Social Solidarity Economy
Since 2014, Eurasia net has been active in promoting the Social and Solidarity Economy (SSE) to young people through various international projects. At Eurasia net, we consider social entrepreneurship as an economic and social alternative for a new generation of entrepreneurs. We value the SSE locally and internationally to sow the seeds of new initiatives.
Leading young people to meet entrepreneurs in the Social and Solidarity Economy sector
In 2021, as part of the Eurasia Twin program, volunteers set out to meet local actors of the Social and Solidarity Economy (ESS).
The objectives of this approach were to encourage encounters between young people who wish to get involved in favour of social and environmental causes, and actors, committed entrepreneurs having a positive impact through their initiatives.
Eurasia net first led an initiation workshop on the SSE with volunteers to give them the keys to understand the challenges of this work sector. Then, a meeting with the business incubator of the ESS “Inter Made” allowed the volunteers to discover concrete initiatives of projects on different launch stages and to understand the role and support that an incubator can provide for the design of an SSE project.
The ESS Competition
Each participants wrote an article presenting the chosen initiative and pitched it during the competition for “the most beautiful initiatives of the Social and Solidarity Economy” which took place on January 15, 2021. By procuring these projects, the volunteers were thus able to draw inspiration and “imagine themselves a social entrepreneur”. Maybe in a few years, some of them could also be carrying out the seed of a beautiful solidarity project!
At the end of the competition, three prizes were awarded: the most eloquent volunteer, the most original initiative and the “jury’s favourite” project, made up of volunteers from the Eurasia Net team.
The prize for eloquence was awarded to Claire-Anais who introduces us to the Marseille company Recyclop and who for this purpose used rhymes, Provencal expressions and, above all, humour.
The most original initiative was presented by Bérénice, who introduced us to Jourca, an ethical jewelry company allowing women of Masai origin to become financially independent by participating in the manufacture of unique jewelry sold in Marseille.
Finally, the jury’s favorite was awarded to Victoire, who pitched DEMOS, an Apprentis d’Auteuil program to introduce young people in difficulty (socially and within the family) to music and classical instruments, such as the violin, while mixing it up with urban culture, like slam.
The interviews
Find out more about four companies with a social and solidarity economic model through interviews conducted by our Eurasia Twin volunteers:
- Bérénice with the entrepreneurs of the eco-responsible jewelry brand Jourca;
- Marie-Noëlle with the Committed Communication Agency Comonlight;
- Antonin with the third place Tréso;
- Victoire and Apprentis d’Auteuil.
