EUROPEAN CONFERENCE

SOCIAL ECONOMY AS AN EFFECTIVE MODEL FOR SOCIAL INCLUSION
SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP, SOCIAL SERVICES, EMPLOYMENT

International Hotel, Golden Sands Resort, Varna, Bulgaria
14-15 JUNE 2018

13 June 2018 (Wednesday)

14:00-18:00 Project development workshop (EN)

14 June 2018 (Thursday)

08:00-09:00 Registrations

09:00-10:10 Welcome Panel (EN/BG)

Moderator: Mr. Georgi Georgiev, President of the National Alliance for Social Responsibility (NASO)

• James Crowe, President of EASPD
• Biser Petkov, Minister of Labour & Social Policy of Bulgaria
• Hasan Ademov, Member of the 44th Bulgarian National Assembly and Chair of the Parliamentary Committee on Labour and Social Policy
• Silvia Georgieva, Executive Director of the National Association of the Municipalities in the Republic of Bulgaria (NAMRB)
• Ivan Portnih, Mayor of Varna Municipality

10:10-10:30 Introduction to the Topic and Structure by the Conference Moderator (EN/BG)

• Franz Wolfmayr, EASPD – Moderator of the Conference
• Sultanka Petrova, Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Policy in charge of social economy affairs

10:30-11:15 Setting the Scene (EN/BG)

What is social economy? Challenges & opportunities

• Meelis Joost, International Director of the Estonian Chamber of Disabled People; Expert on the social economy issues and also Member of the Social Economy Category (SEC) of the EESC

Social economy enterprises, a tool for social inclusion of persons with disabilities

• Cristian Rovira, Vice President of the National Confederation of Special Employment Centres (CONACEE)

Social economy enterprises as a tool for social inclusion

• Rositsa Dimitrova, Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Policy

11:15-12:00 Exhibition (EN/BG)

Moderator: Mr. Franz Wolfmayr, EASPD – Moderator of the Conference

11:30-12:00 Coffee break

12:00-13:00 Social Economy and Mainstreaming Disability – State of Play (EN/BG)

Moderator: Ms. Patricia Scherer – Deputy Director of Public Affairs in charge of European Relations (NEXEM)

Keynote Speaker

The social business initiative – State of play, added value, future challenges in Europe

• Dana Gabriela Verbal, Policy Officer, Social Entrepreneurship, DG Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion, Unit Job Creation, European Commission

Panel Discussion

Why do we think social economy enterprises are employment and social inclusion opportunities for persons with disabilities?

• Kathrin Völker, Executive Director of the German Federal Association of Sheltered Workshops (BAG:WfbM)
• Donka Mihailova, Mayor of Troyan Municipality and Deputy Chairperson of the National Association of the Municipalities in the Republic of Bulgaria (NAMRB)
• Maureen Piggot, Vice-President of the European Disability Forum
• Anna Lupi, Unit on Public Procurement Strategy, DG GROW – Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs, European Commission

13:00-14:15 Lunch

14:15-15:30 Parallel Workshops Block 1 (EN/BG)

• Social economy and the employment of persons with support needs
• Social economy actors as innovative economic organisational structures
• Social economy as a contributor to a sustainable society and well-being for all
• Social economy as a contributor to inclusion and diversity in society
• Supporting rural community development through the socialeconomy
• Employment in social enterprises to empower persons with disabilities and improve quality of life – the role of municipalities in Bulgaria
• Social enterprises and the transformation of sheltered workshops towards the social economy
• Public procurement to support the social economy

15:30-16:00 Coffee break

16:00-17:15 Parallel Workshops Block 2 (EN/BG)

• Repetition of Block 1 (8 WSs)

20:15-24:00 Gala Dinner. NASO National Awards Ceremony for contribution to the social development of Bulgaria

15 June 2018 (Friday)

9:00-09:30 Presentation of Workshop Results in the Exhibition Room

09:30-10:30 Legislative Frameworks and Funding of Social Economy in Europe (EN/BG)

Moderator: Ms. Ingrid Pammer, Vocational & Social Pedagogue BBRZ

Keynote Presentation

Social inclusion in rural development – challenges and opportunities

• María Gafo Gómez-Zamalloa, DG Agriculture – Rural Development, Deputy Head of the Unit responsible for “Social Inclusion”, European Commission

Panel Discussion

• Arend Pieterse, Board Member Equal Employment Europe
• Silvia Manca, Manager of Social Impact Programmes – Institutional Business Development, European Investment Fund (EIF)
• Thomas Kergall, Technical Advisor for Health at Council of Europe Development Bank
• Zornitsa Rusinova, Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Policy

Q&A

10:30-11:30 National Legislative Frameworks – Promising Models in the EU (EN/BG)

Moderator: Mr. Fabrizio Fea, Director of Associazione Scuola Viva onlus (ASVO); Vice-president of EASPD

Keynote Speakers

National Legislative Framework in Slovenia

• Nena Dokuzov, Senior Counsellor at the Ministry of Economic Development and Technology

National Legislative Framework in Italy

• Alberto Alberani, Vice President of Legacoopsociali

National Legislative Framework in Belgium / Flanders

• Stef De Cock, Senior Advisor at Groep Maatwerk

Q&A

11:30-12:00 Coffee break

12:00-13:30 Parallel Workshops Block 3

• Legislative framework & promising practice in Slovenia (EN)
• Legislative framework & promising practice in Italy (EN/FR)
• Legislative framework & promising practice in Belgium / Flanders (EN)
• The need for a legislative framework and its challenges in Bulgaria(BG)

13:30-14:30 Lunch

14:30-15:30 On the Way to a Declaration of Varna – Next Steps towards Socially Inclusive & Effective Social Economy Enterprises (EN/BG)

Expert Panel

Moderator: Mr. Luk Zelderloo, Secretary General of EASPD

• Sultanka Petrova, Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Policy in charge of social economy affairs
• Sabina Lobato, Director of Grants, Training and Employment Programmes at ONCE; Member of the Plenary of the Spanish High Council on Statistics; Vice-president of the European Platform for Rehabilitation (EPR)
• Nadya Shabani, Director of the Bulgarian Centre for Not-for-Profit Law (BCNL)
• Sabrina Ferraina, Policy Manager of EASPD

15:30-15:45 Closing the Conference (EN/BG)

• EASPD President James Crowe together with NASO President Mr. Georgi Georgiev

16:00-18:00 Meeting of EASPD Board (closed meeting)

18:00-19:30 Meetings of EASPD Interest Groups (closed meetings)

16 June 2018 (Saturday)

09:00-11:00 Meetings of EASPD Standing Committees (closed meetings)

11:30-13:30 EASPD General Assembly (closed meeting)

Programme in a pdf-format