Le programme GSEF-CGLUA-ALGA de renforcement des capacités en économie sociale et solidaire s'est tenu en ligne du 19 au 22 avril. Organisé par GSEF en partenariat avec Cités et Gouvernements Locaux Unis (CGLU) Afrique et l'Académie Africaine des Collectivités Territoriales (ALGA), ce programme francophone a réuni plus d'une trentaine de participant·e·s venus d'une quinzaine de pays d'Afrique, d'Amérique du Nord et d'Europe.  Des contributeur·ices et expert·es ont ainsi pu mettre à disposition leurs connaissances et leur expertise au service de quatre jours d'apprentissage intensif et d'échanges enrichissants, de partage d'expériences et d'outils, de discussions passionnées, et de liens créés pour le développement de l'ESS dans les villes, territoires et pays respectifs des participants. Pour en savoir plus sur le contenu et les modalités du programme, nous vous invitons à consulter les documents disponibles dans la section Téléchargement de cette page.  

Cette année, GSEF a organisé une série de formations visant au renforcement des capacités dans le domaine de l'économie sociale et solidaire (ESS). Des formations se sont déroulées en mai à Dakar (Sénégal), en août à Kampala (Ouganda), et en octobre à Séoul (Corée du Sud). En novembre, c'est à Mexico s'est déroulée une formation ayant pour objectif de fournir des opportunités de partage des bonnes pratiques pour la réalisation d'un développement local durable et inclusif à travers l'ESS ainsi que des défis auquel les acteurs du secteur font face dans le processus d'élaboration d'un écosytème durable de l'ESS. Cet atelier a été organisé en collaboration avec l'Institut National de l'Economie Sociale (INAES) du Mexique. Les objectifs de cette formation étaient les suivants: Sensibiliser sur le secteur de l'économie sociale et solidaire et son impact sur le développement durable des territoires, tout en permettant en parallèle une meilleure compréhension et la sensibilisation sur l'importance des politiques publiques dans la promotion de l'ESS; Echanger les expériences de développement économique durable à travers l'ESS et l'entrepreneuriat social, et fournir un espace de réseautage aux acteurs afin de permettre le partage de pratiques & de connaissances et l'émergence d'opportunités pour la création d'alliances entre les acteurs au niveaux régional et international; Valoriser l'importance d'un processus continu de renforcement des capacités, ainsi que d'opportunités de formation au sein des communautés.   [[{"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"}}]] Cette formation a invité les gouvernements au niveau municipal et national, les acteurs de l'ESS et les universités à se joindre au programme de travaux en groupes organisés autour de piliers thématiques de l'ESS et aux débats en sessions plénières sur l'histoire et le contexte de Mexico, les principaux acteurs de l'ESS, et des expériences réussies d'alliances partagées par d'autres villes et pays. Cliquez ici pour accéder à la galerie photos de l'évènement!

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.

Coorganisé par GSEF et l'Autorité Métropolitaine de Kampala (Kampala Capital City Authority, KCCA), un programme de formation pour les dirigeants et acteurs locaux d'Ouganda et d'Afrique de l'Est s'est tenu du 21 au 23 août à Kampala, en Ouganda. Cet évènement s'est déroulé dans le cadre du Cycle de Formations de GSEF - une série de formations visant à identifier des problématiques communes, partager les meilleures pratiques et permettre un échange de connaissances et le renforcement de partenariats entre acteurs de l'économie sociale et solidaire (ESS) et décideurs politiques. Plus de 60 participants parmi les acteurs de l'ESS de la région ont pris part à cette formation et la plupart d'entre eux l'ont jugé porteuse d'enseignements et utile pour les actions futures dans leurs villes et pays respectifs. Les objectifs de cette formation étaient doubles: Permettre aux participants d'acquérir une meilleure compréhension de l'ESS, des connaissances afin de mieux assurer et améliorer les conditions sociales et économiques de leurs communautés à travers l'ESS, et de leur permettre d'améliorer la compétitivité et de contribuer au développement économique local.  Fournir un espace de mise en réseau et de renforcement des partenariats pour les acteurs de l'ESS tant au niveau local que régional, les responsables politiques et les représentants d'organisations internationales afin de permettre aux participants, sur la base des observations et conclusions des précédents dialogues régionaux, séminaires, formations et activités d'apprentissage, de comprendre la place de l'ESS dans l'actuel cadre de développement, plus spécifiquement  en lien avec l'Agenda 2030 et l'Agenda 2063 de l'Union Africaine.   M. Joungyoul Kim (Co-président de GSEF) et Mme Laurence Kwark (Secrétaire Générale de GSEF) ont également profité de cette occasion pour effectuer des visites de courtoisie auprès de Mme Rebecca Kadaga (Présidente du Parlement de l'Ouganda), M. Charles Mayiga (Premier Ministre du Royaume de Bouganda), et M. Erias Lukwago (Lord-maire de Kampala). La délégation de GSEF a pu partager la vision de l'organisation lors de ces différentes rencontres. Tous ont convenu de développer de futures collaborations afin d'explorer la mise en application de l'ESS tant au niveau de la ville qu'à l'échelon national, en particulier en matière de cadre légal et de la mise en place de politiques publiques adéquates. Cette formation a constitué une opportunité unique pour les responsables politiques, les acteurs de l'économie sociale et solidaire, et les représentants d'ONG et de d'organisations internationales de construire une entente commune et de travailler ensemble à faire progresser le développement de l'économie sociale dans la région. Une Déclaration a également été adopté à cette occasion pour marquer l'engagement des participants vers cet objectif. Une fois la version finale approuvée pour publication, la Déclaration sera partagée via cette page et transmise au conseil local pour la mise en oeuvre d'actions de suivi.   Ressources & média Photos de l'évènement

Lieu: Saly, Senegal Organisée par GSEF en partenariat avec la Plateforme des Acteurs non Etatiques (PFAnE), la Ville de Dakar et l'Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie (OIF), une session nationale de renforcement des capacités s'est déroulée au Sénégal du 1er au 3 mai 2019. Cet événement a rassemblé des représentants de gouvernements locaux, d'organisations de l'ESS, d'ONG et du secteur privé de tout le pays. [[{"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"}}]] Au cours de la formation, des ateliers ont été organisés autour de chacun des thèmes suivants: Cadre et instruments juridiques & politiques publiques Renforcement des capacités Gouvernance des organisations de l’ESS Financements de l’ESS Accès aux marchés Sensibilisation et promotion de l’ESS/promotion de l’ESS dans les territoires Ces échanges ont mené à l’identification de recommandations spécifiques et à l’élaboration d’un plan d’action pour le développement de l’ESS et une structuration plus poussée des acteurs de l’ESS dans le pays. Plus de plus amples informations, nous vous invitons à consulter le rapport disponible dans la section téléchargement de cette page. Cette session de renforcement des capacités au Sénégal est la première d'une série de formations visant à identifier des problématiques communes, partager les meilleures pratiques, et permettre un échange de connaissances et le renforcement de partenariats entre acteurs de l'ESS et décideurs politiques. Des formations auront lieu prochainement à Kampala, à Mexico City et à Séoul   Ressources & médias Quelques photos de l'évènement Communiqué de presse de l'Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie (OIF) Message de Mme Laurence Kwark Interview du Pr Babacar Gueye, Président de la Plateforme des Acteurs non Etatiques Interview de M. Mourad Dieye Gueye, Secrétaire Général de la Ville de Dakar et Président de la Couveuse d'Entreprise pour la Promotion de l'Emploi par la Micro-Entreprise (CEPEM) Interview de M. Cheick Gueye, Maire de la commune de Dieppeul-Derklé et Membre du Haut Conseil des Collectivités Territoriales (HCCT) du Sénégal Interview de M. Jean Goepp, Fondateur et Directeur de Nebeday  Interview de Mme Mame Saye Seck, Chargé de l'ESS, Union Nationale des Syndicats Autonomes du Sénégal (UNSAS)

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 SSE session on ‘Economic Development for Inclusive Cities’ on November 6th, at the CityNet 8th Congress took place in Colombo, Sri Lanka (5 ~ 8 Nov 2017. http://colombo2017.citynetcongress.org). 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 organized. Around 30 government officials, civil practitioners, and academics participated as 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 of mainly two parts. The first part was 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 economy are being resulted in the rapid increase of social enterprises and reducing social issues including 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 their city. He explained about how the city’s 5-year strategic plan was made as citizen-owned plans and introduced their gender-responsive participatory budgeting and local development plan of New Butterworth region as its examples. The second part of the session was a roundtable of three experts from Sri Lanka, and they talked about inclusiveness in the development strategy of Sri Lanka after 30 years of war ended. As a policy expert, a civic analyst, and a local government official, three panellists discussed about the governments’ preparation on legal frameworks on inclusive social and economic development and came to conclusions that if the system to suit the need of local communities, certain level of local governments’ autonomy should be guaranteed to build the local foundation to develop inclusive development policies. In the following Q&A session, city representatives from Bangladesh, Philippines and Vietnam commented and asked the two case presentations of Suwon and Seberang Perai regarding solutions to tackle poverty in the region and discussed the level of citizens’ participation in the governance of public policies, and the level of 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 vitalizing 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 law and policies. However, the voice of communities has not reached enough to the policymakers. The power of regional council should be increased more. N. Liyanage (Research Professional, Centre for Poverty Analysis)  In the government’s megapolis development strategy, inequality of land ownership becomes the barricade of inclusive development. The government should aware more about whom to be included in the development and what is happening in the field. P. Vegeshan (Commissioner, Jaffina Municipal Council)  As a local government officer, peoples’   desire to make a small change at the local level is important after the war.   Jaffna 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.