STRENGTHENING SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURIAL NETWORKS: Participants' opinions about the event and social entrepreneurship

Anelija Mitrova, Youth Alliance

The project “Strengthening Social Entrepreneurial Networks” is 14th months action with main focus on lack of cooperation between youth organizations coming from Visegrad and Western Balkans in the field of social entrepreneurship. A special focus of the project will be paid to aspects such as the increasing entrepreneurial spirit of young people, developing competencies needed to establish and to run social enterprises, creating supportive social entrepreneurial environment for developing social enterprises as an answer to youth unemployment, support cross-sectorial cooperation between the schools, youth organizations, social enterprises, and state institutions.

The project idea is initiated by the Youth Alliance – Krusevo, and developed together with the project partners: European Foundation for Human Development, Vijeće mladih općine Ključ, Eurotender Association, Organization for Aid to Refugees, Youth for Equality, Initiative for Development and Cooperation, and Youth for Social Changes. Hereby, this action is involving 8 organization from 8 different countries from Western Balkan region and Visegrad region.

Key project activities envisaged with the project are: Study Visit on Social Entrepreneurship and Social Enterprises, Round Table on Cross-Sectorial Cooperation in Social Entrepreneurship, Networking, and Project Making Event on Future of Social Entrepreneurship and publishing Booklet of Good Practices on Social Entrepreneurship in Visegrad and Western Balkans.

The direct target group of the project activities is the young people strongly interested in social entrepreneurship, representatives of youth organizations interested to explore social entrepreneurship and/or delivering activities aiming to develop social entrepreneurial competencies of young people and representatives of social enterprises from participating countries and representatives of the labor market, state institutions, schools involved in social entrepreneurship and/or interested in cross-sectorial cooperation. (http://youthalliance.org.mk/)

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/SSEN2019

We asked participants to share their opinions about this event and what they think about Social Entrepreneurship and/or Social Inclusion. Here's what they said:

HUSAM RAJAB, Palestinian who's doing his Ph.D. in Hungary: Being a part of social entrepreneurial Strengthening Entrepreneurial Networks, and social entrepreneurship giving me the chance to work together to build a more impactful social entrepreneurship ecosystem.

Furthermore, we together aim to build a more impactful social entrepreneurship ecosystem.

This training project is harnessing the knowledge of social entrepreneurship experts across Europe, creating a toolkit that defines the best ways to support our communities and deals exclusively with social responsibility. 

JAAFAR HARB, Syria/Hungary: I would appreciate such an opportunity and take the initiative to express how much I am grateful to participate in this event, where I am dealing with highly qualified people and professionals in the field that represents my interest.

I’m thankful for all the ideas, details, insights, and cooperation with my team members and the organization as a whole.
Super excited to reach the outcome of what we are working on.

PAVOL IVANOV, Slovakia: Differences between social enterprises(SE) in the world have to besieged. Globalization so as overcoming distances between countries, or borders separating them, is now disappearing despite mass media and new technology. Countries, so as their SE, have to collaborate, while we push forward the new model of SEs as sustainable businesses, that will be part of every state. Some states are at the beginning of the SE in their economy and some are already entrepreneuring our future possibilities. Collaboration through networks is the only mean, how integrated states into pacts can walk together forward a bright common future.

MIHÁLY SZABÓ, Hungary: Of course I like this kind of events (otherwise I wouldn’t participate:p) I believe we always learn something new within the framework of these events. A lot of times not even the topic or the official program of the events teach us something but much more the fellow participants. But maybe networking is the most important element of these projects and the opportunity for future collaboration (joint venture projects etc.).

MARSIDA SIPRI, Albania: I find the SSEN project really interesting. Generally thinking about an online event, you find it difficult but in this project we used different online platforms that helped us really much even for knowing each other and for sharing ideas and opinions. I liked the organization of the project and the timetable that give the chance to all the participants to be part.

About the topic of social entrepreneurship, there is much to say but this is not the same everywhere. That why this project is helping us to share experiences and information about how does it work in our countries. In Albania and in Balkan, social entrepreneurship isn't so developed, and that why we need to learn more about it.

SELMIR SMAJIĆ, Bosnia and Herzegovina: This is very important training especially for youngsters because it's preparing us for the future and entrepreneurship skills are really important to succeed nowadays. And if you give an opportunity like this to young people they will use it to make the best thing possible. They will try to improve themselves while helping others along the way.

ADRIENN POSZTÓS, Hungary: Social entrepreneurship became relevant nowadays. It combines the economy, the business with social issues, which could be a win-win situation for everyone!

To learn about it and how can we develop this is a very good idea, more people hear about social entrepreneurship, more idea and solution could be implemented!

So, with this training, I can learn more about it and I can spread it to the local community!

SILVIA CROCITTA, Poland: In the time of pandemic building the basement for social entrepreneurship represents a guarantee for the future of the Visegrad cooperation:  “Strengthening Social Entrepreneurial Networks” is a Visegrad Fund project with the aim of constructing those fundamental steps.

In the framework of social entrepreneurship the dialogue and development of  communities are the standpoint for trying to overcome tangible issues while harnessing the efforts of talented young individuals - and this is the most relevant point which I enjoy of the project during the Networking Event of the last days.

The fact of not giving up and shape something tangible with the goal of creating a response is what can lead to stronger societies where significant changes and improvements can happen. I am confident to see the results of the knowledge which we are forging together now for a better youthful tomorrow.