The Government delegate in Navarre, Alicia Echeverría, visited today the EKOCREA project, one of the initiatives selected by the Ministry of Labour and Social Economy within the framework of the PERTE of Social Economy and Care.
It is a project that boosts the social economy in Navarre and the Basque Country through the creation of two innovation laboratories focused on the circular economy and the creative industries, with the aim of promoting the socio-occupational inclusion of people with disabilities and/or at risk of social exclusion, especially young people and women, through the exploration of new business niches in the creative industries and the circular economy. But, in addition, EKOCREA tries to demonstrate that the social economy can be a driver of innovation and sustainable development.
EKOCREA is a project developed by the Koine-Aequalitas Foundation, Sutargi and the University of Mondragon. It has a total budget of 888,846.32 euros, of which 444,423 euros are financed by the Ministry of Labour and Social Economy through the PERTE of Social Economy and Care.
Project objectives and development
EKOCREA’s overall objective is to strengthen the social economy through innovative, sustainable and inclusive business models. Among its specific goals, the following stand out:
· Promote training for employment and intra-entrepreneurship in Special Employment Centres (CEE) and Companies for Social and Labour Integration (EIS).
· Make visible and promote the effective inclusion of people at risk of exclusion in the labor market.
· Transfer knowledge through the creation of a state network of innovation in social economy.
To achieve these objectives, EKOCREA will be developed in three phases:
1. Research: Identification of business opportunities in circular economy and creative industries.
2. Implementation: Creation of innovation laboratories, training of trainers and implementation of training itineraries and entrepreneurship pilots.
3. Transfer of knowledge: Generation of a collaborative network, development of an implementation guide and accompaniment in the creation of new laboratories.
A model of innovation and collaboration
The consortium responsible for EKOCREA is composed of entities specialized in circular economy (Sutargi), creative industries (Koine-Aequalitas Foundation) and social entrepreneurship (University of Mondragón). This collaboration allows us to develop an innovative, agile and replicable methodology in other regions.