The social startup inspired by people on the margins
Empowering economically excluded and politically disenfranchised people is at the heart of the EU’s social inclusion policies(opens in new window). Enterprises, such as those introduced in the European Commission’s 2011 Social Business Initiative(opens in new window), and recent more hybrid ventures, have often been heralded for their potential to leverage markets for more inclusive growth. However, according to Luca Mongelli of the EmpowerMarginalized project, how precisely these social business hybrids will empower marginalised people through economically-driven solutions, remains both unclear and unsubstantiated by empirical evidence. “We urgently need to understand the interdependences between their economic actions and the context within which they operate,” adds the Marie Curie Fellow(opens in new window). Taking four case studies, Mongelli has developed a model, the Empowering Matrix, which characterises forms of social business hybrids and their applications. The work inspired Mongelli to set up a social startup. “Realising that this model had real world implications, a few of us came together to create something tangible,” Mongelli explains.
The Empowering Matrix
The project was guided by two approaches to empowerment. The Capability Approach(opens in new window) which affirms the centrality of the person and their agency, alongside the Community Psychology approach(opens in new window), which emphasises the socio-economic context within which people are embedded. Initially focussed on women in prison, Mongelli extended his research to other marginalised groups, including: homeless, deaf people, as well as seriously ill and disabled children. The Empowering Matrix comprised four models of empowerment which Mongelli identified social business hybrids as typically following: safe access, open access, safe creation and open creation. Each was exemplified by four case studies in Italy. Working within a protected park, Dynamo(opens in new window) offers activities to seriously ill and disabled children to help them reach their potential. Pedius(opens in new window) offers app-based communication services to deaf people, helping them manage their professional and private lives. MadeInCarcere(opens in new window) hires female prison inmates to produce fashion accessories sold through a digital marketplace. While Ridaje, website in Italian,(opens in new window) trains homeless people as urban gardeners in Rome to maintain abandoned spaces. A key finding was that the type of space, physical and virtual, in which these people could most readily thrive was determined as much by context as need. “Social business hybrids can play a vital role in offering the services and opportunities denied to marginalised people, or by involving them in business models that unlock their capabilities,” summarises Mongelli. When communicating some of these findings, to reach a wide audience, Mongelli delivered a TEDx Vicenza association talk entitled, The Market as a Space of Social Inclusion in Italian(opens in new window), also covered by local Italian radio, Radio Vicenza.
From theoretical seeds to practical shoots
www.ridaje.com (Ridaje) was actually inspired by, and launched during, the project itself. Mongelli and fellow supporters raised around 20,000 euros from private investors. Participants who complete the four-week course are housed by the organisation and employed to tend abandoned metropolitan green areas identified by citizens, communities or companies. The work, agreed with the local municipality, is funded through local crowdfunding campaigns or as part of corporate and social responsibility packages. The gardeners also receive one-to-one support to help them plan and manage their lives. “So far, we have worked with tens of homeless people and are now ready to launch an equity crowdfunding campaign(opens in new window) to scale-up activities. I think this is the best result that my fellowship could have achieved,” says Mongelli. Mongelli is now awaiting the outcome of a funding application to a private foundation for a social innovation incubator to help others create social empowerment startups; it has already been selected for the final round.
