An article from Après-GE, Chambre de l’Economie Sociale et Solidaire Genevoise.

Within the framework of the European project of cooperation between Switzerland and Croatia, in which APRES-GE participates, a delegation of about fifteen representatives from two Croatian cities, Ludbreg and Pregrada, came to discover and be inspired by the Geneva network of the Social and Solidarity Economy, on 28-30 October 2019.

As part of this project, a Croatian delegation of 14 people visited Geneva from 28 to 30 October last. It was composed of the mayors of the two cities, public officials and representatives of civil society.

The aim of this collaboration between Switzerland and Croatia is to present Geneva SSE companies, civil servants and elected representatives, so that our Croatian partners can be inspired by the “good practices” implemented in our canton. This objective has been achieved. Our partners have expressed their great satisfaction with the program that has been prepared for them and have left motivated to implement innovative solutions. In a second step, we will provide training in Croatia to build concrete projects with them. In a third and final step, we will participate in an international conference on the new economy in Zagreb. We are planning a small Geneva delegation for this occasion. Finally, the SSE Chamber could aim to support the creation of an SSE network in Croatia by transferring our expertise in this field and strengthening our long-term links, in the form of partnerships between Swiss and Croatian SSE companies and even between municipalities.

We would like to thank Jean Rossiaud and Lina Yanez from the LES IDEES Design Office – member of APRES-GE – for successfully following up this project for the SSE Chamber.
Part of the mandate is paid in Leman, our local currency.

Social and solidarity economy and sustainable development: relevant approaches for the twenty-first century?

RIUESS Clermont-Ferrand

From May 27 to May 29, 2020

Clermont-Ferrand

Organizing laboratory :

Communication and Societies Laboratory, “Communication, social innovation and social and solidarity economy” axis – EA 7481 – University of Clermont Auvergne

The purpose of this twentieth RIUESS conference is to question the concept of Sustainable Development (SD) in relation to the practices and research of the Social and Solidarity Economy (SSE) and, conversely, to question SSE practices and research in relation to this notion, which is more political than scientific. First of all, this symposium, which is open to all SHS (economics, philosophy, political science, sociology, management sciences, communication sciences, law, geography, anthropology, etc.), aims to examine the type of society thought up by SSE and SD actors and researchers: Are we working towards adapting capitalism to ecological constraints? Are we participating in the transformation of an extractive capitalism into a green and ethical capitalism or do we want the transition to a post-capitalist society? Then, in an international context marked by the rise of populism, it is necessary to examine the democratic dimension of the changes at work in a globalization that destroys biodiversity and produces inequalities that are only increasing. Finally, in a rapidly changing world, where digital media and social networks condition our access to the world, we must contribute to a healthy clarification of the debate by trying to clarify recent concepts and characterize emerging practices.

Proposals for papers are written in French and can take different forms (theoretical modeling, case study, critical reflection, testimony of actor-rice, etc.). They must fall within one of the following five priority areas, but off-axis communications can be accepted if they fall within the general theme of the conference (the links between SSE and Sustainable Development)

Axis I: Clarification and conceptual criticism.
Axis II: SSE and SD: Tensions and dissonances between discourse and practice
Axis III: Territories, commons and the globalization of solidarity.
Axis IV: Emerging practices and SD.
Axis V: SSE and SD action research: epistemological, methodological, ethical and political issues

Calendar of events

The deadline for receipt of communications is 15 January 2020.

Article by Ripess Intercontinental, November 2019

Quartiers du Monde (QDM) publishes the guide “Accompanying social and solidarity entrepreneurship with a gender perspective”. The purpose of this document is to provide tools for alternative entrepreneurship for women’s socio-economic autonomy.

Quartiers du Monde (QDM), a French international solidarity NGO and member of RIPESS “Women and SSE” working group, publishes the guide “Accompanying social and solidarity entrepreneurship with a gender perspective“. The guide proposes tools to entrepreneurship differently and reach the women socio-economic autonomy. This guide is the product of a co-construction between organizations from Latin America, Africa and France.

Why do women pay more attention to others than they receive? The profound inequality in the use of the time that mark our societies must challenge us all. It should be noted that women’s time is still considered an inexhaustible resource, an adjustment variable between the irreconcilable logics of the market economy and life.

It is therefore essential to reflect on how to build other ways of doing business, based on the thinking of women involved in Social Solidarity Economy (SSE) companies. Thus, this guide was created on the basis of the South-South-North network program “Women of the World: A Network of Women Entrepreneurs in Solidarity” and is based on two pillars: SSE and the gender perspective (GP). This orientation is intended to respond to the observation that the registration of an activity in the SSE field is not sufficient to promote equality between women and men despite the values established within the SSE.

Thus, by integrating SSE within a gender perspective, this guide follows a conceptual approach and a method of intervention that aims at real equality between women and men to counter the effects of certain initiatives through gender mainstreaming, in order to transform the gender inequality generated by patriarchal and neoliberal systems in the world.

Goals and objectives

The guide ” Accompanying social and solidarity entrepreneurship with a gender perspective ” provides training and reinforcement of the linguistic skills that accompany any social and solidarity entrepreneurial initiative in a facilitator’s gender perspective. As well as a collective reflection on the issues addressed, which places women entrepreneurs as protagonists in each stage of their business initiatives, from creation to consolidation.

The guide also enables entrepreneurs to make decisions based on their territory, giving them a viable financial vision and social justice, working towards transforming women’s economic activities into viable business initiatives and creating collective wealth.

The main objectives, as presented at a RIPESS Women and SSE Group webinar in late 2017, are:

• Empower and strengthen the facilitators’ capacities and groups and networks leaders to support social and solidarity entrepreneurship with a gender perspective.
• Empower and strengthen women’s capacities within collectives with income-generating activities and SSE initiatives with gender perspective.
• Contribute to the strengthening and transformation of women’s economic activities towards viable entrepreneurial initiatives that create collective wealth.

It has 4 main sections:

1. Introduction to the plural economy
2. Entrepreneurship Preparation
3. Steps to develop an SSE entrepreneurial initiative with a gender perspective
4. Additional information and tools

And each section includes dynamic proposals, descriptive content, real examples, as well as exercises and various other additional materials in the form of videos, fact sheets, etc.

The guide can be used by different groups, women or mixed, cooperatives, social organizations, etc., and can be implemented with other methods that accompany the creation of social solidarity entrepreneurship, as its contribution focuses on the women and men’s transformation.

Finally, it should be kept in mind that it is a guide and it can -and should be- adapted to each context, as it provides a solid basis for the evolution and support of processes when creating justice and equality in neighborhoods and communities.

Facilitators who use these resources encourage discussion, reflection and planning to promote a more inclusive, fair and equal SSE between women and men, so the most important thing is this fact.

The process of reflection and work behind the development of the guide

The guide is the result of a sixty-month process of reflection and learning. During this period, nine women’s associations and ten women leaders – present in working-class neighborhoods in Latin America, East Africa and Northern France – worked to integrate the gender perspective into SSE using various tools.

The advisors, the program’s international coordination and the facilitators met during five formative face-to-face meetings (in Bolivia 2017 and 2013, Morocco in 2014, Colombia in 2015, Paris in 2016).

In addition, they contacted each other virtually, through the network forum and a webinar platform, to discuss the tools’ application, the relevance and response of women, and to systematize learning. The resources were co-constructed by all stakeholders, and the associations made a cultural adaptation and translated into their original languages.

RIPESS and Quartiers du Monde join forces around the guide

In 2018, a pilot training based on the guide was carried out in Mali, within the SSE network, RENAPESS.

This experience led to an idea for a joint project between RIPESS and Quartiers du Monde, which is currently being developed. The central idea would be the formation of pilot RIPESS SSE networks in the gender approach of various countries and continents. This project would include the application of the knowledge and skills acquired in the operation of the networks themselves, in their activities to support collectives, and in their advocacy work on SSE and gender. Without forgetting the convergence with other movements of transformative economies around the subject thanks to the visions and skills acquired, echoing the current dynamic of convergences of transformative economies in which both RIPESS and Quartiers du Monde participate (World Social Forum of Transformative Economies)

An article by Ripess International, November 8, 2019

This week, from November 8^th to 11th, the RIPESS Education working group will pilot the Solidarity Economy Learning Tour & Cross-training hosted by Cooperation Jackson (US) with the participation of both local and international trainers from the US, Latin America and the Caribbean; Canada; Europe and Eastern Asia.

The aim is to allow an exchange of knowledge of Solidarity Economy (SE) trainers and work on the development of an SE curriculum. Both the format of the learning tour, based on visiting local SE practices, and the curriculum that is being developed will be available to other SE networks/initiatives to be used and adapted to their local contexts. The understanding of SE is about a way to change the current economic and social capitalist paradigm towards a more just and sustainable world.

During these four days, the participants will combine classroom learning to provide a grounding in the theory, practice and organizing strategies to build the solidarity economy with site visits to see and engage with real world solidarity economy practices.

Amongst the objectives, this project wants to pilot and co-develop a SE Curriculum, including materials, methodologies, and guidelines, and facilitated by SE educators from around the world, as well as Cooperation Jackson folks. And also, to connect and get to know each other and engage in a process of personal transformation: “to know ourselves in relationship to others – an understanding of ‘us’ and mutuality”.

By being a training of trainers, this gathering of trainers also aims to generate a dialogue, sharing and networking between trainers who are connected to the grassroots SE movements from all over the world. Taking a popular education approach, the participants will begin with the knowledge of the participants and understand that everyone is a teacher and learner.

This approach, which well aligned with SE in terms of its principles, foundations, and methods, is a process of analysis-looking for patterns, accessing new knowledge as needed, developing a strategy of action, implementing that action, then returning to a reflection of the experience, analysis, gathering new knowledge to transform the local and global economy to construct a new society based on justice, equality and love, and so forth. The goal of popular education is to engage in a continual process of reflection and action in order to achieve the transformation of reality through an economic, social and political liberation.

Cooperation Jackson, Mississippi (US)

The gathering of trainers is hosted by Cooperation Jackson a project that is igniting a lot of excitement in the U.S. as well as internationally as it is part of a broader vision to transform the local and regional economy and society through a political/electoral strategy, grassroots organizing through people’s assemblies, and building the SE through a cooperative network consisting of four interdependent institutions: a federation of local worker cooperatives, a cooperative incubator, a cooperative education and training center, and a cooperative bank or financial institution.

For these reasons, RIPESS’ education working group has decided to collaborate with Cooperation Jackson to organize this gathering of trainers and to start developing a Solidarity Economy Curriculum that can be used in the future by people from all around the world.

SE Education material available on Socioeco

The RIPESS Education working group has compiled a list of SE training material to be available to any person interested or working on SE and education. All the material can be found in Socioeco, the RIPESS’ resource center and we invite all trainers and SE networks to send new materials socioeco.org to be included in the section on SE training tool material or in the special map on pedagogical tools.

RIPESS will publish some updates during the gathering of trainers on our social media accounts Twitter and Facebook. So, stay tuned to follow the development of the SE Curriculum and all participants’ learnings during these four intense days.