SOCIAL ENTERPRISE IN EUROPE, CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES

“The creation and the role of the regional support

center of Social Enterpreneurship”KOISPE FOKIDAS “YANNIS VOLIKAS”, GREECE

Athina Fragkouli

Assimakis Bafatakis

Valia Tampakaki

Social Cooperative with Limited Liability of Fokida “Yannis Volikas” (KOISPE Fokida) was founded in 2006 and has its seat in Amfissa.

KOISPE Fokida is the first social cooperative that was created throughout the Region of Central Greece (Sterea Ellada), which population is approximately 550.000 inhabitants.

The Society of Social Psychiatry and Mental Health PanayotisSakellaropoulos (www.ekpse.gr) played a determining role in the establishment and development of the Cooperative, which was accepted and well-integrated into the local community, by doing business for the professional integration of people with psychosocial problems and other vulnerable social groups.

For the record, the Society of Social Psychiatry and Mental

Health Panayotis Sakellaropoulos, perceiving the role of work

and its therapeutic effect on people with psychosocial problems,

proceeded with the establishment of the first social cooperatives

of mental health activities, since the 1990’s.

Working through Community Sensitization with the population

of Fokida and because of the limited access to the labor market

for this target group, it was possible to employ them mainly in

the primary economic sector, such as agricultural and animal

husbandry work.

The choice of these works was not random, since living in the

countryside was an important experience for these people and

they awakened memories and experiences as they came into

contact with land and animals.

In the later years, since the establishment of KOISPE Fokida

and following the economic developments and the needs of

the market and society, the Cooperative proceeded also in

the field of trade and services, as well as in the processing

with the activities that it developed.

However, its social character, from the beginning has

provided the need for further social co-operation at a local

level, but also for synergies outside the geographical area.

In addition greater penetration in the local economy and

network development with local producers, institutions,

organizations, local and regional Self-Government, as well as

with other social entrepreneurship and economy.

The economic crisis in Greece has helped to strengthen social

alliances and the social economy has been a way to get out of

this difficult situation.

People needed coalitions (civil society), social alliances and

solidarity to survive in this difficult social, economic and

political environment.

In the last few years, the State has placed particular

emphasis on the development of the Social Economy with

new laws and tools, which came and connected with

existing and new social structures and enterprises. Also, the

need for coordination of all these actions and the

experience of the older ones was revealed, as the state

does not yet have the appropriate infrastructure.

The environment has now been quite mature and the conditions

are appropriate so that KOISPE Fokida is possessing this know-

how, rightly winning the program of the Support Centers of Social

Economy, especially after the failure of the previous effort of

2014, for the establishment of a Regional Support Facility by the

Region of Central Greece (Sterea Ellada).

Statistics…

•89 Support Centers of Social Economy were the inner aim of

the Program for the whole area of Greece

•42 total applications to join the Program

•13 applications were approved and 29 applications were

rejected

•11 Support Centers have finally opened in Greece

•1 and only Support Center in Region of Central Greece, which

is the KOISPE of Fokida

Social and Solidarity Economy (SSE) though in rise in

Greece, is still in a premature phase having need of

stable financial instruments, adequate training and

skills development as well as a clear legal framework.

Within this direction, the following actions have been

scheduled under the “Action Plan for the development

of the SSE ecosystem 2017-2023”, mainly funded by

the EU’s National Strategic Reference Framework with

161 million€:

� Support Structures for SSE entities

� Direct subsidies for SSE entities

� Financial Instruments for SSE entities

� Systemic Interventions for the development of the SSE Sector

� Actions under the Technical Assistance of the European

Commission

The creation of a Social Economy Fund is expected within 2019

aiming to offer a variety of financial instruments to those

interested.

The establishment of Regional Support Centers operating as info-

points providing information and counseling services to existing

or future SSE entities is also on course.

Especially, through this program, KOISPE Fokida aims and will

support:

1. Information and dissemination of the idea of social

economy and entrepreneurship and the benefits

generated.

2. Supporting social synergies and networks and, therefore,

strengthening social cohesion through social actions and

responding to new challenges.

3. The creation of new social enterprises not only aimed at

the economic benefit but also in the creation of social

value and rewarding benefits.

4. Cultivation through the education of people,

especially of the new generation, and the finding

of incentives for staying and investing in their

place, limiting the phenomenon of "brain drain".

5. Supporting other features and elements such as

innovation, further promotion of vulnerable

social groups, training of social economy

executives, co-operative models of business

initiatives and incubators, democracy in

decision-making, tackling unemployment and

combating poverty.

THE “GREEN HOUSE”, TOURISM OFFICE, KOISPE FOKIDAS

THE “GREEN HOUSE” - inside

SOAP WORKSHOP

TOURIST INFORMATION OFFICE OF DELPHI

LITTLE TOURIST TRAIN OF DELPHI

SUPPORT CENTER

THE FARM

Thank you!

Koispe Fokidas Yannis Volikas

Amfissa, Greece

E-mail koispevolikas@yahoo.gr