When and where did you last meet a group of people ready to change the world? We are one of the lucky ones who have the honour of meeting such heroes. These are the social entrepreneurs - the agents of change in organizations that solve some of society's most complex problems. Ones that often either go unnoticed or no one is willing to tackle. A team of people who don't waste time waiting and wondering who will come to the rescue, but with small and big steps - are moving towards a better tomorrow.
Ah, we're day dreaming! But no, these are not fantasies.
That's the group of real-life inspirers we meet at this year's edition of the NGO Entrepreneurship Programme: LET's GO 2024! Once again, we set out to find people for whom this isn't just a business... and we FOUND them! This year, our LET'S GO training and mentoring programme includes 13 organisations who, having a firm grip on the reins, are not waiting for problems to solve themselves.
Here's who they are and their value-added business ideas:
Association "Tsvetnitsa"
The team of the association is already developing business activities through the social enterprise "Workshop for Souvenirs and Culture", both supporting people from vulnerable groups and promoting Bulgarian culture and history. They joined the Let's go 2024 Programme with the idea of expanding their activities in a premises in the centre of the town Tryavna to organize a variety of workshops and master classes for adults and children for engraving, knitting, wood cutting and more.
Living Bulgarian Roots Foundation
The team of the organization has been actively working for many years for the promotion of the Bulgarian cultural and historical heritage. This year they have joined the program with the idea of publishing a luxurious bilingual photo-album with high quality photographs and detailed descriptions of traditional folk authentic costumes from different parts of the country. The team of the Foundation truly believes that this almanac has the potential to become the "Cultural Business Card of Bulgaria".
Sea Club Balchik
The sports club actively works for the development of sailing as a sport in Bulgaria. Their business idea is related to organizing and conducting sailing courses for adults over 18. The events are a natural extension of the Club's activities, and the proceeds will contribute to the financial sustainability of the Club's professional sporting activities.
Mama's got a job Foundation
The Foundation's mission is to facilitate a path to balance and personal fulfillment in the daily lives of working mothers. The product they will develop is an online platform that connects mothers with companies that go through an annual audit organized by the foundation. Employers will be certified that their policies comply with the three European equality directives - work-life balance, 'women on board' and equal pay. This will be the first site of its kind in the European Union.
Foundation "Assistance to Persons with Developmental Problems"
The organization's mission is to help individuals with developmental disabilities develop their skills and prepare for independent living. The creation of a social enterprise at the foundation aims to create jobs for at least 5 adults with developmental disabilities to enable them to be useful to themselves and the community. They will produce and sell artwork and items for the home made from clay, wood and other materials.
Association "Aesthetics"
The mission of "Aesthetics" since its establishment is to change the negative image of the Northwest and Vidin in particular. For five years they have been working in this direction through the events they organize, which bring together people from all over the country, as well as by creating a community of active citizens. A natural continuation of their efforts so far is the development of "Direction Vidin" - a digital portal for tourism, business and culture, providing weekly information about cultural events, tours, accommodation and entertainment and an online space for contemporary Vidin artists to offer their wares.
First Three Minutes Foundation
The main mission of the Foundation is the implementation of modern guidelines and standards for first aid and rescue in Bulgaria. Their desire is to expand their activities in conducting courses on first aid in the absence of breathing (Basic Life Support) according to the standards of the European Resuscitation Council (ERC) and to start conducting courses on "Advanced Life Support" designed for medical specialists and professionals. These are required by employers and quality auditors of medical services all over the world and until now the only way for Bulgarian professionals to take such a course was to do it abroad.
HALO Foundation 2019
The Foundation works for direct democracy, where citizens have a decisive voice. The team's business idea is to develop a Citizen Budgets Program. The product is targeted for sale to local administrations and enables, through an online platform, the population, especially in small settlements, to directly share ideas to solve local problems, renew and/or modernize the environment. The idea will contribute to the prosperity of the villages, activate, support and encourage citizen participation in solving local issues, as well as dialogue with the local administration.
The Awakeners Foundation
The dream of the team of "The Awakeners" is to live in a society where domestic violence is unacceptable and women's rights are guaranteed. Through working with over 9,200 members of the informal group administered by the Foundation, women's economic dependence and lack of resources has been identified as a huge obstacle. A step in overcoming the problem will be to organize art courses to teach basic techniques and skills related to making art products and provide a real market through the partnership with an applied and contemporary art festival.
Association "National Scout Organization of Bulgaria"
The name of the association speaks for itself, but it is a little known fact that in Bulgaria the scout organization actually has over a hundred years of history and tradition in creating a stimulating environment for the development of young people to build a more responsible society.
Their business idea is tied to the creation of children's camps as well as team building for adults, with the aim of developing personal qualities, team building, connecting people with nature, building solid communication through the scouting method as part of the social package of companies to their employees.
European Initiatives without Borders
The team of the association has taken on the difficult task of fighting school bullying and the unsafe school environment by creating a digital resource center "See.them". It is an educational site that will feature videos on emotional intelligence and social skills for students in grades 1-4. Child actors will be involved in filming 30 videos as a start to the project, on 10 different topics from real school life. The scripts, consulted with a psychologist, will cover topics such as bullying, rejection, peer influence, healthy relationships, social media, and more, and can be used by the children individually, with a parent, or as a group in class. Paid access to the site will ensure sustainability of the initiative.
Green School Foundation
The business idea is aimed at creating a 5-day Nature Academy for children and young people aged 11-17, during which they will learn 7 ethical principles for behaviour in nature. This product not only supports the existence of the Green School Foundation but also spreads the cause of zero footprint in nature.
Senior Careers Foundation
The aim of the Foundation is to develop a training and practical project "THE INTERNSHIP", which aims to prepare professionals over 50 years old for successful integration in the labour market and in large companies, providing them with the necessary skills to work in a digital environment. The project will provide trainees seeking a career change or upskilling at a later age with specialized knowledge and practical skills in the use of cloud technologies, business communication, participation in online meetings and more. Through its track record and contacts in the HR community, the Foundation's team will facilitate connecting successful trainees in the program and companies that are looking to diversify their workforce and are interested in including professionals over 50 on their teams.
Well, here they are - the heroes of Let's GO 2024. The adventure for them has already begun. We meet them with mentors and trainers from the business world, from whom they will absorb invaluable knowledge on business planning, financial forecasting, legal business issues, accounting cases and many other intricacies.
Together we are on this journey. It will be difficult and challenging at times, but always with 1 thing in mind - it's not just business.
We are watching the progress of the participants with awe because they are the ones who will give back a lot to the society by starting to support their causes in a sustainable way.