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This is the fifth edition of the SE4Ces European project newsletter.
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Project meetings
Preliminary results
Research
Development of the educational material
Operationalising the material
SE4Ces Wiki
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Events
ICA CCR Research Conference
Reading tips
Effie Amanatidou, Chris Freeman Award
UNRISD report
Cooperatives UK report
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We are halfway into the SE4Ces project! This month we met with the Scientific Advisory Council to take stock of our first results. The Scientific Advisory Council is a group of renowned experts in the field of social economy assembled to support the consortium toward the project’s outcomes.
The Advisory Council considered the work done fantastic, reflecting on the variety of contexts surrounding social economy and the diversity in interpretations across Europe. They advised us on every step of the project on how to proceed to make the produced materials as comprehensive and well-thought-out as possible.
The project now advances closer to the actual on-the-ground testing in which teachers, trainers, SE organisations, and students for Living Labs will participate.
However, before we arrive there we have many other preparatory meetings in store in which you can participate (read the article on " operationalising the materials" for more details). The aim of these preparatory meetings is to assess some of the materials produced and the methodologies applied.
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Development of the educational material
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Some of the conclusions of our physical meeting in Thessaloniki focused on the material itself as well as the development process and its integration.
During our last meetings and thanks to the research done so far, we have concluded 4 guiding modules for the educational material that encompass 120 ECTS:
1) Running a social economy enterprise,
2) Cultivating skills for contributing to the social economy,
3) Support structure for social economy,
4) Creating and assessing value/ impact.
5) Theory underpinning SE and all the above topics showing the diversity in SE definitions, contexts and forms
It's this structure and its content that were further assessed in our last physical meeting.
One of the strong recommendations concluded in this meeting was that, following the long and intense period of interaction with SE organisations, upon which the material drew, we should now make it clear to them how they benefit from this material. While the perks for educators and students are clear, social economy organizations also need to understand how what we discussed together with them in the living labs and co-creation workshops was transformed into the specific educational material, and find the best ways this can be exploited to their benefit.
We are happy the SAC considered the material so far to be really good.
A few takeaways from their advice:
- The material was said to be fantastic for continuous research by engaging students. This way there will be a chance to advance research in social economy and also update the material accordingly. The outcomes of the interaction of students with the social economy should fit into the material. The issue of assessment (by students and of students) is important, and we should focus on it more closely and develop it.
- SAC reminded us of country specificity and how this should shine through in different approaches in the material. Learning from other countries should be facilitated.
- SAC welcomed the experiential learning approach underlying the new ideas that were created in the SE4ces living labs and welcomes a practical approach inspired by case studies.
More on the new educational ideas that were created in the SE4Ces living labs and co-creation workshops in the next newsletter! Stay tuned!
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Operationalising the materials
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The aim of the next phase of the project (WP5) is to operationalise the developed modules and pilot them in real settings (educational organisations).
To keep our followers well-informed in this chapter we will break down some of the key events happening in this regard. What's more: You can take part in the co-production process online or in person. (If you want to come in person travel costs and accommodation can be reimbursed.)
Do you know any teachers or social economy entrepreneurs that want to influence tomorrow's social economy courses? Contact us here.
- Build a network with teachers and trainers, become a part of the SE4Ces community
- As an entrepreneur: voice your organisation's concerns, implement practical issues/needs of your organisation in the courses
- Students, interested in social economy issues, learn from the world's foremost experts and showcase your existing knowledge and skills
Chronology
1. The introductory ignition meetings (November/December)
In November/December there will be a meeting for all co-creation workshop participants, partners and some of the potential participants of the events to come next year, to assess the content of the educational materials so far and the introduction to the learning mobility.
SE Living Labs ignition meetings will create concrete plans for the pilots together with some of those involved in the Living Labs and co-creation workshops. Trainers will show the material to all involved to get feedback, or in smaller teams will create clear lessons with timelines, assessments, etc. Here we also aim to design all the local pilots' operational aspects that will specify how SE Living Labs will be implemented in the different pilot contexts.
2. The learning mobility (End of January)
Hosted by the University of Bologna in Forlì – an hour away from Bologna - between 25-28 January 2023, teachers, and social economy entrepreneurs will be invited for a 2-day workshop to receive training on the main elements of the project (the service learning methodology, the educational materials and learning approach of the online Joint Master on “Social Economy and Community Development Strategies” and the SE 4Ces Wiki platform).
The final ignition meeting:
The final ignition meeting will be the recap session on Saturday 28th of January, where all educators that participated in the learning mobility will share their experiences and knowledge gained in order to refine the pilot implementation plan and incorporate innovative ideas into their local pilot contexts.
3. On-the-ground testing of the SE Living Labs (February-September)
Here we will test on the ground all elements of the SE4Ces educational material and Living-Labs framework and the SE4Ces wiki platform.
4. Reflections sessions (July-October)
At the end of the pilot implementation phase, reflection sessions will take place with the participation of all SE Living-Lab participants to identify the areas of further improvement. Special focus will be given to encourage students’ self-reflection on their service-learning experiences.
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The SE4Ces Wiki Platform enters the final stages of development.
The Wiki is being developed as a digital platform for sharing educational materials regarding Social Economy (SE) and its sister movements and research areas such as Community Development, Solidarity Economics, The Commons, and Degrowth.
It aims to become a core point of reference for the study of these fields in Europe and beyond. The SE4CEs Wiki Platform aims to become more than just an online repository for SE-related educational sources. The SE4Ces project wants to use it as a community development tool that aspires to function as a living organism that evolves vis-à-vis the development of the community of its users.
The SE4CEs Wiki has been created for everyone involved in the field of Social Economy education in its broader sense as a tutor, student, practitioner, or policymaker. One will be able to find inputs in various formats that can facilitate improving and updating educational material and syllabuses in SE-related programs; offer additional inspiration and information to the students in the field of SE; find professional courses as well as practical guidance on legislative and other issues that are relevant for practitioners; explore the state of the art in the field of SE through a rich and dynamic selection of cases studies, mapping tools, and local social innovations that is relevant for policymakers.
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 Earlier this month partners showcased our work at the ICA CCR Research Conference in Athens for researchers from all around the globe.
Why? cooperatives are key actors & essential in any educational material about the social economy ecosystem. We hope to collaborate!
More about this yearly event here. |
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The spotlight this summer is on our lead partner the University of Thessaloniki's professor Dr Effie Amanatidou.
Amanatidou authored the book "Responsibility Beyond Growth. A Case for Responsible Stagnation" together with Stevienna de Saille, Fabien Medvecky, Michiel van Oudheusden, Kevin Albertson, Effie Amanatidou, Timothy Birabi and Mario Pansera. The book, published by Bristol University Press was awarded the Chris Freeman Award for 2022 by the European Association for the Study of Science and Technology (EASST) at the EASST 2022 conference that took place in Madrid 6-8 July 2022.
This award is given in honour of Chris Freeman to a publication which is a significant collective contribution to the interaction of science and technology studies with other disciplines or areas of study. The selection was based on originality and the successful development of interdisciplinary theories, concepts or empirical descriptions.
This is particularly relevant for SE4Ces as the book critically assesses growth-based models of innovation policy, and sparks new debate on the role and nature of responsible innovation proposing the concept of 'responsible stagnation' as an expansion of present discussions about growth, degrowth, responsibility and innovation within planetary boundaries. In this framework, social innovation is discussed in the context of social economy with multiple real-life examples from the Western world but also and Global South and beyond.
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UNRISD 2022 Flagship Report Showcase —"Crises of Inequality: Shifting Power for a New Eco-Social Contract" on 21 October.
The report associates the multiple crises and increasing inequalities we are facing with policy choices promoted during the age of neoliberal hyperglobalisation
Register here for the launch of the report
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Report: "Offering hope to future generations"
A new report by Co-operatives UK says cooperatives can help tackle the mental health and employment issues faced by younger people. How cooperatives can help young people live better lives.
Find the report here.
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We strongly encourage our readers to subscribe to the quarterly newsletter.
Why subscribe?
- Stay in the loop of the latest advancements in the field of social economy education.
- Find opportunities to get involved and/or to become a partner.
- Learn about the potential of Social Economy Education.
- Get to know the world's foremost experts in the field & connect with them.
... and much more.
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This mailing has been co-funded by the European Union. The content of this mailing is the sole responsibility of the region of the organisation sharing it and can in no ways be taken to reflect the views of the European Union.
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