The " Hellenic Union of Partnerships for Social Economy

The " Hellenic Union of Partnerships for Social Economy " is a network of civil society organizations and was established in Athens in 2012. It operates in all regions of Greece and consists mainly in an effort to unite all the Social Development Partnerships operating regionally in Greece and organizational support needed. The objective of the Union is to create a nationwide structure for the support and development of voluntary organizations working in the areas of social responsibility, solidarity, promoting employment, poverty alleviation, cultural development, lifelong learning and eco-development. The ultimate goal of the organization is the nationwide networking and support for the creation of secondary compounds and higher association for the social economy in Greece.

Composed of members:

·         Research Institute for Social Economy

·         Irakleia Union of Attica

·         Three Thirds Society

·         United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization

·         NGO Network of Thessaly

·         European Expression

·         Institute for the development of Western Greece

·         Open Laiko University

·         Regional Mechanism of Social Enterprises in Attica

·         Voluntary Environmental Group Almyros “En Drasei”

·         Routes of the Olive Tree

Outside of these secondary compounds, which are the founding members of  PESKO, members of the network are close to 500 and are the basis for the annual Congress of Social and Economic Solidarity.

With these organizational data PESKO organized the first "Open Civil Society Conference on Social Economy" with success, in collaboration with the Panteion University, department of sociology, held at Panteion University on 9-10-11 June 2016, attended by 500 delegates from all over the country and there were 80 speakers. The conference was also attended by 20 organizations and associations of civil society and social enterprises.

At the same time, organizes seminars and summer schools for local authorities and investors on social economic issues and development partnerships.

It has formed a continuous training program called 'Mentors for Social Economy ", which was implemented in cooperation with municipalities and other public bodies when and where the necessary resources are secured by introducing innovative approaches and themes each time.

The "Mentors" program was formed in order to promote training of creative dialogue interaction effects of social capital of the participatory process and social economy locally. Actions dialogue and seminars with structured content for the participation of interlaced social enterprises and the creation of social capital spearheaded the effective use of shared resources in the areas of interventions in the local government area.

The 'Mentors for Social Economy "as a training model and learning process was chosen for the effective transfer of knowledge and expertise, and for effective guidance of field personnel in order to enhance their skills in organization and leadership projects, particularly in the gathering and organization of material and human resources and the necessary networking.

The 'mentors' training model is for informal learning aimed at training mainly on the subject of entrepreneurship, as the object differs from company to company. An example to understand this differentiation is: How leadership and fundraising in establishing and operating a supermarket and the difference in the organization of a consumer cooperative. In the first case the concentration of capital made by the banks and the market and the second must be convinced and participate as partners and help the shareholders as hundreds and thousands of consumers. This difference distinguishes the organizational know-how necessary the Management and marketing.

The program aims to transfer expertise and solidarity counseling utilizing a large group of 'mentors' with deep knowledge and experience in social economy issues.

Training and communication events

The last two years PESKO has organized 14 training and communication events in almost all regions of Greece, culminating in the Open Civil Society Conference on Social Economy.

Specifically:

·         It organized pre-session workshop on the Social Economy in Athens on November 5, 2015, in the cultural center of Athens.

·         It organized pre-session workshop on the Social Economy in Patras on February 20, 2016, in Thessaloniki on March 12, 2016, in Larissa, Trikala, Ioannina - Igoumenitsa, in Piraeus on April 30, 2016, in the north of Athens on April 25, 2016, in Chania Crete in May 2016 in Heraklion in May 2016.

·         Successfully organized the Summer School for Social Economy 28 - July 31, 2016 in Kalavryta, which suggested 10 speakers, academic experts and social entrepreneurship experts.

·         In collaboration with the Municipality of Agia, Larissa made a three-day working seminar on 29-31 October 2016 on "Institutions and Applications of Social Economy at the local level."

·         In collaboration with the Municipality of Erymanthos Achaia and the support of the Ministry of Rural Development and the Region of Western Greece, held a three-day working seminar on 3-5 March 2017 on "Institutions and Applications of Social Economy. Consultation on the creation of local associations Social and Economic Solidarity Institutions "

For the current year at least 7 more informative communication events are scheduled with own resources and we are certain that they will multiply if there are temporary resources from other programs.