The head of the Management Board of PRCHR Tsvetan Spasov presented the possibilities for European support of social entrepreneurship

From 29/11/2022

The head of the Managing Authority of the “Human Resources Development” Program, Tsvetan Spasov, presented the possibilities for European support for existing or newly created social enterprises.

In September 2023, the measure “Promoting the social economy at the local and regional level” will be open for applications, which will have a budget of BGN 22 million. It is expected to support between 50 and 100 existing or emerging social enterprises. The activities that will be supported will include increasing the recognition of social enterprises, stimulating partnership, including with conventional business, including representatives of vulnerable groups in training courses, as well as providing subsidized employment for a period of 6 to 24 months .

In the summer of 2023, under the Human Resources Development Program, the ALMA Youth Initiative operation will be open for applications, the purpose of which is to provide mobility opportunities for vulnerable groups to intern in another European country and then apply what was learned in Bulgaria. About 100 representatives of vulnerable groups are expected to be involved in the activities of the projects, which include qualification or training courses to help with internships abroad, internships for a period of 3 to 6 months in another European country and inclusion in employment with an employer in Bulgaria . It is planned to open an operation that will support social innovations – different models of solving social problems that could be approved and supported by the Ministry of Education and Culture in the coming years.

Another opportunity to support social entrepreneurship with European funds will be available with a measure to encourage self-employment and entrepreneurship. It is expected that the measure will have a budget of nearly BGN 20 million. Financial instruments are also a possibility for support, from which 15 newly created social enterprises have benefited so far, each of which received a loan of up to BGN 50,000.

“In the third program period, social enterprises and social entrepreneurship are the focus of the Human Resources Development Program,” recalled Tsvetan Spasov. In the program period 2014-2020, three measures to promote social enterprises were financed with a total value of over BGN 60 million. Under the three operations, more than 250 contracts for the creation or support of social enterprises were concluded, about 4,300 jobs were created, with over 2,000 employees remaining in employment after the completion of the projects.

“The support will continue in the new program period 2021-2027 with opportunities to increase the qualifications of employees and improve managerial skills in social enterprises, as well as create better workplace conditions for newly hired persons from vulnerable groups,” he specified the head of the Managing Authority of the Human Resources Development Program.