Ecosystem Restoration Communities offers a profound solution to land degradation, ecosystem destruction and the disconnect between humankind and nature. We do this by building naturally constructed communities on land that is highly degraded, and welcoming people to stay at the camp and learn how to restore land back to fertility. The communities also focus on teaching people skills in how to be radically sustainable, such as how to grow their own food, how to live zero waste, and how to … Read more
Social Franchising Social franchising is a method for scaling up social enterprises by replicating existing wellfunctioning good examples.
The European Social Franchising Network (ESFN) has found some 65 social franchises in Europe. The largest of these, the Kringwinkel secondhand shops in Flanders, employs nearly 5,000 people, of whom 80% are disabled. Social franchising comprises three phases: 1. Pilot: identification of a business model which works well in at least one instance, and is transferable to other contexts 2. Development: codification of business processes to create tools such as a franchise agreement, … Read more
TERRITORIAL APPROACH Rooting a project to strengthen its power
The territorial approach is part of a local development strategy, usually designed by a group of stakeholders. The territorial approach is used worldwide in a diversity of situations and sectors, such as Rural development, Food security and nutrition, Climate change, etc. The main elements of the method can be useful for entrepreneurs to design meaningful activities and work in the long run: - Assess material and immaterial resources available on the territory; - Identify needs, which are … Read more
Virtuous Circles for Sustainable Consumption, Production and Lifestyles How to create environments or contexts where the easiest option is to be sustainable
We can build peer groups with shared affinities that build connections and networks to make it easier to find ways of satisfying needs like food, shelter, nursing, finances, energy, etc. there are many examples of such peer groups and they include ood cooperatives, time banks, nursing groups, energy cooperatives, etc. In these groups it’s possible not only to satisfy a specific need (i.e. food via a community supported agriculture system) but also to satisfy other needs like creativity, … Read more
Cooperation Dynamics Promoting cooperation instead of competition between individuals, groups and organisations, and across sectors.
However, the idea of a Solidarity Economy and the cooperative movement generally challenges this logic and proposes an alternative. Instead, the idea and logic is that cooperation can help us to strengthen the organizations and projects although it is important and necessary to design appropriate structures and dynamics to help this unfold. Design of structures for intercooperation at different levels: Reproductive Cooperation: are the dynamics of support that require us to share … Read more
Social and Solidarity Economy When economy is at the service of the people and not vice versa
We can also experience the economy at smaller scales national, regional or local. And if we actually look at the etymological meaning of economy, from its ancient Greek origin “oikos” and “nomos”, we find it means “house” and “law or custom”. This leads us to an idea which roughly translates as "rules of the house”. We need an alternative vision of the economy based on people, whose wellbeing is the main purpose. At the same time, such an economy must be respectful of nature, … Read more
Social Currencies A currency that stimulates local economy and strengthens organizations within a solidarity economy.
Social currency is used as a tool to develop the local and solidarity economy in an area. It helps to generate exchanges between individuals possible where a lack of “official currency” is a limiting factor. Social currency is created and destroyed based on real economic activity that occurs between entities and individuals. It is a local currency, which produces no interest and no motivation to accumulate it. This eliminates the possibility of speculation with it and this helps … Read more
Cooperative Consortia Cooperative consortia are secondlevel coops, whose members are other coops.
Consortia are very flexible tools, which are more stable than networks. They can be used by enterprises of all types, to fulfil functions such as joint purchasing and marketing. However because they are controlled bottomup, they are particularly suitable for cooperatives. Different national legislations vary but, to take Italy as an example, a consortium can be founded by three or more primary cooperatives with a minimum capital of only €516. They are territorially based, and bring … Read more
Understanding social entrepreneurship The process of undertaking a business venture in order to achieve social goals
There are two main trends which offer the hope of rebalancing this trend and bringing more control back to the local level. On one hand new digital technologies offer new and efficient ways through which citizens can express their opinions and collaborate over long distances. On the other hand the difficulty governments are facing in collecting taxes from transnational corporations, and popular resistance to high taxation, mean that public authorities are seeking to shrink the state … Read more
Collective Entrepreneurship Based On Teamwork There's strength in numbers.
Collective/Cooperative entrepreneurship can be a solution in many cases. While it is not a panacea, it does have a lot of advantages. A team can add to, multiply and complement each of the competencies and skills of the individuals, bringing a more powerful approach to the challenge. Each person contributes his/her unique skills and relationships to the team, building strength and gaining resilience. The key elements of the cooperative DNA are: democratic management and shared ownership. … Read more
