Launch of the “Social Impact and Social Utility” group

After several months of discussing this subject with RIPESS Europe’s Coordination Committee members, the confinement had the positive effect of leading to the first meeting between the members on this subject on 23rd April.

Led by Apes (Actors for a Solidarity Economy – France), this group is co-ported with MES (Mouvement pour l’Economie Solidaire) and the Mouvement pour l’Economie Solidaire Occitanie, all three of which have been involved in this subject for a long time. It brought together 8 members and aimed to initiate discussions around the challenges of working on this subject, to build a vision of who does (or has done) what on this subject (in terms of advocacy, training, academic work …) and the needs identified by each.

In the projects presented on this occasion, mention was made, for example, of “Evalumip” (a method that allows for a qualitative co-evaluation); Fare Rete (training for micro-entrepreneurs) or VISES (a Franco-Belgian research-action project).

The following next steps were agreed:

– the continuation of exchanges on the existing situation within the network, possibly by considering detailed presentations by each member;

– the creation of a common culture, through the intervention of specialists on the subject;

– Reflection on financing that could allow us to go further in this area of work and in the exchange of experience. An application is currently being submitted by the MES in partnership with APES and the MES Occitanie. A meeting is scheduled on this subject on Friday 29 May at 2.30 pm (in visio).

The group wishes to continue exchanges on this subject within RIPESS Europe, but also towards other members, e.g. on the occasion of events such as the WSFTE, in order to make this subject a real issue among SSE actors all over Europe.

For more information on the objectives and functioning of this group, you can access the summary document HERE. If you wish to join this group, please contact Olivia Ruel-Mailfert (Apes): oliviamailfert@apes-hdf.org. Another meeting of the group will be scheduled for next June.