ART-ER meets stakeholders online: first results of the regional call “Skills for Social Enterprises”

After difficult months due to the COVID emergency crisis, on 13 October 2020 ART-ER met the stakeholder group of RaiSE project to discuss and get first impressions on results of the call “Skills for social enterprises” issued by the Emilia-Romagna Region

Thanks to the contribution of the RaiSE project, Emilia-Romagna Region intended to experiment a new kind of public call within the 2014-2020 ESF Regional Operational Programme and influence future 2021-2027 programme. The evaluation process took into account two aspects: the feasibility of the projects and the exploration of new current social innovation issues affecting both social and traditional enterprises, such as smart working.

22 operations have been approved and several different actors of the Regional ecosystem, such as training centers and institutional representations of cooperatives and for-profit companies have been included for the first time in a call dedicated to social innovation. The topics explored by the beneficiaries of the call range from sustainability of products and processes (e.g circular economy) in agri-food, textile and mechanical companies, to innovative services for elderly and vulnerable people, digitalization and development of managerial skills in social enterprises. Next actions: a full elaboration of results to get inputs on demand and the formalization of the 2021 table for social innovation and economy composed of ART-ER, regional government and stakeholders.

The table will launch new activities and projects on key topics for social innovation and social economy: creation of sustainable and inclusive jobs and enterprises, programming of European funds, promotion of Third Sector entities, internationalization and involvement of social enterprises in institutional activities.