STRUMENTI DI SVILUPPO LOCALE E DELLIMPRENDITORIALITA SOCIAL INCLUSION IN THE TIME OF CRISIS Dr Emma Clarence OECD LEED Trento Centre

2 Growing social exclusion Role of the social economy Support strategies for the social economy Today considering…

THE LEED PROGRAMME Local Economic and Employment Development

Established in 1982 by 13 Countries, the LEED Programme offers innovative tools for an integrated approach to local development in the fields of: Employment and Skills Explores the ways to promote employment and skills development at local and regional levels. Analyses the contribution of both labour market policies and local initiatives, with a focus on governance. Entrepreneurship Assess best practice and disseminate information on the policies and programmes implemented at local level to foster entrepreneurship, enterprise promotion, and economic development. Globalisation and Local Authorities Studies how local authorities respond to the challenges of globalisation. Examines the initiatives taken by cities and regions to promote and finance economic development, the role of development agencies, and other instruments of economic development.

Established in 1982 by 13 Countries, the LEED Programme offers innovative tools for an integrated approach to local development in the fields of: Local Governance and Partnerships Examines the ways to improve governance through better co-ordination of policies, better adaptation to local needs, and effective participation of civil society and business in their orientation, in order to promote an integrated approach to local development. Social Innovation Analyses the role of social enterprises, social entreprensurship and the social economy in generating new economic activity and creating mechanisms of social inclusion. Examines corporate social responsibility, as well as community capacity building, as instruments of social cohesion.

LEED…OUR OBJECTIVES To promote the exchange of experience and information and the diffusion of innovation concerning the development of local employment and entrepreneurship and the renewal of local economies. To design the methods for and to undertake the social and economic evaluation of new employment and enterprise initiatives and local economic and social policies. To provide support and assistance for in the design, implementation and assessment of local development strategies, with particular attention to the functioning of local partnerships.

WHAT WE DO Peer reviews and reports International conferences Capacity building (seminars and workshops) Evaluation of the implementation of policy recommendations Research, analysis, manuals Forums – including Partnership and Local Governance and on Social Innovation

The LEED Programme and the OECD LEED Trento Centre for Local Development

Contributing to local development capacity building Facilitating the exchange of experience between OECD member and non-member countries Strengthening the relationship between policy makers, local development practitioners and the scientific community in OECD member and non- member countries Reinforcing representative democracy at sub- national level by initiating and supporting a dialogue between national and sub-national legislatures on local development issues Established in 2003, its work is mainly focused on CEE and SEE countries, with the aim of: TRENTO CENTRE OBJECTIVES

To bring together policy-makers, researchers and practitioners from national and sub-national levels To exchange experience on the most appropriate tools for supporting local development policies and strategies To build institutional capacities to support and disseminate innovate practices To design activities aimed at meeting the training needs of national and sub national local development institutions To foster networking activities to promote national and international co-operation THE STRATEGIC APPROACH

Social Inclusion in the Time of Crisis

12 Growing unemployment Increasing poverty Numbers of vulnerable people and groups expanding Communities still rebuilding hit hard Social Inclusion in the Time of Crisis:

13 Social economy label used in (some) countries for the space between the State and the market – and the organisations that operate in that space Broadly, the organisations include: Foundations Associations Co-operatives Social Enterprises Not for profit organisations What unites these organisations is their emphasis on co-operation and a common purpose. Social Economy:

14 Not a small player…in 2007 the social economy employed around 11 million people in Europe (6% of the working population) In the US more than 30 co-operatives have annual revenue in excess of USD 1 billion Significant, untapped potential…no single way forward, but broad strategies can be identified Social Economy:

15 An enabling environment with supportive policies Legal framework which recognises social economy organisations Recognition of intangible added value of social economy organisations (participation, creation of social capital, inclusion, etc.) Support Strategies:

16 Provision of business support specifically tailored for social economy organisations Necessary to nurture a culture of inclusive entrepreneurship by encouraging diverse role models of what constitutes a successful business Support Strategies:

17 Development of mechanisms for financial sustainability Ensuring social economy organisations can exploit full range of potential resources (selling goods and services) Fiscal exemptions – tax reductions, social security reductions for employed disadvantaged workers Support Strategies:

18 Inclusion in the decision making process Knowledge of local communities crucial to the development of more effective policies and programmes Andalusian Pact – first signed in 2002, renewed in 2006 Support Strategies:

19 Effective local development requires positive relationships between all actors AND across various dimensions (economic, social and environmental). Partnerships are crucial. Strength of social economy is not only innovativeness and capacity to adapt BUT also its ability to make bridges between actors and between different dimensions. Social Inclusion:

20 The potential contribution of the social economy should not be underestimated. Tendency by policy makers to see social economy organisations as an instrumental device for addressing problems and to overlook the ability of the social economy to increase participation. BUT social economy organisations are not a panacea for all ills, there are limits to what they can do. Contribution of the Social Economy:

21 With the right support strategies… With recognition of their contribution from all actors… Working in partnership with the public and private sectors… …the social economy will be able to contribute to fostering social inclusion Contribution of the Social Economy:

22 Providing guidance to national, local and regional governments on how to support the social economy Countries involved include Poland, Korea, France Belgium and Slovenia. Improving Social Inclusion through the Social Economy:

STRUMENTI DI SVILUPPO LOCALE E DELLIMPRENDITORIALITA For more information contact: Emma Clarence – Antonella Noya –