The First Study of Social Entrepreneurship in the Khmelnytskyi Region: How the Platform for Social Change Lays the Foundation for Regional Development
Social entrepreneurship plays a key role in creating sustainable change in communities, providing jobs, and addressing socially significant issues. This year, Platform for Social Change initiated a study on the state of social entrepreneurship development in the Khmelnytskyi region, marking the first project of its kind in Ukraine.
This study is part of a project aimed at socially responsible economic development in the region. Its goal is to identify strengths, assess existing potential, and uncover the challenges faced by social entrepreneurs in the area.
What Was Done?
Together with the team from the research company Pro-Consulting, we conducted an extensive survey involving:
- 72 organizations of various types, including businesses, non-profits, charities, government and religious organizations, and sole proprietors (FOPs);
- 286 residents of the Khmelnytskyi region who shared their views on the development of social enterprises.
We also analyzed how local initiatives address social issues, the resources they need, and how they can grow in the future.
The study highlighted the following key insights:
- Businesses and sole proprietors face a shortage of skilled workers, low wages, and employment challenges.
- Government institutions require more resources to implement social initiatives.
- Non-profit and religious organizations seek support for their social projects.
- Even HOAs (Housing Owners Associations) are actively participating in socially significant initiatives, marking a new trend in the region.
This study serves as the foundation for our next steps. With this information, our team now understands how to better support local initiatives so they truly feel the impact of our assistance. We also hope the results will draw the attention of international partners to the importance of developing social entrepreneurship in Ukraine.
“Social enterprises create jobs, address critical social issues, and unite communities. We strive to help them grow, changing lives for the better,” states Platform for Social Change team.
The detailed findings can be accessed via this link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Nun336AVSr45pSRNVKClWyXEj3nUQUWA/view?usp=share_link
Platform for Social Change will continue working on educational, investment, and mentoring programs to help social entrepreneurs in the Khmelnytskyi region thrive. We firmly believe that local initiatives have the power to drive global change!
To learn more about our projects, follow updates on our website!
