Партнерство, досвід, нові рішення: робочий візит у межах проєкту ESIC
From 19 to 21 May, representatives of the NGO Platform for Social Change, Olena Korotniuk and Olha Chorna, visited Iași, Romania, as part of the international ESIC project aimed at fostering the social economy, supporting social entrepreneurship, and strengthening the role of young people in driving social change.
The working visit brought together partners from different countries to exchange experiences, review project achievements, and plan the next steps in developing educational programmes, incubation initiatives, and acceleration opportunities for social entrepreneurs.
The first day of the visit was dedicated to participation in an international conference that gathered representatives of social enterprises, civil society organisations, businesses, educational institutions, and experts in the field of social economy. Participants discussed current approaches to social innovation, cross-sector partnerships, and the role of social entrepreneurship in addressing today’s societal challenges.
The following days focused on working meetings among ESIC project partners. The project team reviewed completed activities and worked on the next stages of initiative development.
In particular, participants explored:
• the development of educational programmes for aspiring social entrepreneurs;
• the improvement of incubation and acceleration models for social enterprises;
• creating opportunities for collaboration among social enterprises across different countries;
• supporting programme alumni after the completion of training;
• identifying funding mechanisms and pathways for the sustainable growth of social initiatives.
Special attention was given to post-programme support for participants through mentoring, international networking, knowledge exchange, and the development of a professional community of social entrepreneurs.
During the meetings, research findings in the field of social economy were also presented and discussed. Participants explored how the collected data can contribute to designing more effective support programmes for young people, social entrepreneurs, and local communities.
An important part of the visit was learning from the practical experience of ADV Romania, one of Europe’s leading organisations in the field of social entrepreneurship development. Participants visited several social enterprises within the ADV Group and gained first-hand insight into sustainable business models that successfully combine economic activity with a social mission.
For the team of Platform for Social Change, participation in the meeting provided an opportunity to showcase their own experience, learn from international practices, and strengthen cooperation with European partners.
The knowledge and insights gained during the visit will contribute to the further development of programmes supporting youth, social entrepreneurship, and the creation of new opportunities for communities across Ukraine.
