Mentorship for social entrepreneurs and innovators as a service that the competence centers provide, on-site and online hybrid activities and initiatives, and networking between all stakeholders – these were just some of the main opinions of the participants in the “Design of an Institutional Model of Competence Centers in the Field of Social Innovation – Structure and Main Functions” seminar. The event was held on February 16, 2023 in Plovdiv, the organizers being the Sofia Development Association and the National Alliance for Volunteer Work – Plovdiv. The workshop is part of the activities within the “Social Innovations Plus – Competence Centers” project.
The event, that included more than 20 representatives of organizations and social enterprises from Plovdiv and the region, began with a presentation of the concept for a Competence Center in the field of social innovation. Denitza Lozanova, Program Director of Sofia Development Association, shared with the participants good practices from other countries in the European Union, the main approaches to the functions of this type of centers and what good examples of such centers there are within the European community.
Rumen Donev, State Expert at the Living Standards, Demographic Policy and Social Investments Directorate of the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy, told the participants about the support for social enterprises in Bulgaria on the national level.
After the first panel two group sessions, facilitated by Hermina Emiryan, were held. During the first participants had to identify the most urgent activities and priorities for these centers, as well as write out a plan for the first few years of their activity.
In the second session, several other key components of the work of the centers were also discussed – their legal model, their management structure and the pros and cons of all its forms.
During the group work, other highlights also emerged – the inclusion of local business and universities in the pr ocess, support in the search for funding for certain candidates, constant and consistent promotion of various social innovations, and others. The full results of the work process will be published on Sofia Development Association’s website very soon.
The next step in the project is to finalize a plan for the establishment of the Competence Center in Bulgaria, in order to start real work on the realization of such a space.
The project is funded by the EUROPEAN COMMISSION, the European Social Fund and European Programme for Employment and Social Innovation.