The SEMPRE Kick-off Conference on 29 September 2016 in Berlin, Germany was a great success.
We would like to thank all participants and particularly the speakers and panelists for their contributions.
SEMPRE Berlin Conference Programme
Presentations:
- Prof. Dr. Volker Brinkmann, Kiel University of Applied Sciences - "Innovative Social Economy - A constructive dialogue between social services and civil society"
Presentation
Paper - Jens Kurnol, German Federal Office for Building (BBSR) - "Social Innovation - A European Territorial Perspective"
Presentation
- An introduction to Mutcho, a project following an empowerment approach and offering youth and culture activities for newly arrived young people in Norrbotten, Sweden (presented in Workshop on strengths and weaknesses of organisational forms)
Background:
In times of demographic change and limited public finances it becomes increasingly difficult for the public sector to maintain a reliable social service infrastructure in rural areas. Outward migration of young and well-qualified people further aggravates this challenge, and vulnerable groups at the risk of poverty and exclusion - such as older people, migrants, people with disabilities, families and single parents - are in danger of being left behind. It is therefore time to rethink the role of public and private social service providers. The project “SEMPRE – Social Empowerment in Rural Areas” explores end-user involvement in service development as one possible path for securing social welfare in rural areas of the Baltic Sea Region.
