In May 2019, SIEC has become a part of an international project called Social Economy Without Borders, which is supported by the Visegrad Fund. The aim of this international project aim is to potentially create future or support current social enterprises or centres for professional reintegration whereby 10 SEs would gather practical experiences and receive guidance on socia entrepreneurship international practices. The future project partners are from North Macedoniaa, Poland, Hungary and Czech Republic. The main applicant is a well-known global leader in community development and social entrepreneurship Barka Foundation from Poland (including the Gmina Municipality of Krobia), while the main applicants per country are Organisation for Social Innovation “Arno” for North Macedonia (including other partners such as Ljubeznost, SIEC, Solem, Misla, Kulturna Riznica, AHP-Prilep, Red Cross), Salvation Army – from Czech Republic and the Commune Revfulop from Hungary. The project activities will take place officially from 1. July 2019 – 30. June 2020. The project activities will consist of study visits, seminars and conferences regarding social entrepreneurship good practices. The firstly planned activiites will be in Poland and in North Macedonia for which more detailed news will follow in October 2019.
Why such a project? – the project countries need a SE eco-system / SEs empowerment as this will combat social exclusion and the passive social policies system, serving for good practices exchange, learning about funding opportunities and creating cooperation rather than competition among local partners.
Target groups – to be supported in terms of social and professional reintegration are: the homeless, disabled, addicted, unemployed, minorities e.g. the Roma people.
Benefits – the countries will benefit from the project by: mutual learning on different SE models / SE eco-system via partnerships, public procurements, financing tools.
