Creasse Newsletter #2
The CREASSE project moves forward
An European Map of Alliances in the Social and Solidarity Economy
The complete map of alliances of the Social and Solidarity ecosystem is finally available on the website. The aim is to bring together and enable concrete cooperation between a network of SSE stakeholders at European level: this is an interconnected network of relationships and links between a wide range of experts, producers and representatives of key organisations from (currently) the project partner countries Albania, Cyprus, Hungary, Italy and Spain.
Thanks to the focus group work carried out in the previous steps of the project, it was possible to gather a wealth of information at national and international level highlighting the main common challenges, strengths, best practices and strategies, encouraging SSE operators to contribute and exchange information between different countries in order to broaden their horizons and provide mutual support.
What will you find?
The first part is dedicated to information gathered on SSE in each partner country: each dedicated fact sheet can be consulted and downloaded in English and in the language of the country (Albania, Cyprus, Hungary, Italy, Spain) and contains information on the legal definition of SSE in the given country, the type of organisations involved, a brief historical overview, current laws and policies, government support programmes, what kind of public awareness and support are perceived, and what needs have been identified.
The main and most substantial part is the interactive map: you can move freely around the geographical map to consult the alliances of the Social and Solidarity Economy ecosystem.
Currently, 141 organisations have been collected, marked with different colours according to their type, such as Local Community Member, NGO, Potential Entrepreneur, Representatives from Social Enterprise, SE Enterprise, Support Organisation or other relevant Stakeholder.
All these actors are not isolated, but interconnected, and this can be seen on the map through a series of connecting lines (in some cases even across national borders), with each colour again denoting a different type of interrelationship: Advocacy and Representation, Collaborative Partnerships, Community Engagement, Governance and Decision-making, Market Relations, Resource Flows, Support and Capacity Building or other.
Would you like to join this map?
The mapping is not closed, but is an ongoing and constantly evolving process in which more and more organisations are being added. The last section of the web page includes a form that you can fill in to register your organisation, entering all the information necessary to appear on the map. It is important to note that you do not necessarily have to belong to one of the five countries mentioned above! The aim is to reach as many countries and organisations as possible, in order to broaden the scope and expand the network.
Practical Handbook on “How to guide Collective Entrepreneurship: the role of the Social Facilitator”
This handbook is available in open access on the project website in English and all partner languages (ES, IT, HU, EL, AL). It is a useful and reference resource for social facilitators on collective entrepreneurship, as it contains not only tools but also methods on how to strengthen participants’ awareness and motivation for collective entrepreneurship. It contains strategies for in-person and blended training and it will result in increased opportunities for aspiring entrepreneurs to obtain a tailored entrepreneurship learning path, with a social and sustainable approach to be implemented in a sector with great potential.
It is divided into six modules, each dedicated to a different aspect: introduction to the role of the Social Facilitator, guides on how to conduct networking events, thematic workshops, how to organise successful community presentation events and marketplace, how to implement mentoring and coaching activities, how to follow up, evaluate and report.
Within each module, you will find learning content, examples, checklists to follow, reflection exercises, additional resources, and many other interesting ideas.
CREASSE Toolbox for Social and Solidarity Economy Entrepreneurs
At the same time, you ca also find this comprehensive Toolbox, containing educational content collected and developed in 4 key areas for successful entrepreneurship in SSE: Personal Competences, based on fundamental soft skills such as self-regulation, flexibility, and social competences such as communication, collaboration, personal leadership; Entrepreneurial Competences, focusing on a set of knowledge, skills and attitudes that enable individuals to identify and seize opportunities to create value for others, identified within the EntreComp (Entrepreneurship Competences) Framework developed by the European Commission; Green Competences, in order to reinforce green skills such as valuing sustainability, systems thinking, futures literacy as identified and referred to in the GreenComp Framework; Innovative Methodologies and Tools for Social Entrepreneurship mainly based on digital skills and innovative tools for entrepreneurs, such as methodologies for understanding market needs and trends, studying your target audience and competitors, practical tools such as SWOT Analysis, Canva, Mixo, Business Model templates and much more.
In addition to learning content, all these modules contain case studies and best practices, interactive and self-assessment exercises, and additional resources to expand your knowledge of the subject and provide interesting insights.
Next Steps
Don’t miss out on news about the CREASSE project! Keep following the website to stay up to date on all activities, monthly articles and resources produced and accessible to everyone, and follow the project partners and their channels for opportunities to take an active part in the project by participating in local training and events: capacity-building programs for the Social and Solidarity Economy (SSE) will soon be launched at national level by each partner.
