Get Ready! Get Set! Make the Change!

Have you ever wondered what Social Entrepreneurship is? Or how Social Entrepreneurs can transform ideas into impactful practices while using market driven approach? Or what is dissimilar between traditional businesses and Social Enterprises? Or how Social Enterprises in rural, remote areas can make a change, that impacts the whole community? Following article will widen your understanding towards the issues.

Initially, let’s have a look on the definition of the concept: “Social enterprises combine societal goals with an entrepreneurial spirit. These organisations focus on achieving wider social, environmental or community objectives” – defined by the European Union. Within the EU funded project “Empowering youth entrepreneurship in rural areas” 8 people were given opportunity to explore Lithuanian experience in regards with? Social Entrepreneurship for 5 days.

Lithuanian Law defines Social Enterprises (passed in 2004)as a work integration enterprises, aiming to create employment opportunities for people that are severely disadvantaged in the labor market. Narrowing the concept understanding this way may seems complicated, but taking into account that Social Enterprises are tackling with the local societal problems, each state decides the most challenging ones to overcome and tailors the legislation framework accordingly. 

I would like to share you some brief information on the enterprises we have visited:

Daily Poison – the Breakfast Club

Have you ever tried to apply for the vacancy in a Café? If yes – you would find out, that several years of experience is required to be a successful candidate. But what if you are a student and do not possess any professional experience yet? This was the concerning issue to address for the owners of the café Daily Poison, based in the neighbouring area of Vilnius city centre. Likewise, in this very same area, having a good, fresh breakfast in the morning few years ago was quite challenging. Overcoming those challenges, was the main reason for establishing Daily Poison –to have a good breakfast place in the city while providing employment for youngsters with lesser working experience – raising them as successful and competitive employees for the market. Daily Poison already has 19 employees.

Culture and Crafts Association of Trakai

Civil Society Organization (CSO) “Culture and Crafts Association of Trakai” based in the Trakai Region (Lithuania) with impressive landscape and the diversity of various nationalities living peacefully together since 14th century.

The mission of the Association is to preserve the cultural heritage of different nations, including traditions and holiday customs, recipes and other crafts. They started new activities in 2015 to fulfill the objectives and currently developed several services, also, they produce products for wider societal impact. Services include Cooking Treasures, Educational Trips, Children’s Summer Camps and etc. Products, created by traditional artisans - are sold in the Souvenir Shop based in their office. The profit, gained from the Souvenir Shop is reinvested in the Association activities for better fulfillement of the mission, this is one of the aims of Social Enterprises worldwide, to guarantee CSO’s financial sustainability and make them independent from the donor’s investment. Hence, the Association and its Social Shop (we’ll just name it that) gained success and are now positioning on the market as the most impactful organization in the Trakai Region.

Primas Blynas – Restaurant with a culinary and social mission

Pirmas Blynas is a social pancake restaurant located in Vilnius, aiming for creation of employment opportunities for the individuals with special needs. "When I moved here I did not see any people with disabilities and that made me wonder - where are they?" – says Tim, restaurant co-founder. Hence, he transformed his ideas into actions and created inclusive space for employment and professional education of the people with physical and intellectual disabilities. “Consequently, through helping my team develop and learn, I realized that if we want disabled people to be and feel included in our society—work is the way forward” – says Tim in the interview with Vilniusplayground.com;  Restaurant has reached huge success, in 2018 it became the Winner of Social Business Award. Numerous of corporate and individual customers use their services.As of now, the social business employes 8 people.

During the Study Trip, we were hosted by the director of StartUp Lithuania, where we explored startup ecosystem in Lithuania, heard about future plans and had a little tour at the startup spaces. Moreover, during the trip, we met the representative of Turing Society – working towards building the community of tech enthusiasts, while providing affordable courses to every student of the age of 19 - 28.

To summarize, trip was a good experience for sharing international practices in regards to Social Entrepreneurship as an approach for making a change in the community where we reside.