In the last 10 years I designed labor market programs implemented by non governmental organisation and covered supports for vulnerable people for LM integration. In this field the programs by our design supported more than 700 social enterprise with grants and refundable financial resource. So I have seen development of many social enterprise and the sunset of some. I worked in the relevant ministries as planning adviser (ESF, ERDF) so I can contribute for the work of the platform with a governmental, and supporter/investor aspect.
I am able to share my experiences, give some technique for lobby and explain the EU context of social enterprises. I help you to plan your financial framework, design healthy composition of incomes, state aid and loans, and communicate your social and business goals for policy makers and investors.
As I see the organization of a social enterprise is an exciting challenge but this form of business brings a more peaceful future for us.
Wecome to the FORUM! I am glad that I am not anymore the only Zsolt in the Forum :)
Welcome Zsolt, nice to meet you here on the Forum!
Nice to meet you Jodee!
Welcome Zsolt! Looking forward to hearing more from you!
Dear Zsolt, it is very interesting what you wrote. Did you support program for disabled persons as ? Would you share your experiences on these innovations?
Yes, our programs also supported the employment of disabled people through social enterprises and disabled social entrepreneurs. The success of this business depends on the knowledge of abilities, disadvantage in competition and compensation of these. Such businesses operate in a number of areas, but on tree mainstream areas I see this topic as outstandig: food services (1), bike/wheelchair/sport services (2) and skill exhibitions (3).
In several cases, restaurants have been established as social enterprises where people with disabilities work. In some cases the restaurant is a additional unit of institutional social catering, but somewhere is an indipendent organization with some state aids/wage subsidies. In the last years they established the ParaGastro Network in Hungary, so it is a relevant field of actions for people with disabilities. These restaurants have been sustained for several years.
The „wheel services” is the profession of people who live in wheelchair, so they are the experts of vehicles. The programs supported some workshops on this field, and I see that the small workshops in big cities can be success, and sustainable.
In addition to business and employment, these initiatives are also about visibility. For business success, they can create franchises or simply share/disseminate their professional experience with each other. Today, the Invisible Exhibition can be found in almost every major European city. They have a extensive European network and collaboration, but some challenges also.
"700 social enterprise with grants and refundable financial resource." I'm curious how this goes impact-wise. Please share more @Zsolt.
Dear Judee, I am honored your interest. As I mentioned we designed and monitored the programs as labor market integration program, so the main indicators have LM relations. In the framework of Social Renewal Operation Program were app. 350 social cooperatives supported and they have trained 2800 disadvantage people and created 2600 new job for vulnarable groups. In current programing period more than 400 supported social enterprises create more than 2800 new job. These key indicators are measured, so other information, indirect/additional impacts can be measured with adhoc methods.