This year, GSEF has organized a series of capacity-building trainings on Social and Solidarity Economy in Dakar, Senegal (May) and Kampala, Uganda (August) and Seoul, South Korea (October). In November, a workshop in Mexico was organized by the National Institute of Social Economy of Mexico (INAES) and GSEF, offering the opportunity to exchange best practices in achieving equitable and sustainable local development through social and solidarity economy, and the challenges they face to build a favorable and sustainable ecosystem for the SSE. The objectives of the workshop were the following: Raise awareness of the Social and Solidarity Economy sector and its impact on the sustainable development of the territory, and at the same time, understand and raise awareness of the importance of public policies to promote the Social and Solidarity Economy; Exchange experiences of sustainable economic development based on social economy and community and social entrepreneurship, as well as to provide a space for networking among stakeholders to share practices, knowledge and opportunities for the creation of inter-cooperation alliances between actors at the regional and international levels; Emphasize the relevance of continuous capacity development, as well as training opportunities in the community.   [[{"fid":"3688","view_mode":"default","fields":{"format":"default","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":false,"field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":false,"external_url":""},"type":"media","field_deltas":{"1":{"format":"default","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":false,"field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":false,"external_url":""}},"link_text":null,"attributes":{"class":"media-element file-default","data-delta":"1"}}]] This workshop invited 111 participants, governments at municipal, state and federal levels, and the Social and Solidarity Economy actors and universities to the program consisting of discussions, debates, and plenary sessions on the history and context of Mexico including main actors of the sector, and the experiences of alliances from Quebec, Canada, and the Spanish Confederation of Social Economy Enterprises CEPES and the Castilla La Mancha region from Spain. Click here to view the photo gallery of the event!

Co-organized by GSEF and Seoul Human Resources Development Centre, the Capacity Building Training Programme on SSE was successfully held between 28 October and 1 November. During the programme, 13 civil servants from 9 countries (12 local governments) were attending as trainees and representatives of GSEF members. They shared their experience of SSE planned or implemented in their governments.  Participants were coming from:  Nepal / Bagmati Rural Municipality Nepal / Tokha Uganda / Kampala Indonesia / Bandung Philippines / Quezon City Tanzania / Musoma Kenya / Kisumu Taiwan / Taipei Taiwan / New Taipei Pakistan / Karachi  South Africa / Durban The trainees learnt about Seoul's experience of developing Social Economy through its Plan 2.0 which emphasize the creation of an SSE ecosystem, capacity building & market access training by KPMG in Taiwan 安侯建業, the sustainable local development and SSE in Quebec by Chantier de l'économie sociale, legislation & Finance of SSE in Seoul by Prof. Jang Jong-Ik, and Seoul's social economy ecosystem by Seoul Social Economy Support Centre. During this intensive week, trainees also had the opportunity to go for site visits to understand how social economy is developed in Seoul. They visited Seoul Innovation Park which gathers innovators in an environment where they can embark on new experiments based on a connection of their experience. The Park strives to be a group of coordinators, who disseminates the resulting solutions for social issues to the society. The group also went to Sewoon Arcade which is a symbolic area of Seoul urban regeneration. Under the 1st phase of the ｢Remake-Sewoon Project｣, the northern part of the Arcade was reborn where conventional manufacturing industry meets with digital devices. In the 2nd phase, it is planned to renovate the southern part of the Arcade into a hub for “creative printing industry” by invigorating the cutting-edge technology and design skills to the long-established printing industry.  Lastly, the trainees visited Seoul Venture Hub Centre. It is a newly established centre which incubates SSE in different dimensions including office space, finding impact investment and capacity building.  The trainees found this training informative and inspiring. Although they understand the level of support and infrastructure may vary among cities, there is also a need to develop Social and Solidarity Economy which can help preserving our environment and well-beings of citizens in a sustainable way. The trainees agreed that enhancing awareness and creating an ecosystem are necessary for SSE development. We hope that trainees bring experiences and ideas gained to their local government for developing a sustainable SSE.

Coorganized by GSEF and Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA), a Training Programme for Local Leaders and Practitioners in Uganda and the East African Region took place between the 21st and 23rd of August in Kampala, Uganda. This training programme was part of the GSEF Training & Workshop Series - a series of regular capacity-building events aiming to identify common issues, share best practices, and allow knowledge exchange and partnership-building between practitioners, while taking into consideration the needs and context of each territory. Over 60 participants among Social and Solidarity Economy (SSE) stakeholders in the region joined this training and most of them found it informative and useful for their future manoeuvre to develop SSE in their country/city. The Kampala Declaration Promoting the culture and practice of SSE in East Africa was also adopted to show the participants' determination in promoting the SSE in the region.  The purposes of the training was twofold: Equip participants with a better understanding of the SSE, knowledge to better sustain and improve the economic and social conditions of their communities through SSE, competitiveness and contribution to local economic development.  Provide a space for networking and partnership-building between local and regional SSE practitioners, policymakers and representatives of international organizations, and allow for a better understanding of the role of SSE in the current development frameworks e.g. the UN 2030 Agenda and Agenda 2063 of the African Union based on knowledge gained at previous regional exchanges, seminars, workshops and academies.  Mr. Joungyoul Kim (GSEF's Co-Chair) and Ms. Laurence Kwark (GSEF's Secretary General) also took this opportunity to pay courtesy calls to Ms. Rebecca Kadaga (Speaker of the Parliament of Uganda), Mr. Charles Mayiga (Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Buganda) and Mr. Erias Lukwago (Lord Mayor of Kampala). The Delegation of GSEF shared the GSEF vision during the meetings. They agreed to have further engagements to explore the practicability of the SSE on both city and national level, especially in terms of legal framework and introduction of relevant public policies. The SSE training program for local leaders and practitioners in Uganda and the EAC region constituted a unique opportunity for policy makers, SSE practitioners, representation from NGOs and international organizations in the East African region to build a common understanding and advance the development of the social economy. A Kampala Declaration was also adopted to mark the participants' commitment toward this objective. Once their final text is ready for publication, it will be shared in here and submitted to the local council for future action.   Media & Resources Photos of the event

Venue: Saly, Senegal Organized by GSEF in partnership with Dakar Metropolitan Government, the Platform of Senegalese Non-State Stakeholders (PFAnE), and the International Organisation of the Francophonie (OIF), a national capacity-building training took place in Senegal from 1-3 May 2019. This event gathered representatives from local governments, NGOs, SSE organizations, and the private sector from all over the country.    [[{"fid":"3310","view_mode":"default","fields":{"format":"default","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":false,"field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":false,"external_url":""},"type":"media","field_deltas":{"1":{"format":"default","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":false,"field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":false,"external_url":""}},"link_text":null,"attributes":{"class":"media-element file-default","data-delta":"1"}}]] As part of the Training, workshops were organized around each of the following topics: Legal framework and instruments & public policies Capacity building Governance of SSE organizations Financing for the SSE Access to markets Awareness raising and promotion of SSE at territorial level Exchanges and discussions led to drawing up specific recommendations and an action plan towards the development of SSE and the further structuring of SSE actors in the country. For more information, refer to the final report available in the download section of this page. This training in Senegal is the first in a series of regular capacity-building events aiming to identify common issues, share best practices, and allow knowledge exchange and partnership building between practitioners, while taking into consideration the needs and context of each territory. Future meetings will take place in Uganda, Mexico City and Seoul.   Media & Resources Photos of the event Press release from the International Organisation of the Francophonie (OIF) (in French only) Message from Ms Laurence Kwark (in French only) Interview with Pr Babacar Gueye, President of the Platform of Senegalese Non-State Stakeholders (in French only) Interview with Mr Mourad Dieye Gueye, Secretary General of the City of Dakar and President of CEPEM (Business Incubator for the Promotion of Employment through Microenterprise) (in French only) Interview with Mr Cheickh Gueye, Mayor of the commune of Dieppeul-Derklé and Member of the High Council of Local Government Authorities (HCCT) of Senegal (in French only) Interview with Mr Jean Goepp, Founder and Director of Nebeday (in French only) Interview with Ms Mame Saye Seck, Project Coordinator for the SSE, National Union of Senegalese Autonomous Trade Unions (UNSAS) (in French only)

As a part of joint activities between C.I.T.I.E.S and GSEF, C.I.T.I.E.S' team - which consists of experts from Quebec-based leading social finance organisations such as RISQ, MCE Conseils and CAP Finance - visited Korea from 17~20 April 2018 to enhance knowledge transfer efforts between the two regions. During their stay in Korea, the team led workshops for Seoul’s social finance practitioners on the experience of Quebec in promoting social finance as a pivot to the promotion of social and solidarity economy. The workshops presented methodological frameworks for analysing social economy organisations with particular reference to Quebec-based financial organisations’ know-how for fostering them.

The GSEF was invited by the Asia Pacific Alliance of YMCAs (APAY) for a special lecture on the Social and Solidarity Economy which was delivered to around 100 members of APAY's Executive Committee on the 15th of March, 2018 at the YMCA City View Hotel in Hong Kong. As part of their annual executive committee meeting, the APAY, a GSEF Steering Committee Member, addressed this topic as part of a special learning session in order to draw their members’ attention to it and include it into the action plan on youth and social entrepreneurship for each of their member's country chapter.   As the network is based on Christian values, Rev. Song started his lecture by highlighting the important role of Christian leaders during the early stage of SSE movements by mentioning exemplary figures such as Father Jose Maria Arizmendiarietta from Mondragon, Catholic leaders in Emilia-Romagna, Italy, Pastor Kagawa Toyohiko as a father of the cooperative movement in Kobe, Japan, or the role of YMCAs in early consumer cooperative movements in Korea. He then focused on why this alternative economic movement has reemerged after the financial crisis of the last decade. Since most of the audience came from the Asia Pacific Region, an emphasis was put on social and environmental issues of Asia - including unfair distribution of wealth, natural disasters due to the climate change, aging population, etc. – and the potential of SSE as a viable strategy to tackle those imminent issues. As evidence for the argument that the SSE can be a powerful solution for current issues in Asia, various cases of SSE initiatives were introduced, most of which were led by young practitioners in Asia. From a social housing project to fair trade groups, in many countries of the Asia-pacific region, the youth are making changes in their communities and societies through SSE activities and are drivers of innovation for a more sustainable and inclusive future. To wrap up the session, a series of questions were asked to the audience. How far have we come since the industrial revolution, the starting point of the SSE movement? How much freedom have we earned? How equal have we become? How much are we in solidarity with neighbors and how much are we responsible for each other? Rev. Song then gave a closing statement in which he says that the SSE movement still has a long way to go before the center of the economy moves back to the people from profit-making, and asked for the APAY members’ participation in the GSEF network. During the Q&A session which followed the lecture, many APAY members asked for future cooperation through GSEF. A representative from Penang, Malaysia, introduced community-based business ideas that allow locals to make use of their campsites, and asked for more specialized consulting from other SSE actors in other countries. Mr. Nam Boo Won, the secretary general of APAY, suggested a social business plan such as a collaborative training project for their young members which could help them find their social purpose and develop ideas . Rev. Song gladly received these valuable suggestions and promised to include them in future GSEF action plans.

Economic Development for Inclusive Cities with Asia Foundation at CityNet Congress (6 November 2017, Colombo, Sri Lanka) In collaboration with the Asia Foundation, GSEF organised a session on ‘Economic Development for Inclusive Cities’ on November 6th, at the 8th Congress in Colombo, Sri Lanka (5 ~ 8 Nov 2017). Various innovative urban initiatives were presented during the session by municipal representatives of Suwon (Korea), Seberang Perai (Malaysia) and Jaffina (Sri Lanka) as well as by urban experts based in Sri Lanka. Below is the summary of the session. Around 30 government officials, civil practitioners, and academics participated in the audience.   [[{"fid":"3533","view_mode":"default","fields":{"format":"default","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":false,"field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":false,"external_url":""},"type":"media","field_deltas":{"1":{"format":"default","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":false,"field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":false,"external_url":""}},"link_text":null,"attributes":{"class":"media-element file-default","data-delta":"1"}}]] The session consisted mainly of two parts. The first part comprised of the case presentations of two cities, Suwon and Seberang Perai. Mayor Tae Young Yeom of Suwon city spoke about the city’s strategy of promoting social economy, starting with the candlelight protest last year in Korea, and the role of city government to protect the citizens’ spirit of democracy and their participation in every step of policy-making and implementation. Their efforts for the democratization of the economy have resulted in the rapid increase of social enterprises and the reduction of social issues such as the lack of employment for youth, people with disability, and the high cost of energy, etc. The second presentation was by Mayor Dato’ Sr Hj Rozali Bin Hj Mohamud, regarding social and economic inclusion of the city. He explained how the city’s 5-year strategic plan was citizen-led and introduced their gender-responsive participatory budgeting as well as the local development plan of New Butterworth region as examples. The second part of the session was a roundtable of three experts from Sri Lanka who discussed inclusiveness in the development strategy of Sri Lanka 30 years after the end of the war. Consisting of a policy expert, a civic analyst, and a local government official, these three panellists discussed the governments’ preparation of legal frameworks on inclusive social and economic development and came to the conclusion that if the system wishes to fulfill the needs of local communities, local governments should be guaranteed a certain amount of autonomy to build the local foundation and develop inclusive development policies. In the following Q&A session, city representatives from Bangladesh, Philippines and Vietnam commented on and questionned the two case presentations of Suwon and Seberang Perai in regards to solutions to tackle poverty in the region and discussed the level of citizens’ participation in the governance of public policies, and the level of the central government’s control over local governments’ budget and programs.  Category Speaker Contents addressed Part I   Moderated by Laurence Kwark Tae Young Yeom (Mayor, Suwon City) Suwon’s participatory policy-making process budgeting and citizen-led governance. Suwon’s Social Economy Support Center for promoting social enterprises to address youth unemployment and marginalised groups. Dato’ Sr Hj Rozali Bin Hj Mohamud (Mayor, Seberang Perai) Seberang Perai’s strategic development plan co-constructed by citizens. Participatory and gender responsive city budgeting with urban regeneration project ‘New Butterworth Project’ for revitalizing public spaces. Part II   Moderated by Gopa Kumar Thampi   (Director of Economic Governance, The Asia Foundation) A. Subakaran (Chief Technical Advisor, Centre for Governance Innovations) The inclusive development plan of Sri Lanka is well equipped regarding laws and policies. However, the voice of the communities has not yet reached policymakers. To combat this, the regional council should be given more power. N. Liyanage (Research Professional, Centre for Poverty Analysis) In the government’s megapolis development strategy, inequality of land ownership becomes an obstacle of inclusive development. The government should be more aware of who must be included in the development strategy and the current situation in the field. P. Vegeshan (Commissioner, Jaffina Municipal Council) As a local government officer, Mr. Vegeshan highlighted how peoples’ desire to make a small change at the local level became important after the war. As a result, Jaffina City focuses on equal access to ICT for policy making and administration.

“Innovative Ecosystems for SSE Public Policies: A Contribution to the Future of Work”   Background The 8th ILO Academy on Social and Solidarity Economy (SSE) was held in Seoul, Korea from the 26th to 30th of June, 2017. This Academy is the first version of its kind in Asia after previous successful trainings in Europe, North America, Africa, and Latin America, which have taken place since 2010. Social and Solidarity Economy (SSE) has a potentially important role to play in reorienting economies and societies toward greater social and ecological sustainability. Especially in Asia, where rapid urbanisation and migration have resulted in many urban issues including poverty and inequality, along with safety and environmental issues, the SSE has emerged as a tangible, alternative solution. In the last couple of decades, SSE in Asia has developed considerably in various fields and areas. SSE in Asia ranges from producers’ cooperatives as local development plans, consumers’ cooperatives in urban communities, workers’ unions and community businesses, to social ventures and impact investors. Beyond these voluntary movements, there have also been various efforts by the central and local governments to promote SSE as a tool for local economic development, to generate employment, or as an alternative for social services. Although in some Asian countries the term of SSE has not been recognised by the general public and policymakers, the tradition of collective entrepreneurship or co-ownership of public resources has existed for a long time. This Academy aims to create an agora for discussion for all the diverse movements in Asia and an opportunity to share achievements and challenges amongst peers from other countries. Furthermore, it hopes to build a network of practitioners and get support and insights to develop initiatives, even after the event. SSE in Seoul and Korea Korea has received a lot of attention from the international community of SSE because of the rapid growth of SSE enterprises in the last decade, driven by strong governmental support. Notably, in Korea’s capital city, Seoul, the local government has strategically pursued its own social economy development plan for the last five years and has tried to build up a local ecosystem and supportive environment for SSE organisations based on a robust public-civil partnership. The number of SSE enterprises increased from 718 (in 2011) to 3,054 (in 2015), and these new enterprises have created over 17,900 new jobs. The annual revenue of these SSE enterprises was 1.28 billion dollars in 2014, which contributed to the gross regional domestic product (GRDP) to the order of 0.4%. It might be too early to evaluate policy impact at this time, but throughout the Academy, the trials and errors experienced by Korean practitioners of SSE will be shared, and participants will learn about the ecosystem being built. The experience of Seoul and Korea can then inspire other practitioners in not only Asia but those on different continents. The Main Theme of the Academy The central theme of the Academy is “Innovative Ecosystems for SSE Public Policies and their Contribution to The Future of Work.” Although there is no one-size-fits-all approach to promote SSE, it is essential to acknowledge that state intervention on any level including laws, policies or development plans is necessary to create an ecosystem that promotes SSE. ‘Ecosystems’ for SSE include laws and regulations, capitals and finance, markets, human resources, support systems, networks, etc. To build up a robust ecosystem for SSE, the co-construction of public policy and participatory governance is also a significant factor. By promoting SSE through suitable ecosystems for SSE organisations, innovative ideas for the future of work can be realised. With their social and democratic values and equitable nature, SSE enterprises are showing what sustainable and inclusive workplaces look like despite the rising challenges of polarisation, technological innovation, unemployment and unstable jobs. Sub-topics of the Academy The sub-topics of the Academy cover each aspect of an innovative ecosystem for SSE, including the legal framework, social finance, networks, business development services and training, south-south and triangular cooperation, social innovation and the role of government, employers and workers’ organizations. Also, SSE potential in achieving SDGs will be covered through cases and evidence from the field, and the sharing of good practices. The proposed sub-topics are: Legal framework and certification system Social finance and SSE South-South and Triangular Cooperation: Experiences of Innovative Ecosystems for SSE Public Policies SSE and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Networks, Business Development Services and Training The Role of the Government, Employers and Workers Organizations in shaping innovative ecosystems for SSE public policies Social Innovation through SSE SSE and Youth Objectives The main aim of the SSE Academy will be to generate a better understanding of the concept of SSE and its possible contribution to social innovation in the world of work. At the end of the academy, the participants will: Have a better understanding of innovative ecosystems for SSE Public Policies. Have been acquainted with a multitude of social and solidarity experiences, strategies and tools from around the world, including examples of South-South and triangular cooperation. Have become part of a growing international network of policymakers and practitioners working on the SSE.

The GSEF, in collaboration with the UCLG (United Cities of Local Government), SACN (South African Cities Network), City of Montreal, Barcelona Activa and C.I.T.I.E.S, organised a peer learning session at the Metropolis Congress on the 19th of June in Montreal. The central theme of the workshop was on ‘Vital Neighborhoods in Metropolitan Cities-Power of Urban Transformation through Social and Solidarity Economy,’ and various urban regeneration initiatives based on the SSE principles from different cities were presented through the workshop.