for social entrepreneurship available in the seven Baltic Sea Region (BSR) countries with references to the pertinent literature. Its main aim is to evaluate the mechanisms of support provided by state and local authorities regarding their influence on the development of the social entrepreneurship sector. The research is based on a survey conducted among representatives of social enterprises from the seven BSR countries and focuses group interviews. The hypothesis assumes that there is a significant disparity in the level of support offered to social entrepreneurs in the researched countries; moreover, it is not the kind of support that is expected by entrepreneurs. The study revealed that the conventional support mechanisms include: specialised institutions founded by the government, access to direct financial aid, and infrastructure support aimed at increasing the capacity of social enterprises. The conclusion is that the existing support mechanisms require greater state and local involvement. Continued efforts are necessary to make them more accessible and better adjusted to the needs of social entrepreneurs in the researched countries.

Keywords: social entrepreneurship, support mechanisms, entrepreneurship, social enterprise

Educational Materials | English

ToolKit: how to promote social economy among young people?

July 23, 2018August 23, 2019

Read here the newest educational material – “ToolKit: how to promote social economy among young people?” which is the result of the project „SOCIAL BUSINESS FOR INCLUSION” (KA1, Erasmus+), written by Ewa Solarz and Anna Skowera from Fundacja Dobry Rozwój in 2017.

This content is delivered to you in the framework of the SEBS2 project co-funded by the Erasmus+, as our aim is to popularize social business and social entrepreneurship in the Baltic Sea Region.

The material in pdf is available here: http://www.ekonomiaspoleczna.pl/files/ekonomiaspoleczna.pl/public/Biblioteka/2017.04.pdf

The ToolKit “How to promote social economy among young people?” is a result of the project “Social business for inclusion” conducted by Foundation Good Development (Fundacja Dobry Rozwój) in Toruń, Poland, 29th June – 9 th July 2017.

The project was financed by Erasmus+ and its main goals were as following:

– to provide practical knowledge of issues relating to the social economy and the possibilities of using the mechanisms for the fulfilment of social objectives (including assistance to disadvantaged groups);

– to provide practical tools and knowledge, designed to interest young people in the social economy and responsible business as one of the solutions to various social problems;

– to provide a platform for the exchange of experience and knowledge of best practices in the field of non-formal education regarding social economy;

– to develop the skills and knowledge of the participants in the field of non-formal education related to entrepreneurship and economics; – to discuss and identify new ideas for activities in the field of social economy;

– to discuss and identify innovative tools and ways to promote these issues among young people in informal education;

– to establish a network of organizations and individuals who are interested in further cooperation in spreading knowledge about the social economy among young people as a tool to embody the idea of social equality and helping disadvantaged groups;

– to develop ideas for joint projects and activities in this field in the future.

The ToolKit is a set of tools and methods to use in working with young people to promote the idea of social economy. It will be especially useful for teachers and trainers working with the youth.

Blog | Educational Materials | English

SAMforSE – A Self-Assessment Manual for Social Entrepreneurs

July 16, 2018July 16, 2018

The buzz is steadily increasing about tools that measure the impact of social enterprises and standardized metrics for assessing social, economic, and environmental impact. However, there are currently no easily applicable tools for social entrepreneurs to measure their businesses in this way. SAMforSE has been specially created to cover this gap.

SAMforSE is a tool specifically developed for the needs of social entrepreneurs. It is geared toward the ecosystem and business model of social enterprises. The tool is designed to help identify your strengths and successes but also to highlight areas where there is room for improvement when it comes to sustaining success over time. The tool focuses on insights and planning rather than relying on some general strategies that your enterprise is growing or scaling in the right direction, or achieving impact by improving the lives of customers.

How to use SAMforSE?

The self-assessment manual consists of some introductory remarks, eleven questionnaires from different evaluation areas for assessing your business and organization, an overall assessment.

The evaluation areas for your self-assessment are:

Make an honest assessment of your business or organization based on the prompts in each evaluation area. Base your assessment on how each prompt applies to your business or organization: is this a “strong” area, an area that you are “tracking,” or an area that “needs improvement”?

Before starting self-assessment, remember to:

Be honest to yourself, it’s all about your own evaluation and learning;
Read the introductory notes carefully;
Consider that some evaluation areas might not be important for your current business;
Outstanding resp. weak results in several areas of the evaluation do not automatically guarantee that your organization is a success resp. a failure;
Keep in mind that the application to the personal coaching program is independent from your self-assessment results.

Are you satisfied with your results, or is there some room for improvement? If you see some areas you’d like to work on, please have a look at the “Help & Support” section or apply for a personal coaching program (our voucher-program).

Source: https://www.samforse.org/en

Blog | Educational Materials | English | Library

Publication “Thematic Cluster on Social Inclusion”

July 13, 2018August 23, 2019

Recently the European Commission has released a publication about the use of EU-Funds for Social Inclusion, titled “Social Inclusion: Inspiring Trends in European Funded Projects”. The publication summarises the outcomes of a thematic cluster meeting held in Brussels on the 9th October 2017.

This content is delivered to you in the framework of the SEBS2 project co-funded by the Erasmus+, as our aim is to popularize social business and social entrepreneurship in the Baltic Sea Region.

The meeting was the first event to present projects from across three different programmes managed by EACEA (Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency): Erasmus+, Creative Europe and Europe for Citizens, and brought together over 130 social inclusion projects. The participants shared their knowledge and experience in education, culture, arts and sport, all crucial to foster social inclusion and to facilitate intercultural dialogue. In addition, they had the opportunity to network throughout the day and establish new working relationships.

During the thematic workshop, Eurodiaconia had the opportunity to present its Erasmus+ project: “EMPOWER YOU(TH): Training of innovative models and methods in youth work”, implemented with six member organisations. The project is aimed at analysing existing challenges and approaches to youth work and provide youth workers with skills and knowledge to tackle new social challenges more efficiently.

Read the publication here: https://eacea.ec.europa.eu/sites/eacea-site/files/brochureclusteronsocialinclusion_2018_web.pdf

Educational Materials

10 Tips From 10 Years of Social Good:

July 6, 2018

10 Tips From 10 Years of Social Good

Social entrepreneur Sarah Cowley shares a list of 10 tips of the most important things she has learned on her journey as a social entrepreneur after having been in the ‘social good’ space for ten years!

The list comes from Sarahs own work and the lessons she learned from other social entrepreneurs and change-makers across the world including in Australia, Costa Rica, Nepal, India, Cambodia, Vietnam, Pakistan, Iraq, Honduras, El Salvador & USA.

the 10 TIps are:

1) Focus

2) Be precise and have a structured plan

3) Be unafraid

4) Be smart about what you’re doing

5) Give your all

6) Stay positive & results-oriented

7) Take opportunities as they arise

8) It’s okay if things don’t happen immediately

9) Change is okay

10) Self-care is critical!

Read the whole article on Cause Artist here

Educational Materials | Educational Module | Latvian | Latvian | Library

Rokasgrāmata sociālajiem uzņēmējiem

July 2, 2018August 4, 2018

Izglītojošs materiāls sociālās uzņēmējdarbības uzsācējiem

Laipni lūdzam!

Laipni lūdzam sociālās uzņēmējdarbības rokasgrāmatā “Rokasgrāmta sociālajiem uzņēmējiem”.

Sociālos uzņēmējus motivē vēlme īstenot pozitīvas pārmaiņas. Šis fenomens piesaista arvien vairāk nacionālās un starptaustiskās sabiedrības uzmanību.

Ja jūs vēlaties mainīt pasauli, jums ir jārīkojas!

“Esi pārmaiņas, kuras Tu vēlies redzēt pasaulē” (Mohandass Gandijs)

Par apmācību moduli:

Mērķauditorija:

cilvēki, kuri ir ieinteresēti uzņēmējdarbībā un īpaši sociālās ietekmes radīšanā;
pieredzējuši uzņēmēji, kuri vēlas paplašināt savas prasmes, lai mainītu sabiedrību
ikviens, kurš vēlas izmantot uzņēmējdarbības prasmes, lai radītu sociālu ietekmi

Nepieciešamais priekšzināšanu līmenis: specifiskas priekšzināšanas nav nepieciešamas, tomēr pamatzināšanas uzņēmējdarbībā ļaus vieglāk apgūt specifiskās zināšanas

Apmācību valoda: latviešu

Apmācību prasības:

apmācību kursa apgūšanai nav formālu prasību
apmācību kurss ir bezmaksas

Apmācību moduļa uzbūve un lietošana:

Apmācību modulis ir veidots, lai soli pa solim sniegtu ieskatu sociālajā uzņēmējdarbībā. Katra sadaļa satur:

ievadu
izziņas ceļvedi (būtiskākos jautājumus, ko nodaļa izskaidro)
apmācību video materiālus
papildus apmācību materiālus video, rakstu vai prezentāciju formātā
kontroljautājumus dziļākas izpratnes veidošanai
materiālus tēmas padziļinātākai izpētei

Jūs variet caurskatīt visas sadaļas pēc kartās vai brīvā izlases veidā – katra sadaļa ir individuāla, iepriekšējo sadaļu apguve nav obligāta prasība piekļuvei nākošajām sadaļām.

Video “Ievads sociālās uzņēmējdarbības apmācību modulī“

Pilnu moduļa aprakstu dokumenta veidā latviešu valodā variet lejupielādēt šeit.

APMĀCĪBU MODULIS “ROKASGRĀMATA SOCIĀLAJIEM UZŅĒMĒJIEM”

Saturs

1.Ievads sociālajā uzņēmējdarbībā
1.1. Sociālās uzņēmējdarbības raksturojums

1.2. AIM – ANO ilgtspējīgas attīstības mērķi

1.3.Uzzini, kā sociālas problēmas var kļūt par sociālās uzņēmējdarbības iespējām

1.4. Sociālā uzņēmējdarbība Latvijā

2.Tematiskais ceļvedis

2.1. Sociālā uzņēmuma veidošana, attīstot sociālā biznesa plānu

2.2. Produkta attīstība

2.3. Finansējuma piesaiste

2.4. Sociālās ietekmes mērīšana

2.5. Mārketings, komunikācija un tehnoloģijas

2.6. Vadība un komandas saliedēšana sociālajos uzņēmumos

2.7. Tīklošanās, partnerība un sadarbība

2.8 Cilvēku nodarbināšana un brīvprātīgo piesaiste Latvijā

2.9. Sociālās uzņēmējdarbības juridiskais regulējums

3.Materiāli padziļinātākai izziņai

Autoru kolektīvs

Izglītojošā materiāla sociālajiem uzņēmējiem autoru kolektīvs:

Baltic Institute for Regional and European Concern (BISER), Polija http://biser.org.pl/

Autori:
Magda Leszczyna-Rzucidło
Pawel jacewicz
Anna Fornalska-Skurczyńska

Bartosz Atroszko

COBUCE, Krievija

http://www.krauslab.ru/

Autors:

Maxim Mikhaylov

Sociālās inovācijas centrs, Latvija

http://socialinnovation.lv/en/
Autori:
Anita Stirāne
Jevgenija Kondurova

Renāte Lukjanska

Social Entrepreneurs in Denmark, Dānija

http://www.socialeentreprenorer.dk
Autori:
Gitte Kirkeby
Per Bach

2018

Šis materiāls ir tapis projektā “Sociālās uzņēmējdarbības attīstīšana Baltijas jūras reģionā”, un tas līdzfinansēts ar programmas Nordic Concil of Ministers atbalstu. Projekta identifikācijas numurs: 17055.

Par publikācijas saturu atbild projekta vadītājs un tas ne vienmēr atspoguļo Nordic Council of Ministers vai citu finansiālā atbalsta sniedzēju un ieinteresēto pušu viedokli.

Izmantojot materiālu vai tā daļas citās publikācijās, nepieciešams izvietot atsauci uz avotu.

Blog | Educational Materials | English

Game Changers and Transformative Social Innovation. The Case of the Economic Crisis and the New Economy

July 2, 2018

ABSTRACT

This paper discusses transformative social innovation, conceptualised as the process through which social innovation contributes to societal transformation. A conceptual heuristic is introduced that proposes five foundational concepts to help distinguish between different pertinent ‘shades’ of change and innovation: 1) social innovation, (2) system innovation, (3) gamechangers, (4) narratives of change and (5) societal transformation. The paper elaborates on the background and meaning of each of these concepts, with references to existing literature in transition studies and social innovation research, and through empirical illustrations. The recent economic crisis is taken as an empirical example of a ‘game-changing’ macro-development, and it is explored how this economic crisis relates to other forms of change and innovation. A central hypothesis is that societal transformation is the result of specific ‘co-evolutionary’ interactions between game-changers (e.g. the economic crisis), narratives of change (e.g. ‘a new economy’), system innovations (e.g. welfare system reform), and social innovations (e.g. new exchange currencies or new design practices). The paper elaborates on this hypothesis and formulates challenges for future research.

Source: http://www.transitsocialinnovation.eu/content/original/TRANSIT%20outputs/91%20Gamechangers_TSI_Avelino_etal_TRANSIT_workingpaper_2014.pdf

Blog | Educational Materials | English | Library

Social impact investment in the Nordic-Baltic Region – Ideas and opportunities, needs and challenges using examples from Estonia, Latvia and Finland

June 25, 2018June 25, 2018

A Nordic-Baltic regional project “Social impact investment regional cooperation plan for Estonia, Latvia and Finland” has published a comprehensive map of the current situation in social impact investment within Nordic-Baltic region. The aim of the published material and cooperation of the project partners (the Estonian Social Enterprise Network, the Social Entrepreneurship Association of Latvia and the Finnish Association for Social Enterprises) has been quicker development of the social impact investment ecosystem.

INSPIRATION ON HOW TO DEVELOP SOCIAL IMPACT INVESTMENT

Social impact investment is the provision of finance to organisations addressing societal needs with the expectation of a measurable societal as well as financial return. Put more simply, it means investing into enterprises that create good stuff and eliminate bad stuff or transform it into good stuff. Social impact investment enables stakeholders to start up and scale up enterprises that tackle societal challenges with the help of sustainable business models.

The discussion paper on “Social impact investment in the Nordic-Baltic region” presents ideas and opportunities as well as needs and challenges of developing social impact investment field in the Nordic-Baltic region. It provides an overview of the current situation and insight to near future developments to anyone interested in how to finance social impact investment.

CHALLENGES AND HOW TO TACKLE THEM

Challenges to developent of social impact investments occur at both national and regional levels. The objectives related to increasing the demand and supply of investments are mostly national, mainly because the immediate impact of social enterprises usually occurs on a local or national level. However, the activities to achieve the objectives like raising awareness while building up stakeholders´ motivation, skills and capacity can and should be regional. Any individual country currently lacks a critical mass of stakeholders and resources to speed up the development of the social impact investment ecosystem to meet societal challenges quickly.

The main challenges include:

Low awareness about the topics and possibilities related to social impact investment
The potential developers of the social impact investment ecosystem lack skills and the capacity to take ownership and initiative
The demand side for social impact investment is weak
The supply side of social impact investment is weak

The regional activities to tackle such challenges are described as follows:

For more info on the country-level situations in Estonia, Latvia and Finland as well as insightful case studies and an annex of “greatest hits” of international reports and analysis on social impact investment, see the full material here.

Regional cooperation was supported by the Nordic Council of Ministers´ Office in Estonia.

Blog | Educational Materials | English | World

Social Entrepreneurships in Education

June 18, 2018

Social entrepreneurship (SE) is slowly making its way into the education system. Social entrepreneurship is already a concept taught in universities around the world, and some examples of SE education can be found at schools too, however the concept is still relatively new and education systems can be notoriously slow to change.

“Social Entrepreneurships in Education” is a document developed by British Council, which introduces the real exemplars of collaboration between teachers, children, entrepreneurs and the community, as well as reveals the existing opportunities and challenges in order to initiate larger discussion on a topic. The number of interviews were held with professionals in teaching and social business in order to answer the question: how to make future generation more capable of taking advantage of entrepreneurship in order to increase the wellbeing of society, taking into account the powerful role of education?

The authors have found out, that creating entrepreneurial opportunities for children and young people in schools, provides one way to blend traditional and progressive approaches, generating powerful learning that embeds both knowledge and core skills. A balance between educators and social entrepreneurs in the delivery of social enterprise education varies across the world. Different approaches are taken in different places, but it is clear that social entrepreneurship is not a subject that can simply be brought into the academic curriculum, as the teachers are not businessmen, and, in turn, social entrepreneurs are not proficient teachers. Moreover, many of the skills and gifts that make a great entrepreneur are not highly valued within a traditional school environment.

The very concept of education was once a social innovation now it is a human right. Meaningful changes should also be done to the perception of business, which should not be purely measured by the income. By drawing together the vision of social entrepreneurs and the expertise of teachers with far-sighted funding and rigorous research, the ground can be laid for systemic change on a global scale.

To research the field, describe and provide with recommendations, authors of “Social Entrepreneurships in Education” have conducted a literature review, conducted short questionnaires amongst education professionals and social entrepreneurs and in depth interviews with more than 30 leading thinkers on social entrepreneurship and education.

The result of the study can be found in here or on British Council webpage.

Educational Materials | Polish | Successful Business Models

Model biznesowy Canvas w przedsiębiorczości społęcznej

May 30, 2018August 23, 2019

Model biznesowy to narzędzie, które pozwala rzutem oka ogarnąć procesy wewnętrzne i zewnętrzne „przedsiębiorstwa” po to, żeby zrozumieć co, dla kogo i w jakiej kolejności robić, żeby przedsiębiorstwo mogło funkcjonować sprawnie.

W czasach szybko zmieniających się mód i trendów oraz jeszcze szybszych przemian technologicznych i komunikacyjnych, kluczową umiejętnością biznesową nie jest dostarczanie choćby najlepszych produktów i usług, lecz budowanie grup zadowolonych i powracających klientów oraz szybkie reagowanie na zmieniające się otoczenie.

Model biznesowy (ang. Business Model Canvas) pozwala w prosty sposób zebrać wszystkie kluczowe informacje, które pomogą nam stwierdzić, że nasz pomysł na biznes czy przedsięwzięcie jest prostu dobry czy może należy go jeszcze dopracować.

Chesz wiedzieć więcej nt. modelu Canvas i o tym, jak można go zastosować przy opracowywaniu koncepcji Twojego przedsiębiorstwa społecznego? Przeczytaj o tym w poradniku:

http://www.pi.gov.pl/PARP/chapter_86196.asp?soid=0E6E586112814614843715A84D46939C

This content is delivered to you in the framework of the SEBS2 project co-funded by the Erasmus+, as our aim is to popularize social business and social entrepreneurship in the Baltic Sea Region.

Blog | Educational Materials | English | Support for SocEnts

8 Keys To Crowdfunding Success For Social Entrepreneurs

May 29, 2018August 23, 2019

Crowdfunding means different things to different people, but it almost always means raising money from the public. For social entrepreneurs, it is all about changing the world.

Read more about the most important features of successful soc ent crowdfunding campaigns directly on the Forbes website here:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/devinthorpe/2018/04/30/8-keys-to-crowdfunding-success-for-social-entrepreneurs/#4c1c29837234

This content is delivered to you in the framework of the SEBS2 project co-funded by the Erasmus+, as our aim is to popularize social business and social entrepreneurship in the Baltic Sea Region.

You can also check their article presenting the most popular crowdfunding websites for Social Entrepreneurs here: https://www.forbes.com/sites/devinthorpe/2012/09/10/eight-crowdfunding-sites-for-social-entrepreneurs/

Educational Materials

Guide to Social Change Buzzwords

May 26, 2018May 30, 2018

Social Change Central has produced a small guide with the different words, that are used in the the social arena. Words like “Social Impact”, “Intrapreneurship”, “Benefit Corporation”, “Shared Value” etc.. It is important to understand what these terms mean and when to use them – or when not to use them.

The guide helps you get to grips with all the jargon and concepts that surround social change. Whether you add them to your lexicon or boycott them is up to you, just make sure you know what they mean.

See Social Change Centrals small guide here

Educational Materials | English

How and why to measure social impact

April 27, 2018September 2, 2019

Simply to say – social impact is the positive change that your organisation has created. This change could be social, economic and/or environmental. As a social enterprise, creating social impact is at the heart of what you do and you must be able to identify, understand the full value of your activities. Impact is also central point to your organisation’s strategy as it helps you to know whether you are meeting your mission and vision in the long-term. Understanding, measuring and communicating impact is extremely important to win new contracts and secure existing funders and customers. This information can be used for a number of very beneficial purposes, the principle of which are:

-Helping you better understand, and target, your social work. Social impact assessment helps organisations to plan better, implement more effectively, and successfully bring initiatives to scale.

-Attracting investors and retaining investor confidence. If social investment is to become as important as financial return, the measurement of social impact must be comparably easy to understand and communicate.

-Tendering for public sector contracts or selling goods and services. Social enterprises must be able to advertise their business in a way that is quickly and easily intelligible to public service commissioners and consumers alike.

There are many different ways to think about your impact, but, the starting point should be asking yourself:

-What are the long term social changes for people, the environment or the economy that our organisation creates or contributes to?

-What impacts, if we were not achieving them, would stop us from meeting our mission?

-Are there any other things we need to know about – such as unexpected impacts of our activities (either positive or negative)?

-Who do we need to tell and in what form community do need to know (e.g. report, funding framework, video, flyer, talking…?)

Tools for measuring social impact

These are some of the tools that can be used to do that:

–Social Accounting and Audit. It has been defined as the ‘systematic analysis of the effects of an organization, communities of interest or stakeholders, with stakeholder input as part of the data that are analyzed for the accounting statement’.

– Logic approach. The advantage is that it provide a framework that enables organizations to place evaluation and performance assessment into life cycle process of the program.

– Social Return on Investment (SROI) is a method for measuring and communicating a broad concept of value that incorporates social, environmental and economic impacts. It is a way of accounting the value created by our activities and the contributions that made that activity possible. SROI can encompass all types of outcomes – social, economic and environmental – but it is based on involving stakeholders in determining which outcomes are relevant.

Source: https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/social-enterprise-sustainable-business/0/steps/20920

Blog | Educational Materials | English | Library

Massive Open Online Course (MOOC): Social Innovation in Focus

April 9, 2018April 9, 2018

Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) for future social innovators is a tool developed within “Tomorrow’s Land” project and to be used in order to explore the challenges and solution of future and present communities. Joint project of the MOOC is based on learning approach that combines theory, inspiration, practice, self-reflection and discussion with peers. It is designed as a journey, where learner has a destination to reach: collect ideas, skills and tools to foster social innovation idea.

The course consists of 7 Modules: 2 introductory paths that help in preparing for the “journey”, understand the context and explore the Tomorrow’s Land Map, and 5 main paths dedicated to exploring a specific aspects and competences that social innovators need to have in a backpack:

Module 1 | Welcome to Tomorrow´s Land – to understand the concept of social innovation in Tomorrow’s Land, Define personal view on social innovation and goals for participating in this training activity.

Module 2 | The Explorer Guide Intro – to consult the Tomorrow’s Land Map, refine own social innovation idea, that relates to any of 8 important “regions” of Tomorrow’s Land, define and select skills to improve, thinking about 5 profiles of social innovator: “Creative thinker”, “Connector”, “Implementer”, Catalyst for Change” and “Techie” >>>

Activities of the course aren’t scheduled, so one can take a time to explore, search for more and get inspired by specific themes. The resources can be used for individual learning, as well as for organising training activities within a group. All materials are now available in English, but soon other languages will be added for more people being engaged and facilitate from the course. It is completely free of charge and at the end of the course Certificate of Accomplishment is available for the whole course or only one or few specific modules of interest. Certificate will be released to anyone who has successfully completed the course by correctly answering at least 60% of the questions of the quiz.

The goal of Tomorrow’s Land project is to develop the next generation of social innovators fully capable of influencing and contributing to the development of a better, more inclusive and innovative society. In order to do so, Tomorrow’s Land will deliver a high quality MOOC to support the development of key knowledge and competences required for the future social innovators to succeed.

To know more, take a look on:

Massive Open Online Course (MOOC)

(Pilot version of the online course is available until 2nd of June. Afterwards some improvements and more language options are planned to be implemented)

Project information

Strategic Foresight of Tomorrow’s Land

“Tomorrow’s Land” Project partners

Educational Materials | English | Library

Practical manual for starting a new social enterprise by the British Council

April 7, 2018June 7, 2018

This is a practical ‘how to’ manual for starting a new social enterprise or expand an existing social enterprise.

It is designed to be a basic process guide to carrying out a feasibility study of an enterprise idea, and then writing the enterprise plan in order to be able to present it to potential supporters. It can also be used as a guide to the basic systems for managing social enterprises.

The manual is divided into three sections: Section 1 is an overview of social enterprise and the history and background; Section 2 is the main part of the Toolkit and provides the information and exercises for developing the social enterprise idea and testing its viability; Section 3 is the outline of the content required in a Social Enterprise Plan, to guide groups and individuals, as they bring the information gathered during the Section 2 processes together, in preparing and writing a plan.

http://www.britishcouncil.org.ua/sites/default/files/social_enterprise_planning_toolkit.pdf

Blog | Educational Materials | Library | Lithuanian

Apie socialinį verslą lietuvoje

March 18, 2018September 2, 2019

Socialiniam verslui būdingas labai platus veiklos spektras. ES valstybėse narėse socialinis verslas dažniausiai veikia trijose srityse: integracijos į darbo rinką, asmeninių paslaugų ir socialiai atskirtų vietovių vystymo bei aplinkosaugos. Atsižvelgiant į socialinės ekonomikos raidos tendencijas ES, socialinio verslo plėtra Lietuvoje taip pat turėtų vykti šiomis kryptimis – skatinant tradicinį privatų verslą įsitraukti sprendžiant socialines problemas ir skatinant nevyriausybines organizacijas savo veikloje taikyti verslo modelius. Nors Lietuvoje socialinis verslas yra dar vystosi pamažu, trūksta geros praktikos pavyzdžių, stokojama skatinamųjų ir finansinės paramos priemonių, faktinis socialinių verslų skaičius šalyje nuolat auga. 2018 m. pabaigoje, VšĮ “Versli Lietuva” duomenimis, Lietuvoje veikė beveik 90 socialinių verslų.

2015 m. balandžio 3 dieną Ūkio ministras įsakymu patvirtino Socialinio verslo koncepciją. Iki šiol socialinis verslas nebuvo reglamentuotas, todėl nebuvo sudarytos tinkamos sąlygos jam skatinti ir valstybės pagalbai gauti. Beto Ūkio ministerija kartu su Jaunųjų profesionalų programos „Kurk Lietuvai“ ekspertų komanda parengė Socialinio verslo gidą. Šiame leidinyje pateikiama kuriant socialinį verslą reikalinga informacija. Gide apibrėžiama socialinio verslo sąvoka, išryškinami šio verslo skirtumai, lyginant su kitais socialinės ekonomikos subjektais, parodoma socialinio verslo nauda.

Naudotasi:

Blog | Educational Materials | Library | Russian

Trajectory for a social business

March 6, 2018March 6, 2018

The largest Russian bank Sberbank has opened the web-portal for entrepreneurs “Delovaja sreda” (Business environment).

It consists of a lot of business-related articles, educational materials and reports, both text and video.

For social start-ups, it will be useful to go through the describing of the trajectory of setting up the social business.

The best experts provide the step-by-step instruction for an entrepreneur:

How to understand that you are an entrepreneur.
How to find an idea
How to develop a mission
How to built a business-model
Where to get an assistance

The guide is published in Russian on the portal.

———-

Крупнейший российский банк – Сбербанк – открыл портал для предпринимателей “Деловая среда”.

На нем размещены статьи о бизнесе, образовательные материалы, отчеты – как тексты, так и видео.

Для социальных стартапов полезно изучить траекторию создания социального бизнеса.

Лучшие эксперты описали пошаговую инструкцию для предпринимателя:

Как понять, что ты предприниматель
Как найти идею
Как выработать миссию
Как разработать бизнес-модель
К кому обратиться за помощью

Статья размещена на русском языке на портале.

Blog | Educational Materials | Library | Russian

Ideas for social businesses

March 6, 2018March 6, 2018

Russian foundation “Our future” has opened the online platform to collect and share the ideas of social business. Any start-up or company can list their information on a project idea, business model, prototypes and results.

Portal experts select projects to share best cases, assist networking and community building.

Social entrepreneurs may use the portal also as an educational tool, discovering the projects and business-models, following the expert blog.

The portal also works with impact investors, providing them with market reports and financial data.

The platform runs in Russian and is available here: http://www.social-idea.ru/

Российский Фонд “Наше будущее” открыл онлайн платформу, на которой собраны и доступны для ознакомления идеи социального бизнеса. Каждый стартап или компания могут разместить здесь информацию о проектной идее, бизнес-модели, прототипах и результатах.

Эксперты портала отбирают проекты для анализа лучших кейсов, содействуют общению и созданию сообществ.

Портал также работает с инвесторами, предоставляя им рыночные отчеты и финансовые данные.

Платформа работает на русскам языке по адресу http://www.social-idea.ru/

Blog | Educational Materials | Library | World

Social entrepreneurship in Russia

March 6, 2018

The overview from Gendirector (CEO) magazine covers the general concept of social entrepreneurship in the Russian context.

Starting from definitions, the article continues with the examples of business models and ideas for business for Russian startups.

Gendirector also discusses how to measure the impact of social investments as well as where to get financing and consulting services for social entrepreneurs.

The article is published in Russian and available on the webpage of the magazine.

———

Обзорная статья в журнале “Гендиректор” раскрывает концепцию социального предпринимательства в российском контексте.

Начиная с определений, статья также описывает примеры бизнес-моделей и идей для российских стартапов.

Кроме этого, Гендиректор говорит о целях и методах измерения социального эффекта, об источниках инвестиций в социальные инновации, иной поддержке социальных предпринимателей.

Статья опубликована на сайте Гендиректора.

Blog | Educational Materials | Finnish

We have an idea! An information package to young people about how to build a social enterprise

March 1, 2018March 1, 2018

We have an idea! –website is an information package about social enterprise for young people as well as fasilitators / teachers.

This comprehensive work package includes:

A guide to social enterprise, consisting of 12 articles on important themes in social enterprise idea and business planning
6 social enterprise business cases
A 3-stage fasilitator’s/teacher’s workbook with many inspirational exercises to help youngsters plan their social enterprise

Materials are available – in Finnish – online as well as printable in pdf’s:

Meillä on idea – Yhteiskunnallisen yrittäjyyden opas (Young people’s guide to social enteprise)

Meillä on idea – Fasilitaattorin työkirja (Fasilitator’s workbook)

The site has been created by Suomen Setlementtiliitto. The contents have been created by a number of experts in the field. Partners include Social Enterprise Academy and British Council, and financing provided by Finland’s Slot Machine Association.

***

Meillä on idea! –sivusto on yhteiskunnallisen yritystoiminnan tietopaketti nuorille sekä heidän opettajilleen.

Sivustolta löydät kattavasti aineistoja:

Yhteiskunnallisen yrittäjyyden opas – 12 artikkelia, joiden avulla ideoit ja suunnittelet yhteiskunnallista yritystäsi
6 kuvausta toimivista yhteiskunnallisista yrityksistä
3-vaiheisen kurssin pitämiseen opastavan opettajan työkirjan, joka sisältää paljon innostavia tehtävivinkkejä opiskelijoiden yritysten suunnitteluun.

Materiaalit ovat saatavilla sekä verkkoaineistoina että ladattavissa pdf-muotoisina:

Meillä on idea – Yhteiskunnallisen yrittäjyyden opas

Meillä on idea – Fasilitaattorin työkirja

Sivusto Sivuston on toteuttanut Suomen Setlementtiliitto. Sisältöä on tuottanut moninainen osaajien joukko. Yhteistyökumppaneina ovat olleet Social Enterprise Academy ja British Council ja rahoittajana Raha-automaattiyhdistys.

Educational Materials | English | Library | Polish | Successful Business Models

An Application of the Corporate Company Models for Social Enterprise. An Article of Małgorzata Kurleto.

February 27, 2018August 23, 2019

An article by Małgorzata Kurleto from Jagiellonian University in Poland – “AN APPLICATION OF THE CORPORATE COMPANY MODELS FOR SOCIAL ENTERPRISE (WITH SPECIAL EMPHASIS ON POLISH CONDITIONS)”

This publication is shared to popularize the social entrepreneurship in the Baltic Sea Region as part of the project “Social entrepreneurship development in the Baltic Sea region”, co-financed by Nordic Council of Ministers Programme, project identification number 17055.

Introduction:

Social enterprises are searching for new models to enable them to fulfil their missions. A new business models and strategies for social enterprises can be transferred from company models. However, in practice it is not always suited to their proven models of operation and therefore new strategies and methods demand a new innovative approach (Kurleto, 2014).

Please read the full article here: http://www.wzieu.pl/zn/872/SM-15_ZN-872_07_Kurleto.pdf

You can also contact the author: e-mail: m.kurleto@uj.edu.pl

Cite this article as: Kurleto, M. (2015). An application of the corporate company models for social enterprise (with special emphasis on Polish conditions). Szczecin University Scientific Journal, No. 872. Service Management, 15 (1): 57–65.

Blog | Educational Materials | English | World

The Atlas of Social Innovation – Global Insight

February 25, 2018April 9, 2018

The Atlas of Social Innovation is the document presenting social innovation in a wide range of countries around the world, collecting practices and experience from different regions. It delivers new intelligence on the diversity of social innovation approaches in different parts of the world used by practitioners, researchers and policy makers, reflecting the diversity, broadness and usability of Social Innovation, proving the variety of actors and their interaction and exploring the systemic character and concept of Social Innovation.

Download your Atlas of Social Innovation or its parts here

The first part Social Innovation Landscape – Global Trends reveals the importance of Social Innovation addressing social, economic, political and environmental challenges of the 21st century on a global scale. It demonstrates the need for Social Innovation to overcome the great societal challenges and social demands and presents a broad range of important topics that are essential for a better understanding of the key elements and the potential of Social Innovation. The articles explore new avenues and concepts of innovation, make use of new tools (e.g. design thinking) and form alliances with other streams of research and practice (e.g. sustainable development).

The second part Social Innovation in World Regions provides an overview of various types of Social Innovation in different local or regional settings. Looking at the different world regions Social Innovation has various meanings, can take different forms and engage a diversity of actors.

The third part Social Innovation in Policy Fields uncovers that Social Innovation is omnipresent in the policy areas of education, employment, environment and climate change, energy supply, transport and mobility, health and social care, and poverty reduction and sustainable development.

The Atlas of Social Innovation’s final part Future Challenges and Infrastructures demonstrates that social innovation processes and the underlying resources, capabilities and constraints are also very much related to the actors of the different sectors of the social innovation ecosystem (policy, economy, science and civil society). This includes a new role of public policy and government for creating suitable framework and support structures, the integration of resources of the economy and civil society as well as supporting measures by science and universities (e.g. education for social innovation performance, know-how transfer).

One of the most important insights of the Atlas is that given the strong need for Social Innovation highlighted by the various policy field experts, and, bearing in mind the drivers but in particular also the barriers for Social Innovation, a social innovation friendly environment still has to be developed in Europe as well as globally. By gathering the leading experts, the Atlas opens up new insights in the current trends of social innovation research. Building up a knowledge repository for a growing community of practitioners, policy makers and researchers it should open up new avenues to unfold the potential of social innovation in the search for new social practices enhancing a better future.

The Atlas of Social Innovation has been developed in a partnership of 25 organisation from all around the world within the project “Social Innovation – Driving Force of Social Change” (in short – SI-DRIVE). It is a research project aimed at extending knowledge about social innovation (SI) in three major directions:

Integrating theories and research methodologies to advance understanding of SI leading to a comprehensive new paradigm of innovation,
Undertaking European and global mapping of SI, thereby addressing different social, economic, cultural, historical and religious contexts in eight major world regions,
Ensuring relevance for policy makers and practitioners through in-depth analyses and case studies in seven policy fields, with cross European and world region comparisons, foresight and policy round tables.

To read more about the project, used methodologies and outcomes, click here.

Educational Materials | English

Social Enterprise Toolkit

February 19, 2018February 19, 2018

Irish Social Enterprise Network has just launched a new Social Enterprise Toolkit. The toolkit guides you through important themes, which is good to know about, when you want to start a social enterprise.

Different chapters in the toolkit:

Introduction to Social Enterprise
Mission & Purpose
Know Your Market
All the Legal Bits
Setting up
Managing Finance
Getting Finance
Social Impact
Look After Yourself
Finding SupportsDownload the Toolkit here

Blog | Educational Materials | English

Social Enterprise Classroom Resource by British Council – download now!

February 7, 2018August 23, 2019

If you are engaged in sharing knowledge about social entrepreneurship and entrepreneurship education, this information is for you! Please see below the link to download great resource pack that provides ideas for discussion, activities and a framework to help you use social entrepreneurship as an engaging project in your school.

This publication is part of the project “Social entrepreneurship development in the Baltic Sea region”, co-financed by Nordic Council of Ministers Programme, project identification number 17055.

The British Council resource pack is designed to encourage students to develop an awareness and understanding of how business can help to address social problems as well as gain practical experience in planning and setting up their own social enterprise.

From projects on social responsibility, the impact social enterprises can make, and successful entrepreneurship, the pack allows students to increase their knowledge of social innovation whilst also develop core skills for learning, life, and work. It will also enable students to develop personal skills and attributes such as teamwork, confidence, and innovation.

You can download it here: https://schoolsonline.britishcouncil.org/classroom-resources/list/social-enterprise

or directly from our website: social_enterprise_classroom_resource

Educational Materials | Library | Swedish

Social innovation i Sverige Kartläggning av ekosystemet för social innovation

February 2, 2018September 2, 2019

Social innovation i Sverige Kartläggning av ekosystemet för social innovation

VINNOVA RAPPORT VR 2018:01

Ladda ner här

Blog | Educational Materials | English

Social Enterprise: Business Doing Good MOOC

January 29, 2018

Are you looking for free online resources to learn about social entrepreneurship? Thankfully there are now a few online courses and most recently available is the Social Enterprise: Business Doing Good MOOC. It is one of a three part series prepared by Middlesex University Business School, the Jindal Centre for Social Innovation & Entrepreneurship and Living in Minca.

The courses explores the subjects

“Understand what social enterprise is and its relation to sustainable development.
Learn how to evaluate social enterprise in the context of global and local problems.
Assess different definitions of social enterprise.
Identify different social enterprise models.
Learn about the social impact of social enterprises.
Come up with a social enterprise business idea.”

This course is for you if you work with a social enterprise or are thinking about starting one.

It will be run once a year. To secure your place, click on the icon “Email me when I can join”.

Image from Social Enterprise: Business Doing Good video

Educational Materials | Library | Swedish

NYA FINANSIERINGSFORMER FÖR SOCIAL INNOVATION

January 15, 2018September 2, 2019

NYA FINANSIERINGSFORMER FÖR SOCIAL INNOVATION
En internationell utblick om impact investment

Utgivare: Mötesplats Social Innovation (MSI)
Rapportförfattare: Camilla Backström
Verksamhetsansvarig för området Finansiering och Effektmätning vid Mötesplats Social Innovation.
Camilla var del av det team som utvecklade en handbok tillsammans med European Philanthropy Association (EVPA), som handlar om hur man mäter och följer upp samhällseffekter. Hon har erfarenhet från både näringslivet och det civila samhället, senast som VD för Charity Rating och innan dess som CSR-ansvarig för TeliaSonera-koncernen.

Ladda ner här

Källa: NYA FINANSIERINGSFORMER FÖR SOCIAL INNOVATION

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A Guide for Social Entrepreneurs: Collect and Report!

December 5, 2017April 9, 2018

“Know Your Impact: Social Impact Management Tools for Young Social Entrepreneurs” is the project lead by Koç University Social Impact Forum (KUSIF), that works as a research and practice centre on social impact in Turkey. The activities of organisation are focused on social impact measurement and creation of collaborative networks among civil society, public and private entities.

To enlarge the positive impact of social entrepreneurs and help them to succeed KUSIF in collaboration with Estonian Social Entrepreneurship Network, Mikado Sustainable Development Consulting and Social Value International has created a guide for social entrepreneurs, which describes accountability of stakeholders, correct data collection for design of products and services and the concept of “impact thinking”as a basis of social change. “Maximise Your Impact. A Guide for Social Entrepreneurs” is the intellectual output of two years project that educates and recommends on how to report the impact to founders, other stakeholders, as well as make them know how data is being used in order to inform change.

Download “Maximise Your Impact” publication here or read it on the website.

Blog | Educational Materials | English | Support for SocEnts

Crowdsourcing platform for social enterprises – ImpactYouth

December 5, 2017February 2, 2018

To introduce opportunities and alternative resources to support the social entrepreneurship run by youth in Baltic states, the project ImpactYouth was developed in cooperation of Social innovation centre (Latvia), Viesoji istaiga Bendruomeniu kaitos centras (Lithuania), INVOLVED (Estonia), VIAINDUSTRIAE (Italy) and Makesense (France), executed under the Erasmus+ programme and co-financed by the European Union. The main objectives of the the project started in summer 2016 are to:

support alternative financing ways of youth social businesses in Baltic states,
spread the idea of social enterpreneurship in Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia and promote it as positive trend to the society,
provide necessary competences and support tools to enable young people to develop social business ideas at regional, national or international level,
initiate stronger collaboration between existing business incubators, youth centres and NGOs for development of social business incubation for youth,
introduce the “Art-ups” and the creative social entrepreneurship as one of possible ways for young people t start own social business,
encourage young people to think innovative and creative ways, collaborate and take a risk,
promote good practices among local and international partners to archieve sustainable, collaborative, social business support within youth sector.

The first intellectual output of the project has been guidelines for youth organizations “How to facilitate development of social business incubation for youth“. It provides an insight into the structure of youth organizations in Baltic countries that creates opportunities and support for youth in development of social business. In addition, experience of partner countries France and Italy in relevant field forms methodologies and support mechanisms to implement in Baltic countries. The guidelines focuse on the possible mechanisms for young social entrepreneurs’ startups to be successful and partner countries’ experience in youth support to be taken over.

To make the project more viable in terms of practical implementation, the manual for problem-solving workshop has been created in a form of short “Hold-up“.

As another result of the project the crowdfunding platform on www.impactyouth.eu was created and promoted in Baltic countries, so social entrepreneurship ideas can get necessary financial support for the business development and making social benefit at the same time. The concept is really simple – young man or women can “pitch” own idea with any kind of promotional means (video, pictures, links etc.) and invite others to invest in the idea, so in the end the money can be used for real business development. It works if the necessary minimum percentage of the requested amount is achieved in limited period of time. If the project idea fails to collect the funds specified in the website, the investments are returned to the “sponsor”. More details are to be found here.

So,

The Intellectual Output 1

Hold-up manual

The crowdsourcing platform

The terms of use for ImpactYouth crowdsourcing platform

Video about the use of platform in English

Video about the use of platform in Latvian

The European Commission support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the contents which reflects the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

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Strategic Foresight of Tomorrow’s Land – Who Are Social Innovators of Next Generation?

November 23, 2017January 28, 2018

Being a social innovator means to think about the future – own, community’s and whole society’s welbeing of next decades. The only way social innovator can be prepared to tackle with future challenges is to accumulate knowledges, skills and competences here and now and form the future innovator and community wants to live in. Simply! Really?

Let’s take a look!

Tomorrow’s Land is a project aimed at developing the next generation of social innovators fully capable of influencing and contributing to the development of a better, more inclusive and innovative society. The project is co-created by partners from 6 European countries – United Kingdom, Portugal, Denmark, Italy, Germany and Latvia, thus contributing with different perspectives on future of social innovation in collaborative economy.

The Strategic Foresight is project’s First Intellectual Output, which consists of 2 main parts:

Learning framework – designed to evaluate the needs of social innovators on a personal development level, identifying key competences, skills, talents and knowledge, purpose and interests, as well as mind-set, passion and values.

The Map of Tomorrow’s Land – defines 8 insights, distinct areas to help social innovators to route their future actions.

To discover more, read full Strategic Foresight HERE.

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SOCIAL IMPACT ? What does it really mean?

November 15, 2017September 2, 2019

Generally speaking, social impact is how organizations, businesses or individuals’ actions affect the surrounding community. It may be the result of an activity, project, program or policy and the impact can be both positive or negative. The social impact can be felt by people directly associated with that organization or individual, or have a more far-reaching people in different communities, states and even countries.

But more commonly, the term “social impact” is used to define actions which have a positive impact on communities.

As individuals, we can make a positive social impact through many aspects of life . It might be starting up your own business with positive social impact or you know business which

having a negative social impact and sharing your knowledge with friends and family.

How you choose to spend your leisure time is also telling, as travel can have both a positive and negative social impact. Planes emit huge amounts of carbon dioxide and travel can have detrimental effects on indigenous cultures, but it can also create jobs and help increase cultural awareness and tolerance around the world. As a result, the way you choose to travel can result in a vastly different social impact

Opting to support community tourism initiatives and staying in locally-owned guesthouses helps create jobs within communities, while eco-tourism projects can help conserve vital habitats for both wildlife and people. If you respect indigenous cultures and way of life during tourism activities, you can help create a positive social impact for their future.

This is also true of volunteer abroad programs which seek to make beneficial impacts on local communities in a diverse range of fields. It offers volunteers an insight into how other people live and helps them gain essential life skills while working alongside local people on projects which matter to them.

The social impact is mutual, with local communities seeing beneficial changes throughout the duration of the project and volunteers returning home enlightened as global citizens. Newly developed skills and a more open-minded attitude about the world can then be used to benefit their communities back home, whether it be as part of a focused project, a business startup idea or just in day-to-day interactions with others.

Business owners and their employees can also incorporate social good into their operations, striving to create wide-reaching benefits for their customers, the surrounding community and environment. In today’s world, customers are aware that the purchases they choose to make can speak volumes, and many are looking to support businesses that incorporate positive social impact ideals into their business model.

It needs to be at the core of operations and help determine each and every business decision that is made. It’s important to define what the social impact of your business operation is and whether your entire team believes in it to ensure it is authentic and can be realized. It should be engrained in everything you do as a business and part of the company culture because if it’s not being practiced there, it cannot reach out and connect with the rest of the community.

But most importantly, the social impact you seek to create as a business should be done for the right reasons and not just to jump on the bandwagon of “social good” to reap the financial rewards. It should be meaningful to you and your team and be sustainable well into the future.

As a business, social impact may not necessarily be realized in the product or service you are marketing, but can also be in the way the business functions. Some employers encourage or even offer grants for their staff to participate in volunteer abroad placements during their vacation periods and match the hours worked with a financial donation from the company to a designated charity. Others encourage employees to donate their paid time off to working with a charity of their choosing. Word of each new experience and volunteer encounter permeates through the business and helps inspire others to do the same.

When it comes to social impact initiatives, there are certain things we know to be true. For example, we know that these days, an increasing number of consumers seek out products that have a positive impact on the world in some capacity. In fact, 90% of Millennials say they will switch to a cause-branded product when choosing between two brands of equal quality and price, and 51% of global consumers will pay extra for products and services committed to positive social and environmental impact. We also know that as of September 2017, there are over 2251 certified B Corporations, which are companies that undergo a rigorous assessment to demonstrate that they focus on social good alongside profit. These companies span across 130 industries in 50 countries, and these numbers continue to increase.

https://buildabroad.org/2017/03/03/social-impact/

Though these are exciting and inspiring pieces of data, there’s one underlying piece of information that we haven’t quite defined: What does social impact really mean?

The answer to that question is complicated. When you search the phrase “what is social impact?” on Google, you’ll find a multitude of definitions — here are just a few of them:

“Social impact can be defined as the net effect of an activity on a community and the well-being of individuals and families.” – Centre for Social Impact (CSI)

“A significant, positive change that addresses a pressing social challenge.” – Michigan Ross Center for Social Impact

“Social impact is the effect an organization’s actions have on the well being of the community.” – Knowledge at Wharton High School

The definitions are similar, but they aren’t the same. To shed some light on what “social impact” means to people coming from different perspectives, we asked thought leaders and experts we know to share their thoughts on the subject.

Here’s what they had to say:

Understanding a company’s social impact is crucial to sustainability

The social impact of a business is easy to identify but difficult to measure, however understanding the effects a company has on society and the environment is vital to achieving sustainability

Sustainability has three dimensions: environmental, economic and social which are all inter-linked. For example, the protection of natural systems requires good social conditions and is unlikely to happen during war.

Similarly the survival of society needs a supportive natural environment, not one ravaged by climate change. But neither will happen unless we manage scarce resources at our disposal more successfully in both financial and environmental terms. And in terms of social impact.

Many companies have social goals: they do something that others in society find useful and are willing to pay for. But what is ‘social’? How do we factor the social impact of companies and their contribution to sustainability?

Companies also impact on communities. Particularly those that have a significant direct impact on the natural environment, such as mining or oil extraction, agriculture or heavy manufacturing. It matters greatly to those living near their operations how they are carried out and what degree of care is taken over impacts on health for example.

Some companies, particularly mining and oil firms, may even create communities in order to operate. The living conditions of such workers are an inescapable part of the social responsibility of the company. The social impacts of removing communities or clearing land in order to operate are even more powerful. So the social impact of a large dam or other major infrastructure projects may be profound. At its worst, it can destroy lives; at best it will destroy a way of life.

Human rights and labour relations also matter. Companies of all kinds have a role to play in ensuring that there is no discrimination in the way their staff are managed, promoted and trained, and that they have decent conditions of work.

All these impacts are much easier to identify than measure. Measurement of social impact is hard because to reduce human experience to numbers is to fail to capture some part of it. This does not mean that any kind of measurement is useless. But it does mean that complacent reliance on a set of numbers is bound to seem unsatisfactory.

There are a number of important social impacts that are much easier to measure, but about which companies are reluctant to be transparent. One of these is tax. The payment of tax is one of the most important contributions to society that most companies make. It is also one that they can be most secretive about – mainly because the countries in which they add value through their operations often bear little relationship to those where they are liable for taxes.

However the social impacts of companies go far beyond even the kinds of substantive consequences listed above. At its broadest, social impact includes anything that affects company-stakeholder relationships: from how much and how reliably suppliers are paid (think supermarkets), to how a product affects lives (think Facebook). From how small shareholders may be treated to the impact of alcohol on health and communities.

Nevertheless companies don’t run our lives. Or do they? One of the stakeholder relationships that companies cultivate with great care is that with government and the state. This can be legal or illegal. In countries where corruption is most prevalent, the distortion of economic life has some of the most devastating social consequences possible.

But where it is legal, and takes the form of lobbying, it raises questions about the role of companies in society. In a democracy, one would expect that people, rather than companies, should be the key influence on government. Yet the very phrase ‘corporate citizenship’ challenges that assumption. Changing the rules by which society operates leverages social impact beyond measure.

Companies have always been part of society. They should not be seen as a separate power that must be ‘balanced’ with society in a zero-sum kind of way in order to achieve sustainability. They should be seen more as the locus of productive activities that must be harnessed for the greater good of society as a whole. Understanding their social impact is an essential step in that process.

Adrian Henriques is professor of accountability and CSR at Middlesex University and author of ‘Corporate Impact – measuring and managing your social footprint’

Sources:

https://buildabroad.org/2017/03/03/social-impact/

https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/understanding-social-impact-business-sustainability

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Toolkit for running a social enterprise

December 7, 2016January 28, 2018

Great support for every aspect of running your Social Enterprise in our free online toolkit by UNLTD UK: http://ow.ly/UQGw306TqCD

Educational Materials | Estonian | Impact Measurement Methodology | Library | Project Outputs

Eestikeelne ühiskondliku mõju hindamise käsiraamat

December 6, 2016January 28, 2018

Sotsiaalsete Ettevõtete Võrgustik andis välja ühiskondliku mõju hindamise käsiraamatu nii eesti (LINK siin) kui inglise keeles (LINK siin). Õppematerjaliks sobiva raamatu autoriks on Jaan Aps, kes lisaks SEV-i juhatuse esimehe rollile on võrgustiku meeskonnas ka mõju kaardistamise lahenduste suuna eestvedaja.

Iga sotsiaalse ettevõtte või mõne teist tüüpi ühiskondliku eesmärgiga organisatsiooni olemasoluks on ainult üks õigustus: luua positiivset muutust, mis teisiti aset ei leiaks. Seega lasub neil ettevõtetel vastutus selle eest, et muutused oleksid võimalikult laia kõlapinnaga ja süvitsi minevad. Vastasel juhul lõikaksid sihtrühma liikmed tunduvalt suuremat kasu mõne teise organisatsiooni tegevusest.

Kuigi sotsiaalsetele ettevõtetele on kättesaadavad täiesti adekvaatsed süsteemid oma finantsolukorra ja personali voolavuse analüüsimiseks, on oma mõju määratlemine ja kaardistamine paljude jaoks paras katsumus. Sellel on muidugi mitmeid põhjusi – ebamääraste eesmärkide seadmine ja piiratud ressursid on ainult jäämäe tipp.

„Kui Sotsiaalsete Ettevõtete Võrgustik 2012. aastal Eestis ametlikult loodi, olin selle asutajate seas ja mõtisklesin, kuidas pakkuda võrgustiku liikmetele sobivat mõju kaardistamise viisi – tegemist on ju ühe meie olulisema tegevussuunaga. Praeguseks oleme välja arendanud lahenduse, mis on Eesti sotsiaalse eesmärgi nimel tegutsevate ettevõtete seas mõju kaardistamise standardina juba üldist tunnustamist leidnud, kuigi see ei ole ainuke omataoline,“ selgitab Jaan Aps ühiskondliku mõju hindamise vajalikkust.

Õppematerjal on mõeldud neile asjaosalistele, kellel on vaja arendada oma ühiskondliku mõju analüüsimisega seotud oskusi. Loodetavasti on õppematerjalist kasu ka vastavaid kursusi (sh sotsiaalse ettevõtluse teemal) pidavatele õppejõududele ja neis osalevatele üliõpilastele, samuti neile, kes juba praegu osalevad muutuste loomisel kohalikul tasandil ja soovivad oma lähenemisviisi välja kujundada või seda täiustada.

Standardlahendust on järele proovinud paljud Eesti Sotsiaalsete Ettevõtete Võrgustiku liikmed (seda loeme mitteametlikuks liikmelisuse kriteeriumiks). Selle kasuks on otsustanud ka mõned teiste katusorganisatsioonide lipu all tegutsevad ühiskondliku eesmärgiga organisatsioonid (nt Eesti Lasterikaste Perede Liit).

Raamatu valmimist toetas Erasmus+ projekti „Social entrepreneurship development in Baltic Sea region“ („Sotsiaalse ettevõtluse areng Läänemere regioonis“) raames.

Educational Materials | Estonian | Library | Project Outputs | Support for SocEnts

Ülevaade: Haridusalane toetus sotsiaalsetele ettevõtetele

December 5, 2016January 28, 2018

Veel mõne aasta eest sarnanes sotsiaalne ettevõtlus enamikus Euroopa riikides ”mustale kastile”. Kui avastati ja mõisteti sotsiaalse ettevõtluse potentsiaali finantsiliselt jätkusuutliku positiivse ühiskondliku muutuse loomisel, hakkasid uurijad ja analüütikud sellele tähelepanu pöörama.

Kõigest mõni kuu enne selle dokumendi valmimist avaldati veebis kaks aruannet. Euroopa Komisjon avaldas oma esimese sotsiaalseid ettevõtteid võrdleva ülevaate 2014. aasta lõpus. Selles põhjalikus uurimuses kirjeldatakse 28 Euroopa Liidu liikmesriigi ja Šveitsi sotsiaalse ettevõtluse peamisi tunnusjooni, kasutades tavapärast definitsiooni ja lähenemisviisi. Antakse ka üldistav ülevaade sotsiaalse ettevõtluse süsteemidest maade kaupa, mainides sealjuures nende arengut piiravaid tegureid.

Lisaks sellele avaldas üks Euroopa Sotsiaalfondi õpivõrgustikest, Sotsiaalse Ettevõtluse Võrgustik (The Social Entrepreneurship Network), 2013-14. aastal uurimuse „Policy meets practice – enabling the growth of social enterprises“ („Poliitika ja praktika puutepunkt: sotsiaalsete ettevõtete kasvu võimaldamisest“). Selles esitatakse mõned näited võtmepoliitikate ning nendega seotud heade praktikate kohta valitud EL liikmesriikides.

Senistes aruannetes on mitmed olulised aspektid siiski katmata jäänud. Seetõttu esitab käesolev aruanne infot nii formaal- kui mitteformaalhariduslike võimaluste kohta seoses sotsiaalse ettevõtlusega Läänemere piirkonna riikides.

LINK aruandele asub siin.

Video: Tutvu sotsiaalse ettevõtluse ärimudelitega kahe põneva näite abil!

December 5, 2016January 28, 2018

Sotsiaalsed ettevõtted teenivad raha selleks, et maailma paremaks muuta. Vaata lähemalt, kuidas sotsiaalse ettevõtte ärimudelit üles ehitada! Lisaks jagavad oma kogemusi Merimetsa Tugikeskus ja Eesti Üliõpilaskondade Liit.

LINK Youtube´i keskkonnas asuvale videole on leitav siit.

Video valmis juunis 2015 projekti „Sotsiaalse ettevõtluse areng Läänemere regioonis“ (Social entrepreneurship development in Baltic Sea region) rahastusel, mis viidi ellu Erasmus+ raames ja Euroopa Liidu kaasfinantseerimise abil. Sisu: Aune Lillemets, Jaan Aps. Tehniline teostus: Villem Jahu.

Educational Materials | English | Library

Podcasts about Social Entrepreneurship

May 16, 2016January 28, 2018

Do you prefer learning via listening to great podcasts? There are a lot of podcasts to be listened about social entrepreneurship, here’s a few suggestions and links to get you started:

Inspiring Social Entrepreneurs: Sign up for weekly interviews with successful social entrepreneurs and changemakers who are building a better world.

The Social Enterprise Podcast A monthly podcast that explores the challenges of starting, building, and running a social enterprise.

The ChangeMakers Podcast Each week, Andréa Ranae chats with amazing women entrepreneurs and changemakers who are making a difference through their life and work.

The Impact Podcast The topic of social impact is the focus of The Impact Podcast.

Social Entrepreneur Social Entrepreneur is a podcast for aspiring and early-stage social entrepreneurs, and for those who want to make an impact on the world.

A “Philanthropy Hour” podcast featuring an interview with Institute Founder and Executive Director Jerr Boschee by Greg Cherry August 2015 (40 minutes)

Interview of Institute Executive Director Jerr Boschee by Tim Zak of Globeshakers (26 minutes)

Educational Materials | English | Library

TED(x) talks about Social Entrepreneurship

May 15, 2016January 28, 2018

There are a lot of inspiring TED talks and TEDx talks about social entrepreneurship. Here’s one: Michael Porter – Why business can be good at solving social problems?

Watch for more inspiring talks about social entrepreneurship from instance going through this list.

Educational Materials | English | Library

Online Course: Social Entrepreneurship 101

May 15, 2016January 28, 2018

This is a free Acumen course which lasts for 4 weeks. This course is especially made for people approaching the social entrepreneurship sector for the first time.

In this course you’ll learn to apply entrepreneurial skills to social problems and design lasting solutions.

Designed for anyone approaching social entrepreneurship for the first time, this interactive learning experience will give you an overview of the sector. It will help you explore pathways for initial engagement with social enterprises and uncover your relevant passions and skills.

By the end of this course, you’ll have found a concrete way to contribute to a social enterprise OR you’ll be engaged in early stage ideation for your own venture. Specifically, you’ll begin to identify a problem you care about, understand the considerations needed for impact and financial sustainability, and learn about how various social entrepreneurs have thought about scale.

This Course Is For You If:

You want to figure out ways to get involved in social entrepreneurship
You’re looking for ideas to add more meaning to your life and career
You have a burning desire to do good in ways that are smart and effective
You’re eager to lend your skills and talents to solve a social problems

Check the details and add it to your agenda.

Educational Materials | English | Library

Online Course about Lean Startup Principles for Social Impact

May 15, 2016January 28, 2018

If you want to know more about lean AND social impact this might just be the course for you.

It is a free online course from Acumen and it is an 4-week course inspired by the Lean Launchpad Class pioneered by Steve Blank. In this course you will learn how to test, validate, and adapt your vision of change to ensure you’re creating the greatest impact and investing your time in something that truly meets your stakeholder’s and customer’s needs.

This course is appropriate for anyone who wants to try out lean methodologies to start a new enterprise or building a new program or initiative within an existing organization. The lean approach relies on validated learning, experimentation, and iterative product releases to shorten product development cycles, measure progress, and gain valuable customer feedback. In an environment where the majority of startups fail, lean principles aim to give startups a better chance of success by helping entrepreneurs learn more quickly what works and discard what doesn’t.

Check the details and add it to your agenda.

Educational Materials | English | Library

A Guide To Funding a Startup

May 15, 2016January 28, 2018

If you’re looking for funding opportunities for your social enterprise, you might want to have a look at this “Ultimate guide to funding a startup”.

It has a quite comprehensive list of funding options for startups. Even though many of them concern only Canada and USA, many of the options are also global (or one can find a local alternative):

The funding guide includes:

Traditional crowdfunding sites (e.g. Kickstarter)
Equity crowdfunding (sell shares to the crowd)
Peer-to-Peer lending
Alternative lenders (i.e. alternatives to the banks)

Educational Materials | English

Leadership in social enterprise.

May 6, 2016January 28, 2018

Without a good captain the ship can not sail for deep water, and in world of social enterpreneurship we can say that without the right leadership social enterprise will not achieve neither business or social success.

Social enterprises as a very unique and specific companies demands also unique managment system, based on leadership combinating social and entrepreneurial spirit. Finding this combination is not an easy task but hopefully represenatives of World Economic Forum and The Schwab Foundation for Social Enterpreneurship perpared in 2014 a guidlines, a manual on leadership in social enterprises which provides a practical tool “from social entrepreneurs for social entrepreneurs” to better cope with key leadership challenges and that it facilitates a fruitful exchange within the social enterprise community.

The publication can be downloaded here: leadership_in_social_enterprise_2014.compressed

Publication was prepared by The Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship provides unparalleled platforms at the regional and
global level to highlight and advance leading models of sustainable social innovation. It identifies a select community of social entrepreneurs and engages it in shaping global, regional and industry agendas that improve the state of the world in close collaboration with the other stakeholders of the World Economic Forum.

Educational Materials | English

Marketing Your Social Enterprise

May 6, 2016January 28, 2018

Marketing is key to bussiness success, it’s an obviouse statment but how we can learn an effective marketing? About what we should remember if we want promote the social enterprise? Are the rules different than in regular bussiness?

Answers for those questions can be found in very interesting publication about preparing the marketing strategy for social enterprise, which can be downloaded here: Marketing-Your-Social-Enterprise- Social Enterprise London

This interesing publication was prepared by Social Enterprise London, the heart and voice of the social enterprise sector in London. Social Enterprise Londone promote community, best practice, advocacy & development – working directly with individuals, organisations and regional government to help them realise their vision through social enterprise.

Educational Materials | English

Learn from highly experienced!

May 6, 2016January 28, 2018

United Kingdom is well know as the pioner in the field of supporting and stimulating development of social economy sector. The system and wide approach to the topic of social enterpreneurship of British Goverments is worth to follow.

After implementing the social clauses in public procurements, organizing social economy support system, creating a methodology of measuring social impact (SROI), implementing the social bond mechanism, time has come for social investments.

British Government published a very interesting document “Social investment: a force for social change. 2016 strategy” which can be an inspiration for decision – makers, politicians and representatives of social economy sector to transfer good practices in their reality or at least start lobbing for this process.

The Strategy can be downloaded here: Social investment a force of social change

Educational Materials | English

Public procurement for social progress

May 6, 2016January 28, 2018

Public procurement is one of the tools that public administration can use in order to stimulate local investments, economic growth and shape local labour market. Social clauses implemented in public procurements in tern, can be an effective way to fight with social exclusion and support development of social enterpreneurship.

European Union administration also appreciated this mechanism in own Directive dedicated to new social clauses regulations which European Union Member are obliged to transfer to national legislations.

In this post you can find a very interesting and important publication presenting all planned changes in terms of social clauses which soon should be available in all EU countries.

The publication can be download here: Public_procurement_for_social_progress.compressed

This very needed publication was prepare by The Social Platform, the largest civil society alliance fighting for social justice and participatory democracy in Europe. Consisting of 48 pan-European networks of NGOs, Social Platform campaigns to ensure that EU policies are developed in partnership with the people they affect, respecting fundamental rights, promoting solidarity and improving lives.

Educational Materials | Polish

Współpraca administracji publicznej i przedsiębiorstw społecznych – mit czy realna szansa?

May 6, 2016January 28, 2018

Jak przekonać administrację publiczną, zwłaszcza szczebla lokalnego do wspierania rozwoju ekonomii społecznej ? Jakich argumentów użyć, żeby unaocznić korzyści z rozwoju ekonomii społecznej? Jakiego wsparcia rzeczywiście potrzebują przedsiębiorstwa społeczne ? O czym trzeba pamiętać uruchamiając nowy społeczny biznes?

To tylko kilka pytań na jakie odpowiedzi szukali partnerzy projektu “Rozwój przedsiębiorczości społecznych w Basenie Morza Bałtyckiego” przygotowując “Rekomendacje dla Administracji Publicznej w zakresie wspierania rozwoju przedsiębiorstw społecznych” oraz “Rekomendacje dla nowych przedsiębiorstw społecznych w zakresie tworzenia ścieżki rozwoju”, do zapoznania się z którymi serdecznie zapraszamy.

Prace nad rekomendacjami prowadzono w 6 krajach nadbałtyckich, tj. w Polsce, Danii, Szwecji, Finlandii, Łotwie i Litwie, stworzenie pełnego dokumentu zostało poprzedzone badaniami ankietowymi wśród przedstawicieli sektora ekonomii społecznej, wywiadami fokusowymi z ekspertami oraz pogłębiona analizą krajowych i europejskich dokumentów strategicznych. W pełnej wersji publikacji dostępnej w języku anghielskim możecie Państwo znaleźć krótką analizę sytuacji przedsiębiorstw społecznych w każdym z wymienionych krajów oraz rekomendacje zarówno dla jednostek administracji publicznej i przedsiębiorstw społecznych dotyczące tego jak efektywnie można rozwijać, wzmacniać i promować przedsiębiorstwa społeczne.

Poniżej zapraszamy Państwa do zapoznania się ze skróconą wersją w języku polskim obejmującą same rekomendacje, mamy jednak nadzieję, że zapoznanie się z tym materiałem zachęci czytelników do sięgnięcia po pełną wersję publikacji.

Rekomendacje można pobrać tutaj: Rekomendacje

Educational Materials | Polish

Przedsiębiorstwo Społeczne – dobry pomysł na biznes

May 6, 2016January 28, 2018

Czy przedsiębiorstwo społeczne to dobry pomysł na biznes? Czy połączenie tych dwóch światów jest możliwe ?

Takie pytanie zadają sobą sobie zarówno osoby działające społecznie, którzy rozważają uruchomienie działalności biznesowej jak i Ci, którzy są związani z biznesem ale odnajdują w sobie dusze społecznika. W prezentowanym poniżej filmiku edukacyjnym staramy się przedstawić podstawowe informacje dotyczące zakładania i funkcjonowania przedsiębiorstw społecznych w Polsce, a także zaprezentować kilka przykładów działających podmiotów ekonomii społecznej.

Mamy nadzieję, że prezentowane przykłady będą inspiracją do podejmowania się wyzwań związanych z prowadzeniem przedsiębiorstw społecznych.

Link do materiału znajduje się tutaj: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-SEHvFyhps

Educational Materials | Polish

Podręcznik – Analiza Wpływu Społecznego

May 6, 2016January 28, 2018

Podręcznik “Analiza wpływu społecznego” to kolejny rezultat projektu “Rozwoju przedsiębiorczości społecznej w regionie Morza Bałtyckiego” do zapoznanie się z którym serdecznie zachęcamy.

W niniejszej publikacji można znaleźć praktyczne podpowiedzi jak zmierzyć poziom oddziaływania społecznego przedsiębiorstwa społecznego, dowiedzieć się jak pokazać wymierną korzyść
z prowadzonych działań społecznych i udowodnić, że przedsiębiorczość społeczna naprawdę ma sens.

Prezentowany materiał edukacyjny został stworzony przez Jaan’a Aps – Prezesa Estońskiej Sieci Przedsiębiorstw Społecznych, który od kilku lat zgłębia temat analizy wpływu społecznego i testuje różnego rodzaju narzędzia pomiaru tego oddziaływania na członkach Estońskiej Sieci Przedsiębiorstw Społecznych. Tym bardziej zachęcamy do zapoznania się z publikacją zawierającą praktyczne podpowiedzi oparte na własnych doświadczeniu autora.

Podręcznik Analizy Wpływu Społecznego jest dostępny tutaj: Analiza wpływu społecznego

Educational Materials | Polish

Przegląd Sektora Przedsiębiorstw Społecznych w Regionie Morza Bałtyckiego – Polska.

May 6, 2016January 28, 2018

Jednym z rezultatów projektów “Rozwoju przedsiębiorczości społecznej w regionie Morza Bałtyckiego” jest prezentowana poniżej publikacja: “Przegląd sektora przedsiębiorstw
społecznych krajów w Regionie Morza Bałtyckiego – Polska”, w której można znaleźć krótki opis dostępnych w Polsce systemów wsparcia przedsiębiorstw społecznych, ważnych interesariuszy – instytucji działających w obszarze ekonomii społecznej, instytucji oferujących szkolenia, studia i inne formy edukacyjne dedykowane ekonomii społecznej oraz informacje o używanych w Polsce narzędziach badania wpływu społecznego.

Prezentowana publikacja jest tylko częścią dokumentu opracowanego w języku angielskim, który zawiera analizę wyżej wymienionych obszarów w 7 krajach: Finlandia, Estonia, Dania, Łotwa, Litwa, Polska, Szwecji do zapoznania się z którą również serdecznie zachęcamy i która można pobrać w zakładce Project Inputs_English.

Mimo, że przygotowany raport jest jedynie subiektywną opinią jej autorów i z pewnością nie prezentuje wszystkich mechanizmów wsparcia czy też pełnej listy interesariuszy mamy nadzieję, że może stać się wstępem do zdobycia wiedzy z zakresu sytuacji sektora przedsiębiorczości społecznej w Polsce i być przyczynkiem do dalszego pogłębiania wiedzy z tym zakresie.

Raport jest do pobrania tutaj: Przegląd sektora PS w Regionie Morza Bałtyckiego-Polska

Educational Materials | Swedish

Social Impakt Handbok

May 2, 2016January 28, 2018

Social Impakt Handbok er en ny publikation som visar hur socialekonomiska verksamheter, ”changemakers” och sociala organisationer kan utveckla en förändringsteori som kan användas till att dokumentera de sociala effekterna av sitt arbete.

Handboken är författad av Jaan Aps, styrelseordförande till “Estonian Social Enterprise Network” och översatt till svenska av Bert-Ola Bergstrand, Socialt Kapital Forum i Sverige. Projektet är en del av Erasmus+ projectet „Social entrepreneurship development in Baltic Sea region“.

Handboken är tänkt som ett undervisningsmaterial för aktörer som vill utveckla och bruka social impakt-analys. För sociala organisationer eller andra organisationer som har ett fokus på sociala frågor är det viktigt att kunna redogöra för vilken impakt man skapar eftersom deras existens i mångt och mycket utgår från att man förmår att skapa en positiv förändring i samhället.

Educational Materials | Lithuanian

Socialinio verslo gidas

May 1, 2016January 28, 2018

Kurk Lietuvai programos dalyvės Modesta ir Neringa, kurios atlieka praktiką Versli Lietuva, parengė pirmąjį socialinio verslo gidą lietuvių kalba: socialinio-verslo-gidas_2016

Educational Materials | Finnish

Oppimateriaalia vaikutusten arvioinnista ja yritysmuodoista

April 29, 2016January 28, 2018

Tästä löydät projektissa tuotettua oppimateriaalia liittyen vaikutusten arviointiin ja yritysmuodon valintaan. Osa materiaaleista on saatavissa myös suomeksi.

Vaikutusten arvioinnin käsikirja

Tämä koulutusmateriaali on suunnattu sidosryhmille, joiden täytyy käytännössä kehittää vaikutusten arviointiin liittyviä taitojaan. Materiaalista on toivottavasti hyötyä niin asiaankuuluvia (kuten yhteiskunnallisen yrittäjyyden) kursseja suunnitteleville opettajille kuin kursseille osallistuville opiskelijoille sekä ruohonjuuritason muutoksentekijöille, joiden tavoitteena on luoda tai hioa lähestymistapaansa yhteiskunnalliseen muutokseen.

Tutustu käsikirjaan tästä.

Miten valita sopivin yritysmuoto yhteiskunnalliselle yritykselle?

Tämän koulutusmateriaalin avulla voit pohtia sitä, mikä yritysmuoto kannattaa valita, jos olet perustamassa yhteiskunnallista yritystä.

How to Choose Proper Business Model for SE (englanniksi)

Tutustu myös: Video yhteiskunnallisesta yrittäjyydestä esitellen myös yhteiskunnallisen yrittäjän ja yrityksen.

Educational Materials | Finnish

Tilannekatsaus yhteiskunnallisen yrittäjyyden sektoriin Itämeren alueella

April 29, 2016January 28, 2018

Tutustu oheiseen tilannekatsaukseen yhteiskunnallisen yrittäjyyden sektoriin Itämeren alueen ympärillä: Tilannekatsaus, tiivistelmä suomeksi

Tilannekatsauksessa perehdytään erityisesti seuraaviin aihepiireihin:
* Sidosryhmät
* Koulutus
* Vaikuttavuusanalyysi

Vain joitain vuosia sitten yhteiskunnallisen yrittäjyyden sektori muistutti ”mustaa laatikkoa” useimmissa Euroopan maissa. Tutkijat ja analyytikot ovat sittemmin alkaneet kiinnittää huomiota löydettyään ja ymmärrettyään sen potentiaalin luoda positiivista yhteiskunnallista muutosta taloudellisesta kestävällä tavalla.

Muutamaa kuukautta ennen tämän dokumentin valmistumista kaksi raporttia julkaisiin verkossa. Euroopan komissio julkaisi sen ensimmäisen vertailevan kokonaiskatsauksen yhteiskunnallisista yrityksistä 2014 vuoden lopulla. Tämä syväluotaava tutkimus hahmottaa yhteiskunnallisten yritysten pääpiirteet 28 Euroopan unionin jäsenvaltiossa ja Sveitsissä käyttämällä yhteistä määritelmää ja lähestymistapaa. Se on myös hyvin yleispiirteinen katsaus yhteiskunnallisen yrittäjyyden ekosysteemeihin eri maissa, sisältäen kehitystä hidastavat tekijät.

Lisäksi yksi Euroopan sosiaalirahaston (ESR) oppimisverkostoista nimeltään ”The Social Entrepreneurship Network” julkaisi raportin ”Policy meets practice – enabling the growth of social enterprises”. Se esittelee joukon hyviä käytäntöjä, toimintatapoja ja oppeja valituissa EU:n jäsenmaissa.

Nyt käsillä oleva raportti keskittyy ainoastaan lisäinformaation tarpeiden täyttämiseen Itämeren alueen maissa. Sen ovat koonneet ruohonjuuritason ekosysteemin mahdollistajat, jotka aktiivisesti vaikuttavat yhteiskunnallisten yritysten sektorin kehittämiseen Tanskassa, Virossa, Suomessa, Latviassa, Liettuassa, Puolassa ja Ruotsissa. Kirjoittajat päättivät keskittyä kolmeen pääaiheeseen: ekosysteemiin vaikuttavien toimijoiden pro ileihin, koulutukseen ja vaikuttavuusanalyysiin. Lisäksi kirjoittajat sopivat olevansa subjektiivisen rehellisiä. Toivottavasti sellainen lähestymistapa auttaa lukijaan näkemään tarpeita ja mahdollisuuksia toiminnan parantamiselle ja alueelliselle yhteistyölle. Useimmat haasteet vain ovat liian isoja yhdenkään maan yksin ratkaistavaksi.

Ensiksi raportti esittelee erityistietoja kunkin maan yhteiskunnallisen yrittäjyyden sektorin sidosryhmätoimijoista. Aiemmat raportit ovat jääneet melko yleiselle tasolle käsitellessään tärkeiden sidosryhmätoimijoiden rooleja ja suhteita Euroopan unionin jäsenmaissa. Tämä raportti tarjoaa yksityiskohtaisempia kuvauksia. Vaikka lyhyet pro ilit ovat tarkoituksella subjektiivisia, niistä on hyötyä kenelle tahansa kuka haluaa löytää kaikkein olennaisimmat toimijat aiemmin mainituista seitsemästä maasta ja tehdä yhteistyöehdotuksia.

Toiseksi raportti keskittyy yhteiskunnallisen yrittäjyyden koulutukseen. Mikään muu tutkimus ei ole aiemmin toteuttanut vastaavaa kartoitusta Itämeren alueella. Vaikkakin raportti on laajalti pirstaleinen, se tarjoaa yleiskatsauksen koulutuksen kehittämiseen ja kuvaa mielenkiintoisia esimerkkejä koulutusaloitteista.

Kolmanneksi raportti tarkastelee yhteiskunnallisten yrittäjyyden vaikuttavuusanalyysin tilaa. Positiiviset yhteiskunnalliset vaikutukset ovat olemassaolon tarkoitus mille tahansa yhteistä hyvää tavoittelevalle organisaatiolle, mukaan lukien yhteiskunnalliset yritykset. Silti yhteiskunnallisen vaikuttavuuden analysointi ja kommunikointi on edelleen yksi isoimpia haasteita sektorin kehitykselle. Raportti kuvaa nykytilannetta ja toivottavasti herättää tarpeeksi tyytymättömyyttä, jotta strategiset muutokset lähtevät käyntiin kussakin maassa.

Tutustu raporttiin kokonaisuudessaan (englanniksi) tästä.

Educational Materials | Finnish

Suosituksia julkiselle sektorille kuntatasolla siitä millä tavoilla stimuloida yhteisötaloutta ja yhteiskunnallisten yritysten kehittymistä tehokkaasti

April 29, 2016January 28, 2018

The Social Entrepreneurship Development in the Baltic Sea region -projektissa on julkaistu suosituksia julkiselle sektorille kuntatasolla siitä millä tavoilla stimuloida yhteisötaloutta ja yhteiskunnallisten yritysten kehittymistä tehokkaasti.

Tutustu suosituksien tiivistelmään suomeksi tästä.

Pidempi versio suosituksista on luettavissa englanniksi tästä.

Vastaavat tekijät:

Puola: Anna Pomykol, Kinga Zglinicka – Centrum Rozwoju Inicjatyw Spolecznych CRIS; Piotr Masłowski, Deputy of the Mayor of the City Rybnik

Muut tekijät:

Suomi: Ulla Tirronen, Kasvuhuone osuuskunta
Viro: Jaan Aps, Estonian Social Enterprise Network Tanska: Per Bach, Sociale Entreprenører i Danmark Latvia: Renate Lukjanska, Sociālās inovācijas centrs Liettua: Mindaugas Danys, Socialiniu investiciju fondas Ruotsi: Bert-Ola Bergstrand, Social Kapital Forum

Educational Materials | English | Library

A business planning guide to developing a social enterprise

April 26, 2016January 28, 2018

This guide has been written for voluntary and community organisations that want to develop new social enterprises. Most are looking at social enterprise as a route towards sustainability or as a way to expand their portfolio of existing services.

Although the guide is focused on helping voluntary and community organisations to develop new social enterprises, they anticipate that it will also be useful for:

Individual social entrepreneurs who are aiming to set up a business for a social purpose.

Cooperative or employee owned social enterprise activity.

Community groups exploring whether social enterprise is an appropriate way to regenerate and/or create employment for their community.

Voluntary or community organisations that want to transform their organisations into social businesses.

Banks or building societies who are increasingly working with social enterprises to help them to develop their business.

Within the guide, they’ve outlined a step-by-step approach to starting up your social enterprise and have focused on several key issues surrounding business development.

They’ve assumed a fundamental knowledge of business planning, because they recognise that there is already a range of good resources to support business planning, so they’ve chosen to focus on those issues that are specific to social enterprise.

The feedback that we received on the previous edition of the guide highlighted its usefulness as a management tool for community groups, voluntary organisations and project-based social entrepreneurs. Many said that they found the guide to be a useful resource in writing a business plan and in developing their organisation with a view to generating a significant income from trading or commercial activity.

The guide is available here and here.

The author of this guide – Fourth Sector Development – is part of the wider Forth Sector group which provides supported employment placements, training and employability skills to people with long term and enduring mental health problems and others significantly disadvantaged in the workplace.

Forth Sector is a registered charity and social enterprise running social business offering real and meaningful employment to people facing difficulties in securing employment. FSD repatriates all profits generated through trading back to Forth Sector enabling the charity to further its work in the community. Currently Forth Sector offers around 80 supported employment placements annually as well as a further 80 learning and development opportunities. To find out more about key FSD team members and their expertise, click on their picture below.

Educational Materials | English | Library

New start-up guide for budding social entrepreneurs

April 26, 2016January 28, 2018

A new guide has been published for those interested in starting a social enterprise, like Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen restaurant chain, the Big Issue and Cornwall’s Eden Project.

The UK is home to 68,000 social enterprises – businesses that, akin to charities, exist to make a positive difference. But unlike their cousins in the charitable sector, social enterprises earn their income by selling goods and services, competing in the open market with private sector businesses.

The latest figures on Britain’s social enterprise sector show that it’s flourishing and experiencing an explosion: 1 in 7 of all social enterprises is a start-up, more than three times the proportion of start-ups in the mainstream SME business sector. London is home to an even greater number, where 1 in 5 social enterprises is a start-up.

According to Social Enterprise UK, an upsurge in social enterprise start-ups is often seen when economic circumstances are difficult.

The material’s author is Social Enterprise UK and it is available here.

Educational Materials | English | Library

Building better lives Social enterprise in schools: a resource pack for teachers

April 26, 2016January 28, 2018

This resource pack provides ideas for discussion, activities and a framework to help you use social entrepreneurship as an engaging project in your school.

It is designed to encourage students to develop an awareness and understanding of how business can help to address social problems as well as gain practical experience in planning and setting up their own social enterprise.

From projects on social responsibility, the impact social enterprises can make, and successful entrepreneurship, the pack allows students to increase their knowledge of social innovation whilst also develop core skills for learning, life, and work. It will also enable students to develop personal skills and attributes such as teamwork, confidence, and innovation.

Age suitability:

4 – 7 years, 7 – 11 years

Curriculum links:

Art, PHSE/Citizenship, Design and Technology, English, Geography, Mathematics

The material’s author is British Council and it is available here.

Educational Materials | English

5 TOOLKITS FOR SOCIAL ENTERPRISE

April 20, 2016January 28, 2018

Summary of Acumen about 5 tool kits for social entrepreneurs.

If you’re running a social enterprise, or about to start one, welcome to the community. It can be hard to know where to begin or decide what’s next when building a social enterprise. +Acumen courses provide context and hands-on exercises to get you started in the field of social entrepreneurship.

We’ve gathered a list of resources, created by our peers, that that offer templates and downloadable Excel files to help you execute your ideas. These on-demand resources will help you with feasibility studies, market assessment, financial forecasting, intellectual property rights and even payroll management for your social enterprise.

1. SOCIAL ENTERPRISE CANADA TOOLKIT:

BEST FOR:

Non-profits thinking about creating social enterprise models
Founders looking to start a social enterprise in Canada

2. REDFWORKSHOP.ORG TOOLS

BEST FOR:

People looking for a sequential approach to building a social enterprise. You can’t skip most of the steps so be prepared to work through the tools with your team in an ordered way.
People focused on social enterprise models for employment generation

3. MARS ENTREPRENEUR’S TOOLKIT

BEST FOR:

Later stage social entrepreneurs who are ready to get into the nuts and bolts of running and scaling their business

4. SE TOOLBELT

BEST FOR:

People who are trying to find specific resources in the social enterprise space and want to search by topic or keyword
Those looking for resources in other languages including Arabic, Portuguese, French and Spanish

5. UNLTD: A COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE TO DEVELOPING YOUR SOCIAL ENTERPRISE

BEST FOR:

People who want some background reading or additional context on particular parts or stages of their social enterprise

Find more here: http://plusacumen.org/blog/5-toolkits-for-social-enterprise/

Educational Materials | English | Library

Social Entrepreneurship Awards Toolkit

April 18, 2016January 28, 2018

This toolkit offers practical guidance and working models for every stage of social entrepreneurship from initial idea, setup and piloting, on to longer term sustainability, growth and replication. The toolkit is not meant to be a formal textbook, instead it aims to to present the authors’ experiences of supporting social entrepreneurs and the challenges and opportunities of social entrepreneurship in a structured way.

The toolkit is divided into sections, each focusing on one stage of this journey. There are 3 different ways to view the toolkit, each designed to help you find what you need fast.
See More here

Educational Materials | English | Library

Toolbox for the social business

April 18, 2016January 28, 2018

Toolbox for the social business is a practical introduction to business modelling with the key building blocks to commercialise a business idea. It presents traditional concepts of entrepreneurship and explains how these can be adapted and exploited by organisations that aim to deliver social or ecological value creation. This book is based on theories and practices that have proven to be effective and impactful. Each chapter contains critical questions to consider individually or in a group.
Using the toolbox will help readers create or grow an impactful business.
See more here

Educational Materials | English

Social Enterprise Planning Toolkit

April 14, 2016January 28, 2018

A practical guide on how to prepare and write a feasibility study for setting up a Social Enterprise by Freer Spreckley, Local Livelihoods, supported and published by the British Council in 2011.

This Social Enterprise Planning Toolkit is a practical ‘how to’ manual for those wishing to form a new social enterprise or expand an existing social enterprise. The Toolkit has developed from a series of practical training courses in social enterprise planning designed and delivered by the author on behalf of the British Council in five countries in the Balkans and Caucuses during 2010/11.

The toolkit can be downloaded: here

Educational Materials | Swedish

Rekommendationer för offentlig sektor för hur man kan använda sig av verktyg för att stimulera utvecklingen av sociala verksamheter

April 12, 2016January 28, 2018

Rekommendationer för offentlig sektor för hur man kan använda sig av verktyg för att stimulera utvecklingen av sociala verksamheter.

Socialt Kapital Forum i Sverige har tillsammans med organisationer i Danmark, Finland, Polen, Estland och Lettland producerat en rapport med en rad råd till kommuner i förhållande till hur de kan stimulera utvecklingen av av sociala uppstartsverksamheter i de 7 ovannämnda länderna kring det baltiska havet. Om man skall stimulera och skapa goda förutsättningar för framväxten av dessa typer av verksamheter krävs det interventioner på många områden där det offentliga kan ha en stor påverkan.

Lokala myndigheters hållning och handling är därför av vikt för att få att få den sociala ekonomin att utvecklas i rätt riktning. Socialt Kapital Forum har därför tillsammans med aktörer från de andra 6 länderna föreslagit en rad rekommendationer om hur man kan utveckla effektiva verktyg som kan understödja utvecklingen.

Rapporten er producerat som en del av Projekt ”Social entrepreneurship development in Baltic Sea region”, som är medfinansierad under Erasmus+ programmet och därmed EU.

Danish | Educational Materials | Project Outputs

Anbefalinger til den offentlig administration i kommuner til effektive værktøjer, der kan stimulere udviklingen af socialøkonomiske opstartsvirksomheder

April 12, 2016January 28, 2018

Sociale Entreprenører i Danmark har sammen med organisationer i Sverige, Finland, Polen, Estland, Letland Det Baltiske Hav og Litauen produceret en rapport med en række anbefalinger til kommuner i forhold til, hvordan de kan stimulere udviklingen af socialøkonomiske opstartsvirksomheder i de 7 ovennævnte landene omkring Det Baltiske Hav.
Hvis man skal stimulere og skabe gode betingelser for fremvæksten af nye socialøkonomiske virksomheder, kræver det komplekse interventioner på mange områder. Inden for de fleste af de områder, kan den lokale administration i kommuner have en stor indflydelse. Lokale myndigheders holdninger og handlinger i forhold til socialt iværksætteri kan få en stor betydning for om en socialøkonomisk sektor kan udvikles og trives.

Sociale Entreprenører i Danmark har derfor, sammen med organisationer i 6 andre lande omkring produceret rapporten ”Anbefalinger til den offentlig administration i kommuner til effektive værktøjer, der kan stimulere udviklingen af socialøkonomiske opstartsvirksomheder”.

Den store hovedrapport, der bl.a. afdækker tidligere forskning omkring barrierer for udviklingen af socialøkonomiske virksomheder, findes kun på engelsk. De 14 sider med anbefalingerne er oversat til dansk og findes som en lille publikation.

Rapporten er produceret som en del af Projekt ”Social entrepreneurship development in Baltic Sea region”, der er iværksat under Erasmus+ programmet og er medfinansieret af EU.

I forbindelse med udarbejdelsen af rapporten er der foretaget interviews med eksperter og socialøkonomiske virksomheder i de 7 lande, som rapporten omfatter. Der har været fokus på at indsamle information om 5 hoved temaer for at komme med anbefalinger til udviklingen af socialøkonomiske virksomheder:
1) nye juridiske rammer og administrativ praksis
2) større opmærksomhed på
3) styrke kompetencer hos sociale iværksættere
4) bedre finansierings muligheder
5) øget fokus på sociale hensyn i partnerskaber og offentlige indkøb.

Gennem arbejdet med rapporten er det blevet klart, at problemerne i de enkelte lande omkring Det Baltiske Hav ligner hinanden meget, for eksempel anvendes sociale klausuler i offentlige indkøb stadig i en utilstrækkelig grad, ligesom der også er mangel på ledere af socialøkonomiske virksomheder med tilstrækkelige forretningskompetencer.
Udviklingen af socialøkonomi står på forbavsende mange områder over for de samme barrierer, mens der er forskel på i hvor høj grad sektoren er udviklet fra land til land.
De enkelte lande har både gode og dårlige eksempler, så alle kan lære noget fra hinanden i forhold til løsningsforslag.

Det er også blevet klart at det manglende kendskab til socialøkonomiske virksomheder, hvordan de fungerer og, hvad der er deres potentiale, er udbredt både blandt almindelige mennesker, blandt beslutningstagere og i den offentlige administration.
Derfor anbefaler projektet også, at lokale myndigheder, uanset størrelse, i landene omkring Det Baltiske Hav skal begynde med informationskampagner og uddannelse.

I forhold til anbefalingerne er det også vigtigt at understrege, at de skal ses i lyset af de lokale og nationale forhold, og den beslutningskompetence, som de lokale myndigheder har i de enkelte lande. Visse af anbefalingerne vil ikke være så aktuelle i Danmark da beslutningskompetencen ikke ligger hos kommunen men hos staten – f.eks. i forhold til undervisningsinstitutioner.
Alligevel vil de fleste af anbefalingerne under alle omstændigheder kunne fungere som inspiration for lokale myndigheder i alle 7 lande.

Fakta:
Titel: ”Anbefalinger til den offentlig administration i kommuner til effektive værktøjer, der kan stimulere udviklingen af socialøkonomiske opstartsvirksomheder”

Forfattere: Polen: Anna Pomykol, Kinga Zglinicka – Centrum Rozwoju Inicjatyw Spolecznych CRIS; Piotr Masłowski, viseborgmester i byen Rybnik i Polen
Medforfattere:
Finland: Ulla Tirronen,Kasvuhuone osuuskunta
Estland: Jaan Aps, Estonian Social Enterprise Network
Danmark: Per Bach, Sociale Entreprenører i Danmark
Letland: Renate Lukjanska, Sociālās inovācijas centrs
Litauen: Mindaugas Danys, Socialiniu investiciju fondas
Sverige: Bert-Ola Bergstrand, Social Kapital Forum

Læs anbefalingerne på dansk her

Læs den store hovedrapport på engelsk her

Danish | Educational Materials | Project Outputs

Socialøkonomisk Virksomhed – Erfaringer med opstart og drift af socialøkonomisk virksomhed

April 12, 2016January 28, 2018

“Socialøkonomisk Virksomhed – Erfaringer med opstart og drift af socialøkonomisk virksomhed” er en ny video er produceret af Sociale Entreprenører i Danmark i forbindelse med Projekt ”Social entrepreneurship development in Baltic Sea region”.

Projekt ”Social entrepreneurship development in Baltic Sea region” er iværksat under Erasmus+ programmet og er medfinansieret af EU. I projektet deltager støtteorganisationer for socialøkonomiske virksomheder fra Estland, Letland, Litauen, Sverige, Findland, Polen og Danmark.
Man kan læse mere om projektet her

Det er tanken at den nye video skal give mulighed for at lære fra sociale iværksætteres erfaringer med opstart og drift af socialøokonomisk virksomhed, hvad enten man selv går med tanker om at starte socialøkonomisk virksomhed eller bare har lyst til at vide mere om den type virksomhed.

I videoen fortæller Brian Sørensen, direktør for Café Kaffegal og Økogal og Kate Horslund fra Soulshine i Aarhus, om deres erfaringer med at starte og drive socialøkonomisk virksomhed.
De to kommer bl.a. ind på emner som:
– Finansiering af opstart
– Forretningsmodel
– Organisationsform
– Måling af social effekt
– Markedsføring af produkter og services

Brian Sørensen og Kate Horslund fortæller også om de største succer og de største udfordringer, de har oplevet i forbindelse med at drive socialøkonomisk virksomhed.

Se videoen her

Danish | Educational Materials | Project Outputs

Social Effektanalyse Håndbog

April 12, 2016January 28, 2018

Social Effektanalyse Håndbog er en ny lille publikation som viser, hvordan socialøkonomiske virksomheder, forandringsagenter og sociale organisationer kan udvikle en forandringsteori, der kan anvendes til at dokumentere den sociale effekt af deres arbejde.
Håndbogen er forfattet af Jaan Aps formand for “Estonian Social Enterprise Network” og oversat til dansk af Per Bach, Sociale Entreprenører i Danmark og er en del af Erasmus+ project „Social entrepreneurship development in Baltic Sea region“.

Håndbogen er tænkt som et undervisningsmateriale for aktører, der har brug for at udvikle deres kompetencer i forhold til social effektanalyse. For socialøkonomiske virksomheder eller andre organisationer med et social formål, er det vigtigt at kunne redegøre for den sociale effekt, man skaber. Hele virksomheden eller organisationens berettigelsen for at eksistere, ligger i at den formår at skabe positive forandring, som ellers ikke ville være skabt.

De fleste socialøkonomiske virksomheder har masser af værktøjer og systemer til rådighed, når de skal analysere deres økonomiske resultatet. Men mange har svært ved at definer og kortlægge deres sociale effekt. Der kan være mange grunde til det, f.eks. at det er svært at finde tid og ressourcer til at arbejde med deres sociale effekt.

Jaan Aps begyndte at arbejde mere målrettet med forandringsteori og udvikle en standardiseret metode for social effekt analyse i forbindelse med etableringen af “Estonian Social Enterprise Network” i 2012, for at kunne tilbyde de socialøkonomiske virksomheder , der var medlemmer af netværket et værktøj til at måle deres sociale effekt med.
Faktisk er det at anvende modellen til at måle virksomhedens sociale effekt også et uformelt kriterium for medlemskab af organisationen. Ud over organisationens medlemmer er modellen efterhånden også efterprøvet af andre førende estiske organisationer med et socialt formål.

Læs Social Effektanalyse Håndbog her

Danish | Educational Materials | Project Outputs

Socialøkonomiske virksomheder – øjebliksbillede fra landene omkring det Baltiske Hav

April 12, 2016January 28, 2018

Rapporten Social Enterprise Sector Snapshot Around The Baltic Sea giver et øjebliksbillede af den socialøkonomiske sektor i de baltiske lande i forhold til aktører, uddannelsestilbud og effektmåling.

Rapporten er en del af projektet ”The Social Entrepreneurship Development in the Baltic Sea region”, der er er iværksat under Erasmus+ programmet og er medfinansieret af EU.

Rapporten er samlet af græsrodsorganisationer, som aktivt bidrager til at udvikle den socialøkonomiske sektor i Danmark, Estland, Letland, Litauen, Sverige, Finland og Polen. Sociale Entreprenører i Danmark har bidraget til rapportens danske del.

Forfatterne har valgt at koncentrererapporten omkring tre hovedtemaer: Aktører der har indflydelse på det socialøkonomiske felt, uddannelse og måling og analyse af social effekt.
Forfatterne har også tilstræbt at være subjektivt oprigtige, og håber at denne tilgang kan bidrage til, at læserne kan se behov og muligheder for forbedringer samt muligheder for regionalt samarbejde.

Først giver rapporten en præsentation af aktører i den socialøkonomiske sektor i de enkelte lande.
Denne del er oversat til dansk og kan læses her

Dernæst ser rapporten på uddannelse indenfor socialt entreprenørskab og socialøkonomiske virksomheder. Denne rapport er så vidt vides den første til at foretage en sådan mapping i regionen.
Denne del findes kun i den engelske udgave af rapporten: ”Social Enterprise Sector Snapshot Around The Baltic Sea: Stakeholders Education Impact Analysis”.

Endelig ser rapporten på status for Effektanalyse og måling af social effekt.
At skabe positiv social effekt er raison d’être for enhver offentlig velgørende organisationen, også for socialøkonomiske virksomheder. Alligevel er det at definere, analysere og kommunikere social effekt en af de store begrænsninger i forhold til udviklingen af den socialøkonomiske sektor.
Rapporten beskriver status for dette arbejde og kan forhåbentlig være med til at skabe opmærksomhed omkring behovet for strategiske tiltag i de 7 lande.
Denne del findes kun i den engelske udgave af rapporten: Social Enterprise Sector Snapshot Around The Baltic Sea: Stakeholders Education Impact Analysis.

Forfatterne til rapporten er:
Finland: Iiro Niemi, Social Entrepreneurship Academy of Finland –
Estland: Jaan Aps, Estonian Social Enterprise Network
Danmark: Per Bach, Sociale Entreprenører i Danmark
Letland: Renate Lukjanska, Biedrība „Sociālās inovācijas centrs”
Litauen: Mindaugas Danys, Socialines ir ekonomines pletros centras
Polen: Anna Cebula, Kinga Zglinicka Centrum Rozwoju Inicjatyw Spolecznych CRIS
Sverige: Bert-Ola Bergstrand, Social Kapital Forum

Læs rapporten den engelske rapport her

Educational Materials | Estonian | Library | Project Outputs | Uncategorized

Soovitused KOVidele sotsiaalse ettevõtluse iduettevõtete arengu soodustamiseks

April 6, 2016January 28, 2018

Sobivate tingimuste loomine uute sotsiaalsete ettevõtete tekkimiseks (püsivad inkubatsioonimehhanismid) nõuab mitmekülgset tegevust erinevates valdkondades. Enamiku valdkondade puhul saavad kohalikud omavalitsused positiivse arengutee kujunemist oluliselt mõjutada. Kuigi see on kohalike omavalitsuste jaoks ambitsioonikas ja suurt tähelepanu ning oskusi nõudev ülesanne, soovime neid siiski julgustada seda jõupingutust tegema – tulemus on seda väärt.

Sotsiaalse ettevõtluse mõju ja tugevuse kasv ühiskonnas sõltub suuresti just kohalike omavalitsuste suhtumisest ja tegevusest sotsiaalse ettevõtluse vallas.

LINK ülevaatele asub siin.

Projekt „Sotsiaalse ettevõtluse areng Läänemere regioonis“ viidi läbi programmi Erasmus + toetuse ja Euroopa Liidu kaasfinantseerimise abil.

Trükise sisu eest vastutab ainuüksi väljaandja/esitleja; siin ei esitata Euroopa Komisjoni ega ühegi sellega seotud organisatsiooni vaateid. Need institutsioonid ei kanna vastutust käsiraamatus esitatud teabe eest.

Educational Materials | Estonian | Library | Project Outputs

Haridusalane toetus sotsiaalsele ettevõtlusele Läänemeremaades

April 6, 2016January 28, 2018

Veel mõne aasta eest sarnanes sotsiaalne ettevõtlus enamikus Euroopa riikides ”mustale kastile”. Kui avastati ja mõisteti sotsiaalse ettevõtluse potentsiaali finantsiliselt jätkusuutliku positiivse ühiskondliku muutuse loomisel, hakkasid uurijad ja analüütikud sellele tähelepanu pöörama.

Kõigest mõni kuu enne selle dokumendi valmimist avaldati veebis kaks aruannet. Euroopa Komisjon avaldas oma esimese sotsiaalseid ettevõtteid võrdleva ülevaate 2014. aasta lõpus. Selles põhjalikus uurimuses kirjeldatakse 28 Euroopa Liidu liikmesriigi ja Šveitsi sotsiaalse ettevõtluse peamisi tunnusjooni, kasutades tavapärast definitsiooni ja lähenemisviisi. Antakse ka üldistav ülevaade sotsiaalse ettevõtluse süsteemidest maade kaupa, mainides sealjuures nende arengut piiravaid tegureid.

Lisaks sellele avaldas üks Euroopa Sotsiaalfondi õpivõrgustikest, Sotsiaalse Ettevõtluse Võrgustik (The Social Entrepreneurship Network), 2013-14. aastal uurimuse „Policy meets practice – enabling the growth of social enterprises“ („Poliitika ja praktika puutepunkt: sotsiaalsete ettevõtete kasvu võimaldamisest“). Selles esitatakse mõned näited võtmepoliitikate ning nendega seotud heade praktikate kohta valitud EL liikmesriikides.

Senistes aruannetes on mitmed olulised aspektid siiski katmata jäänud. Seetõttu esitab käesolev aruanne infot nii formaal- kui mitteformaalhariduslike võimaluste kohta seoses sotsiaalse ettevõtlusega Läänemere piirkonna riikides.

Link ülevaatele asub siin.

Projekt „Sotsiaalse ettevõtluse areng Läänemere regioonis“ viidi läbi programmi Erasmus + toetuse ja Euroopa Liidu kaasfinantseerimise abil.

Trükise sisu eest vastutab ainuüksi väljaandja/esitleja; siin ei esitata Euroopa Komisjoni ega ühegi sellega seotud organisatsiooni vaateid. Need institutsioonid ei kanna vastutust käsiraamatus esitatud teabe eest.

Educational Materials | Estonian | Library | Project Outputs

(Sotsiaalse ettevõtte) ühiskondliku mõju kaardistamise käsiraamat

April 6, 2016January 28, 2018

Käesolev õppematerjal on mõeldud neile asjaosalistele, kellel on vaja arendada oma ühiskondliku mõju kaardistamisega seotud oskusi.

Loodetavasti on õppematerjalist kasu ka vastavaid kursusi (sh sotsiaalse ettevõtluse teemal) pidavatele õppejõududele ja neis osalevatele üliõpilastele, samuti neile, kes juba praegu osalevad muutuste loomisel kohalikul tasandil ja soovivad oma lähenemisviisi välja kujundada või seda täiustada.

Link käsiraamatule asub siin.

Projekt „Sotsiaalse ettevõtluse areng Läänemere regioonis“ viidi läbi programmi Erasmus + toetuse ja Euroopa Liidu kaasfinantseerimise abil.

Trükise sisu eest vastutab ainuüksi väljaandja/esitleja; siin ei esitata Euroopa Komisjoni ega ühegi sellega seotud organisatsiooni vaateid. Need institutsioonid ei kanna vastutust käsiraamatus esitatud teabe eest.

Educational Materials | Swedish

Sociala Verksamheter – Erfarenheter från start-ups och sociala företag

April 2, 2016January 28, 2018

“Sociala verksamheter – Erfarenheter från start-ups och sociala företag ” är en ny video producerad av Social Capital Forum i Sverige där sociala verksamheter runt om i Sverige belyses.

Bert Ola Bergstrand är den sociala entreprenörern som startade Social Capital Forum och berättar.

Videon tillhandahåller två case på sociala företag som är verksam i Sverige. Efter en generell ingång kring socialt entreprenörskap i Sverige av Bert Ola Bergstrand visas också två projekt upp i Göteborg, the Space och Tikitut och Tidsnätverket.

Case 1 “All Win” —

I videon berättar Stefan Eisner, grundare och direktör av All-Win om sina erfarenheter av att starta ett socialt företag.

Fallet nehåller information om:
– Finansiering en start-up
– Affärsmodell
– Hur de organiseras
– Hur man mäter impact
– Marknadsföring av företag och produkter

Case Study “Lapland Vuollerim” —

I videon berättar Eva-Lena Skalstad om erfarenheterna av att driva Lapland Voullerim AB.
Fallet innehåller information om
– Finansering av en start-up
– Affärsmodell
– Hur de organiseras
– Hur man mäter impact
– Marknadsföring av företag och produkter

Sociala Projekt omkring Göteborg

— The Space

— TNB

Se filmen här

Educational Materials | Swedish

En ögonblicksbild över sociala företagssektorn runt Östersjön

April 2, 2016January 28, 2018

Rapporten ”En ögonblicksbild över sociala företagssektorn runt Östersjön” ger en ögonblicksbild över den sociala företagssektorn med dess aktörer, utbildningssystem och impakt mätning.

Sociala-Företag-ögonblicksbild.pdf

Rapporten är en del av projektet ”The Social Entrepreneurship Development in the Baltic Sea region” som är gjort möjligt genom finansiering under Erasmus+ programmet och därmed EU. Rapporten är sammanställd av 7 gräsrotsorganisationer som aktivt bidrar till utvecklingen av sociala företagssektorn i länderna omkring östersjön. Socialt Kapital Forum i Sverige har bidragit till denna del av huvudrapporten.

Författarna har valt att koncentrera rapporten kring tre teman. Aktörer som har inflytande på det sociala företagsfältet. Utbildning inom sektorn samt hur man mäter impakt. Rapporten är till viss del subjektiv genom att den utgår från författarnas egna åsikter men kan ändock ge en värdefull insyn i hur sektorn ser ut omkring östersjön.

Successful Business Models

Impact Measurement Methodology

Educational Materials

Library:

What You’ll Find in the Library:

Who Is the Library For?

1. NextBillion

2. Causeartist | Social Impact Lifestyle Platform

3. Devex | News

4. Pioneers Post

5. Social Change Central | Australia’s premier portal for social enterprise opportunities

6. Social Enterprise Development in the Baltic Sea Region

7. Social Good Stuff

8. Acumen | Changing the Way the World Tackles Poverty

9. Pro Bono Australia

10. B The Change

What are social enterprises?

Theme 1: Making it easier for social enterprises to obtain funding

Theme 2: Increasing the visibility of social entrepreneurship

Theme 3: Making the legal environment friendlier for social enterprises

Empowering Everyone, Everywhere to Learn the Skills They Need for a Successful Future

What is in it for you?

What services are on offer?

1. Creating the right conditions for the social economy to thrive

2. Opening opportunities for social economy organisations to start up and scale up

3. Making sure the social economy and its potential are recognised

Background

Related documents on the European Commissions’ website: https://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?langId=en&catId=89&furtherNews=yes&newsId=10117

Questions and answers: the Social Economy Action Plan

Related documents

This publication has been prepared within INDIGISE project. The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of the project coordinator and may not always reflect the views of the European Commission or the National Agency.

ESE – Operational course for social innovation

General parameters about when, where and how to organize the event

Who should be the main key players of the innovation camp: their responsibilities and duties

Time schedule how to prepare for the innovation event on time and properly

How to find and select the most motivated participants

How to encourage sponsors, judges, trainers, conventional and (or) social business representatives, moderators, volunteers and other key players to participate in the event.

We believe that with social entrepreneurship Innovation Camps a social business idea will become more understandable, recognized and attractive!

INDIGISE Project’s Partners:

Klaipeda University (Lithuania) – Coordinator

Social Innovation Centre (Latvia)

Baltic Institute for Regional Affairs, BISER (Poland)

Stowarzyszenie Gmin RP Euroregion Baltyk (Poland)

Kristiansand Katedralskole Gimle (Norway)

INDIGISE Project’s Associated Partners:

Junior Achievement Norway, Agder (Norway)

Baltic Sea NGO Network (Poland)

The Guidelines have been developed under the INDIGISE project funded by Erasmus+ programme. The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of the project coordinator and may not always reflect the views of the European Commission or the National Agency.

Social entrepreneurship education: changemaker training at the university.

Introducing the Best Practice Guide

Let’s Meet the Best Practices

So What are the Best Practices?

WISEs’ Social Impact Measurement in the Baltic States

ABSTRACT

ABSTRACT

Assess your social entrepreneurship ecosystem

Students as agents of change

Beneficial outcomes

External links

***We believe that with social entrepreneurship Innovation Camps a social business idea will become* *more understandable, recognized and attractive!***