SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP ECOSYSTEM AND

PARTNERSHIPS IN LITHUANIA

Viktorija Bražiūnaitė Head of the Lithuanian Social Business Association 1

Challenge/need – to build a thriving ecosystem of social

entrepreneurship in Lithuania 2

Strengths – origin of social entrepreneurship

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SE originated from long tradition of a vibrant non-profit sector:

1518 - Lithuania’s very first charity organization - a shelter for the elderly (network of 194 shelters serving more than 5 000 people by the end of 18 th century

Before II WW civic engagement was very high - almost 8 000 associations were registered in the country (patriotism and national revival, culture, care of elderly, social services etc.)

During the Soviet period civil organizations were forbidden. In 1989, the founding summit of Caritas, one of the largest volunteer

organizations, was held. This paved the way for the social economy and allowed the recognition of social work as a separate profession.

Since its accession to the European Union in 2004, Lithuania has been taking measures in favor of social entrepreneurship development.

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Weakness - the current social enterprise ecosystem

is at early stage development

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EARLY STAGE ECOSYSTEM

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Governmental actors: • Ministry of Social

Security and Labour

• Lithuanian Labour

Exchange

• Ministry of Economy

and Innovation

• Ministry of Agriculture

• Ministry of Internal

Affairs

Authorities designing and enforcing public procurement legislation

• Public Procurement Office • Public administration institutions and municipalities • (purchasers) • Ministry of Internal Affairs, Department of Public • Management Policy, Local Governance Unit • NGO Council • Association of Municipalities of Lithuania

Authorities designing and

enforcing legal, fiscal and regulatory

frameworks: • Parliament of Lithuania • Ministry of Social Security and

Labour • Ministry of Economy • Ministry of Agriculture • Ministry of Internal Affairs • NGO Council • Enterprise Lithuania (a public

enterprise under the Ministry • of Economy established to

promote entrepreneurship, • support business

development, and foster export)

Institutions, civil-society initiatives and other

organizations promoting social enterprise education, training

and research:

• Education Exchange Support Foundation (through NordPlus

• and Erasmus + programmes) • Kolping University of Applied

Sciences • Kaunas Technological

University • Local action groups • Change MakersON • NGO Avilys • Public enterprise Geri norai • Junior Achievement

Lithuania programme for schools

Other actors (LISVA), monitoring the and

assessing social enterprises’ needs and,

organizers of social enterprise (support)

networks, associations and pacts that engage in

advocacy, mutual learning and support to

joint action.

Opportunities providers of social enterprise startup and development support services and facilities (such as incubators).

Investors/Social-investment financial Intermediaries (Invega, Katalista Ventures, etc).

Partnerships with ministries to advancing SE

ecosystem

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Est. 2018

Ministry of Social Security and

Labour

Ministry of Economy and

Innovation

Ministry of

Agriculture

Cooperation under umbrella support program 2021-2022 project “I CAN” Organizational capacities Advocacy capacities Engagement of key actor into

decision making processes Survey on current situation on

national level and in regions

Formal and informal consultations on SE promotion

Policy making proposals Statements and comments on

strategic planning documents

Formal and informal consolations on SE promotion in regions

Capacity building and raising awareness actions in regions

Contribute to the creation of a

favorable ecosystem