Testimonials

Within the framework of the OBCD – Local Ecosystem Program, CCIB met Mrs. Sonsoles Jimenez, founder of the XANO CHANNEL, a non-profit association of teachers, inspectors of education and professionals, created in 2010 that aims to promote active citizenship, personal and professional growth, employment, non-formal education and the use of ICT among organizations and people. The activities and objectives of the organization are inspired by the principles of equal opportunities for disadvantaged people and between men and women. Our partner CCIB asked her some questions about the local Ecosystem and how it can support working in a collaborative way, creating synergy and exchanging expertise and methodologies with local and international organizations, in order to maximize the impact of the activities we carry out.   CCIB: Why did you join the ecosystem? What is the added value for your organisation to be involved? SJ: We decided to join the Spanish ecosystem to promote equal opportunities and inclusivity, aligning with its principles of creating synergy and exchanging expertise with local organizations to maximise the impact.   CCIB: What are the main takeaways from these meetings? SJ: Raising awareness of the relationship between social and economic benefits.   CCIB: How can the OBCD ecosystems contribute to making the social economy mainstream and support social enterprises in the project countries (and beyond) in their mission, according to you? SJ: The OBCD ecosystem can contribute to facilitating cross-country knowledge sharing, providing an interactive platform, and developing toolkits that empower social enterprises and promote the mainstream adoption of the social economy.   CCIB: How can the OBCD project support you? SJ: It can support the VET association by involving educational institutions in combating social issues through sharing best practices within the ecosystem. Students can learn and increase their skills from different fields of application.   CCIB: What do you look forward to? SJ: We are looking forward to a system that promotes a space for open discussion, sharing of ideas, and innovation to enable youngsters to improve their knowledge and equip them with strong competencies related to new social issues.  

Within the framework of the OBCD – Local Ecosystem Program, AN.KA was invited on 6 th December 2023 to meet Mr. Panagiotis Tournavitis, CEO, Cooperative Bank of Karditsa, in order to ask him some questions about the local Ecosystem and the relationship of this with the Cooperative bank. AN.KA and the Cooperative Bank of Karditsa are linked by traditional relations of close cooperation. The Cooperative Bank in its original form (as a credit cooperative) was hosted in the incubator of ANKA for two years, from 1994 to 1996. Today the Cooperative Bank is a shareholder in AN.KA and holds the 2nd largest percentage of shares, after the Municipality of Karditsa. The two bodies (ANKA and the Cooperative Bank) are the main members of the Local Cooperative Ecosystem of Karditsa.   SK: Why did you join the ecosystem? What is the added value for your organisation to be involved? PT: The Cooperative Bank of Karditsa decision to join the OBCD ecosystem was driven by our commitment to foster community development and sustainable economic practices. This collaboration aligns perfectly with our core values and strategic objectives. By being part of OBCD, we gain access to a diverse network of like-minded institutions, enabling us to share and learn best practices in community banking and social entrepreneurship. The added value for us lies in the opportunity to engage with innovative financial models and tools, which are crucial for supporting local businesses and social enterprises. This partnership also opens avenues for international collaborations, enhancing our ability to learn from and adapt global best practices to our local context. In summary, our involvement with OBCD is a strategic step towards strengthening our capabilities in fostering sustainable community development and financial inclusion.   SK: What are the main takeaways from these meetings? PT: The OBCD meetings are a hub of rich insights and learning. Key takeaways include the exposure to pioneering approaches in community-driven economic development, and the opportunity to engage with thought leaders in the field of social finance. These meetings serve as a platform for exchanging ideas on innovative financial products and services that can support local communities. Another significant aspect is the focus on sustainable development goals (SDGs) and how financial institutions can align their strategies to contribute towards these global objectives. In essence, the meetings provide us with valuable perspectives on how to effectively support economic growth while prioritizing social and environmental considerations.   SK: How can the OBCD ecosystems contribute to making the social economy mainstream and support social enterprises in the project countries (and beyond) in their mission, according to you? PT: The OBCD ecosystems have a pivotal role in mainstreaming the social economy and supporting social enterprises. By fostering an environment of collaboration and knowledge sharing, OBCD can help amplify the impact of social enterprises in both the project countries and beyond. This involves providing platforms for these enterprises to share their experiences, challenges, and best practices. Additionally, OBCD can advocate for policy changes that support the social economy, helping to create a more favorable environment for these enterprises to thrive. By highlighting the success stories and the tangible impact of social enterprises, OBCD can also play a key role in changing public perception and increasing awareness about the value and potential of the social economy.   SK: How can the OBCD project support you? PT: The OBCD project can support the Cooperative Bank of Karditsa in several ways. Firstly, by providing access to innovative financial tools and products specifically designed for social enterprises and community projects, which can enhance our product offerings and service delivery. Secondly, facilitating networking opportunities with other financial institutions and stakeholders in the social economy sector can lead to valuable partnerships and collaborations. Additionally, the OBCD project can offer training and capacity-building programs to our staff, ensuring that we stay abreast of the latest trends and best practices in community banking and social finance. This support is crucial for us to continuously improve and adapt our services to meet the evolving needs of our community.   SK: What do you look forward to? PT: Looking forward, there are several initiatives and resources from OBCD that we are particularly excited about. The development of a new toolkit tailored for banks involved in social financing would be incredibly beneficial, as it would provide practical resources and guidelines to enhance our operations. An interactive platform for knowledge sharing and collaboration would also be valuable, enabling us to engage more effectively with other banks and stakeholders. Additionally, we anticipate more cross-country knowledge sharing initiatives, which would allow us to learn from the experiences of similar institutions in different geographical contexts. Finally, we are looking forward to participating in targeted training and workshops, which would help in building our capacity and equipping our team with the skills and knowledge needed to better serve our community. These resources and initiatives would be instrumental in helping us achieve our mission and contribute more effectively to the social economy.  

Gabriele Nardini, President of the OBCD partner AGCI Umbria, interviewed Luca Zarfati, President of Roma Open Lab APS and head of the Social Sector at EPLI – Ente Pro Loco Italiane. Have a look at the interview below! Gabriele: Why are you involved in the social economy and the third sector? Luca: The choice for me was almost compulsory, since, due to my disability, I necessarily entered the circuit of care and assistance for the disabled, which in Italy is managed not only at the public level but mainly by Social Cooperatives. Within the world of Social Cooperatives, I had the great fortune to meet Eugenio De Crescenzo, Head of the Social Economy of AGCI (General Association of Italian Cooperatives), who encouraged me to work in the Social sector and helped me find my way in this complex and articulated world. Thanks to him and the AGCI, the Social Promotion Association ROMA OPEN LAB was born, of which I am President and I work full-time in Social Economy, also within EPLI – Ente Pro Loco Italiane. Gabriele: Why did you join the Italian ecosystem? What is the added value for your organization? Luca: As ROMA OPEN LAB APS and EPLI we have been collaborating for some time with AGCI Umbria and have signed two important memorandums of understanding, especially with regard to professional training. When we were asked to participate in the Italian Ecosystem of the OBCD project, we were enthusiastic because we are convinced that one of the distinguishing features of those who work in the Social Economy is networking and creating a web of relations between actors who, although different, have a common denominator in the SE. The added value of Ecosistema Italia for our organization is the possibility of being able to confront ourselves with subjects that may be very different from us, but who are animated by the same passion for the wellbeing of people, for the fight against inequality, and for the promotion of a sustainable, inclusive and ethically just economy. Gabriele: What are the main results of these meetings? Luca: The most striking result is that we have received, each time, so many interesting and often unexpected inputs, which have helped broaden our vision and increase our open-mindedness. Gabriele: How do you think OBCD ecosystems can help make the social economy mainstream and support social enterprises in project countries (and beyond) in their mission. Luca: OBCD ecosystems involve periodic meetings between the various components and this favors the establishment of relationships and exchanges that gradually become stronger, more articulate and richer in positive spill-over effects on all components of the ecosystem. Ecosystems can slowly grow and gradually replace the pre-existing socio-economic fabric, which is often competitive, closed and not very inclusive, gradually generating a new social and economic reality that is more sustainable and attentive to the social needs and fulfillment requirements of the people who live and operate within these ecosystems. Indeed, I am convinced that if we compare Local Development to a fabric, Social Entrepreneurship would not be its thread, but its glue. It is a glue that builds stronger, resilient, united communities. It is a glue that turns every challenge into an opportunity. This is how the ENTERPRISE NETWORK is built. Gabriele: How can the OBCD project support you? Luca: Certainly through the training of entrepreneurs who have the skills to manage businesses in a more sustainable way and attentive to the welfare needs of all those connected to the businesses themselves (workers, suppliers, customers, institutions, civil society). Another way in which the OBCD project can support us is by facilitating exchanges and relations between our organisation and other stakeholders involved in the ecosystem. In this way, we can have more opportunities to grow as an organisation and to grow and develop, together with the other partners, the entire ecosystem. Gabriele: What are you looking forward to? Luca: We are looking forward to an interactive platform that facilitates the exchange of information, best practices, experiments, or anything else that can give us the stimulus to increasingly improve our work, our organisation and the services we provide.    

We have interviewed Concha Maza of La Cultora member of the Spanish Ecosystem. Read through the highlights of the interview below.   1. Why did you join the Spanish ecosystem? What is the added value for your organisation to be involved? Our interest in joining OBCD and the Spanish ecosystem is related to the incorporation of social sustainability into different ecosystems in order to create synergies and connections. This kind of project represents an opportunity for a transversal collaboration. 2. What are the main takeaways from these meetings?  The main takeaways that came out from the meetings are the need for a sustainable environment for knowledge, competencies, skills and the cooperation between enterprises. 3. How can the OBCD ecosystems contribute to making the social economy mainstream and support social enterprises in the project countries (and beyond) in their mission, according to you? The ecosystem can contribute to support social enterprises through an exchange of best practices, and to create an environment in which social enterprises to fulfill their mission of addressing social and environmental challenges while generating economic value. 4. How can the OBCD project support you? One of the OBCD missions highlighted during the meetings is to preserve local culture and heritage through the promotion of the local development plan and the contribution to local communities growth. For us, it is very important to give visibility to the positive impacts that creative and cultural tools have on other fields. 5. What do you look forward to?  In Cultora, we are looking forward to the possibility of recognizing intermediate figures between the company and foundation models. Also, to increase inclusivity of vulnerable groups,such as women victims of gender based violence, or people with discapacities.

The associative and non-profit sector has a great tradition of generating networks and contacts. Plena inclusión is a federation of associations. According to Pedro del Río Carballo, the move from non-profit organisations to social enterprises needs to change the way we relate to each other and the formats of collaborative work. The ecosystem proposed by the #OBCD project seems to Pedro an excellent opportunity to innovate in terms of collaboration between social enterprises.

Asociación Desarrollo Humano y Organizacional (DHO) promotes consultancy models in social entities, following the principles of the Organisational Development model. The #OBCD Spanish ecosystem supports Asociación Desarrollo Humano y Organizacional (DHO) in their mission, forming a network that brings together a variety of entities united by a shared passion for #socialinnovation and #socialimpact.

According to María Eugenia Caldas Blanco and Susana Canelo of IES Clara Del Rey, entrepreneurship is gaining increasing importance, and the necessity to acquire entrepreneurial skills is on the rise. 📈 Their students must acquire the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary to generate and implement new business models. Using the curriculum as a tool, IES Clara Del Rey advocates for entrepreneurial education. Hence, it is essential to present a training model that centres on entrepreneurship, focusing on addressing social, environmental, and economic challenges. 🌍 This approach enables students to comprehend and tackle the most significant concerns in today’s society. In alignment with this vision, the school established “ClaraEmprende,” with a primary focus on promoting a culture of social entrepreneurship. The goal is to empower citizens as active agents of change and contribute to the development of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) outlined in the 2030 Agenda. María Eugenia Caldas Blanco and Susana Canelo of IES Clara Del Rey decided to be part of the #OBCD Spanish ecosystem because they possess ideas, human resources, talent, and the motivation required to believe that innovation involves optimising processes to create a society that is socially, environmentally, and economically fair. 💡 Follow us for more inspiring stories! #OBCD 🚀

ViBa Agile Innovation promotes innovation in the social sector and supports entrepreneurship processes.  Blanca Araujo, CEO at Viba Agile Innovation and member of the Eylo Association team mentioned that working with entities that share similar objectives is always enriching and stimulating. 🤝 While in the past, she has participated in clusters and different forms of collaboration between organisations, she believes that these initiatives are less developed in the field of social enterprise compared to the #OBCD Spanish ecosystem. 🇪🇸

Energy Community of Karditsa (ESEK) is a profit citizen energy cooperative composed of over 350 members (Municipalities, SMEs, associations, citizens, etc.) Since 2010, ESEK has been fostering renewable energy in the region of Karditsa.  ESEK joined the local OBCD ecosystem in Greece, driven by their recognition of the substantial potential that Community Energy production holds for Europe. It is empirically shown that Renewable Energy Cooperatives (RESCoops) are important enablers of the energy transition while also leading to a wide range of social impacts.  Such impacts include:  1️⃣ an increased acceptance of renewable energy developments, 2️⃣faster uptake of low carbon technologies,  3️⃣ more sustainable behaviors,  4️⃣ and lower risk of energy poverty. 💡🔋

Elisa Sáez Muñoz from Fundación INTRAS explained to us and IMPULSA IGUALDAD how their work in the social sector is striving to innovate its actions by offering new services, products, and activities to the people they work with. Fundación INTRAS joined the OBCD focus group earlier this year to foster social innovation and learn about new business models by also collaborating with other organisations working in the sector. 💼 🤝 📢 Ready to stay updated? Subscribe to our newsletter for exclusive insights on #OBCD: https://www.obcdproject.eu/opt-in-form/ 📧 #OBCDecosystem #socialeconomy #socialenterprise #mentalhealthcare