The expectations of social enterprises from business advisors

SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN EUROPE Introduction, concepts and definitions  Social entrepreneurship in Europe- current status Need for social entrepreneurship and social enterprise in Europe   European policies and actions relevant to the development of social enterprise

Introduction, concepts and definitions What is a social enterprise? Definitions and notions in social entrepreneurship Basic principles in social entrepreneurship Main characteristics of social enterprises Potentials of social enterprises

Social entrepreneurship in Europe - current status Different types of social enterprises Facts and figures in selected European countries Social enterprises and their impact Social enterprises and state / government and local authorities / Social enterprises and their markets (opportunities for growth) Positioning of social enterprises Key challenges and solutions to social entrepreneurship

Need for social entrepreneurship and social enterprises in Europe Are social enterprises needed and why? Support for social enterprises Is there a need of dissemination of information and knowledge about social enterprising? Training in social entrepreneurship Advisory services in social enterprising Barriers to growth in social enterprising Social entrepreneurship enablers How to encourage social entrepreneurship?

Recommendations – concerning capacity building Services and markets Training and advisory Institutional, policy and program support Financial support Networking

SOCIAL ENTREPRNEURSHIP IN SESBA PARTNER COUNTRIES Methodology Findings per country Similarities and differences in SESBA partner countries

Methodology Introduction to methodology Methodology of the provision of the field survey Theoretical framework of the survey Directions about the specific areas to be covered and possible sources to be used Allocation of the number of organizations and entities to be conducted in each country Design of the Context template to be followed for the presentation of primary and secondary data Directions about the collection of secondary and primary data Development of the research tools Questionnaire Appendix Framework for collection of official statistical data about current status of social entrepreneurship in project partner countries General definitions Bibliography

Findings per country Greece Ireland Malta Estonia Italy Bulgaria Implementation of national and regional policies for development of social entrepreneurship Offered services and related activities (training, mentoring, consulting, etc.) Support structures for the development of social entrepreneurship Best practices of social entrepreneurship advisory services Needs of potential social entrepreneurs for advice

Methodology

Methodology 104 representatives of different types of organizations from the South Central Region. 47% of the social enterprises of the South Central Region are concentrated. The share of non-financial enterprises that have been identified as social is 66% and non-profit-making is 34%. The survey includes representatives of small and medium- sized enterprises, social enterprises, training and non- governmental organizations that support social entrepreneurs or provide consultancy services on the following issues: Types of organizations providing consulting to social entrepreneurs Business advisory offered to social entrepreneurs Supporting frame for social entrepreneurship start up Social entrepreneurs needs for advisory

European policies and actions relevant to the development of social enterprises Social economy Social investment Social innovation Employment, skills and jobs Poverty and social inclusion Social enterprises Social entrepreneurship Training and entrepreneurship

Need of consultancy services for social enterprises

Regarding the need of types of consultancy services, the respondents strongly emphasize those services in the field of: Management Financing of activities and participation in funding programs Strategic management Legal services and access to markets Consultancy services in the field of business planning Marketing analysis and participatory leadership.

Strengths – Weaknesses - Opportunities and Threats in providing consulting services to Social Enterprises

Strengths Weaknesses Business advisors are highly or quite qualified to provide advisory services to social enterprises on market related issues since classic advisory services are of utmost importance not only for traditional businesses but also for social enterprises. Lack of specific training in the needs of social enterprises and of the dynamics of their operations Poor know-how and competences in a wide range of fields Lack of experience of the challenges of establishing a new enterprise Cultural gap between the social entrepreneur whose mission is the creation of a social impact and the external advisor who is mostly profit-oriented.

Opportunities Threats There has been a growing and perceived need for specialized social business support even if that need is not very clearly articulated or very precise Social entrepreneurs have realized to a great extent that ensuring sustainable economic prosperity is a prerequisite to serve their societal mission Social entrepreneurs seek advice in both starting up and full operation phases . The concept of social entrepreneurship is still new and most of the existing SEs are run in quite an amateurish way Lack of central and consistent policy for the development and support of social entrepreneurship at national level Other discouraging factors are lack of knowledge where to find this kind of services, lack of education, lack of trust, lack of knowledge of the industry, fear of appearing opportunistic, the fragmentation in the advisory sector, difficulty in pinpointing the right business advisors.

Requirements for the skills of business advisors to provide effective support for social enterprises Relevant qualification to degree level or equivalent in a business related area such as business studies, marketing, digital marketing, finance, innovation or human resources; Employment background in community engagement; Experience of project management;

Key capabilities Presentation skills. Good planning and organizational skills. Exceptional customer service and interpersonal skills. Excellent written and verbal communication skills. Strong planning, organizational and time management skills. Knowledge and appreciation of key legislative issues impacting on business start ups, Good IT skills and ability to prepare and analyze financial forecasts.

Factors influencing demand for business support Resourcing Lack of adequate financing, supporting social enterprises. Lack of resources for starting a business. Lack of managerial and marketing experience.

Problems with the environment Lack of legislation; Problems with the institutions- there is no real understanding of the role of social enterprises, lack of cooperation from the institutions involved. Many social enterprises that need business support and mentoring are facing challenges in identifying the different work patterns. Working in them requires flexibility, skills, competencies to address the challenges of the environment.

BARRIERS Resources to start a business Financing of the activity Management and Marketing - Experience

CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS Understanding and awareness Barriers Enablers Capacity building Support and approaches Training and advisory

CONCLUSIONS The contribution of social enterprises to socio-economic development can be seen from different perspectives: providing access to basic services (social, educational and health) of local communities, including for most vulnerable population groups; contribution to a more balanced use of local resources, with the support of stakeholders, which promotes inclusive governance models enabling local communities to make strategic decisions; support the creation of new jobs as a result of the provision of new services provided to disadvantaged people.

Thank you for your attention! Co-funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union The European Commission support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the contents which reflects the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsi­ble for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.