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The IN SITU project came to its end…

The project IN SITU, having on board 12 partners from 6 countries in the Central European region, started its 3-year implementation in April 2019. During its lifetime, it created and promoted a tailored business development service and support scheme to foster the integration of disadvantaged groups, e.g. long-term unemployed young (<30) and 50+ people into the labor market through social innovation and new soc. enterprises. The enterprises were the result of specially developed training and mentoring programs (2x 6 months in each region). 

The training programs have been implemented based on prior research and the creation of socially innovative tools and learning materials and during the two 6-mont training cycles, a total of 256 persons have been given an opportunity to explore and develop their own innovative idea and make it into a social business or initiative. At the end of the project’s lifetime, 105 original ideas were fully or almost fully developed and ready for the labor market, transforming the former long-term unemployed people into self-employed social entrepreneurs.

The piloting of the training and mentoring program enabled the project partners to observe and evaluate the previously created f regional triangles of key players, a network of expert support, care and third sector organizations, social innovation and entrepreneurship experts, and public/private funding initiatives. The reg. triangles then formed an overarching joint triangle enabling a transnational approach to tackling intergenerational unemployment and social exclusion. In addition, the strategy behind the application of innovative tools and training methods has hereby been tested, amended, and validated so that sustainable schemes in the participating regions could have been implemented. The results from all regions showed a positive change in attitude: increased interest and involvement in the topic of social entrepreneurship on the side of approached regional stakeholders and decision makers.

With all the data collected during the project’s existence, the project partners were able to produce multiple outputs and strategies, mapping the current situation, and its development and outlining various possible solutions, which will hopefully lead to even closer cooperation in regard to social entrepreneurship between central European countries.