Periodic Reporting for period 1 - ESSI (European Support to Social Innovation)
Okres sprawozdawczy: 2017-10-01 do 2018-10-31
Overall objectives:
• To deliver adequate innovation support that better meets European Social Enterprises (SE) needs.
• To focus on topics perceived as important from social innovation key actors
• To suggest a range of new approaches and “possible actions” on social innovation based on public and private co-design to be taken by Regional governments in their innovation support programs and services.
• To ensure a wide dissemination and participation of other Regional development agencies and actors through existing European and international networks and platforms.
To achieve the above-mentioned objectives, the four regional development agencies ERVET (Emilia-Romagna), ADA (Ankara), IVACE (Valencia) and KAINUUN ETU OY (Kainuu) joined their forces in analyzing, comparing and discussing social innovation eco-systems. An intensive brainstorming and peer learning activity based on co-created workshops that involved local, regional and European actors therefore led them to identify main topics on which to draw attention, recommendations and possible concrete actions to be adopted and hopefully implemented at regional, national and international levels.
1) Legal and regulatory framework - Laws and legislation with regard to the social entrepreneurship and social innovation eco-system. 2) Business support structure - funding to promote innovation and social enterprises competitiveness, such as government grants, charitable grants, impact investors, crowdfunding resources; ability of social enterprises to sell goods and services they produce in the local, national and international markets. 3) Research, Innovation and Technology - as a vector of innovation and social development. 4) Education and training - formal and informal education opportunities on social value, social entrepreneurship, social innovation and welfare help people to extend their horizon and equip them with necessary knowledge and skills to be successful social entrepreneurs. 5) Social value and social impact - social value is an intangible outcome of an activity carried out for social purposes while social impact is a measurable effect of a project, program, activity, service or product. Both can be indicators to evaluate social enterprises and public sector activities and policies.
Partners examined in-depth the topics, bringing out similarities and differences in their territories; emerging needs came out in each region. Then, they elaborated the Design Option Paper (DOP) that contains the detailed description of the work carried out, from the research activity to the sharing of results. It includes recommendations and possible actions that can be taken by local, regional, national and European governments. Beyond ESSI project, the results of the DOP will be widespread trough regional, national and European networks with the objectives to involve other development agencies. The dissemination path began in Brussels (October 2018) within the European Week of Regions and Cities, during with the results of the peer learning activities have been presented to other European RDAs, social entrepreneurs, members of the European Commission and of the Regional Governments.
ESSI has also produced 2 video for promotional purposes addressed to general public and to stakeholders, relevant actors and policy makers. https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=6&v=5h2nY5LFIeo https://drive.google.com/file/d/1r_q0F3autVTpH_k9P2Cq-JEHlUQ59KkX/view?usp=sharing
• new approaches in dealing innovation services to SMEs
• the adaptation to real emerging needs of stakeholders (public administrations, associations, universities, research centers, social enterprises)
• an attention by governments for a more targeted legal framework
• larger access to innovative finance opportunities and to the market by Social Enterprises
• new businesses focused on emerging challenges and exploiting ICT and research opportunities
• services, policies and innovation supporting measures reconfigured to better support SE needs
• recognition of social value and social impact also as an indicators of reward