Social impact of Mozaik’s Korenika and MenSana through interconnected social entrepreneurship (SMK)

Description

Društvo Mozaik is a social (operating as a non-profit) association under Slovenian legislation, primarily serving rural areas in the Pomurje region. It strives to connect and meet the needs of vulnerable groups mainly through social entrepreneurship. Mozaik has a complex approach to tackle socio-economic vulnerability in rural areas by providing training and employment opportunities in economically viable activities through its Korenika and MenSana programmes.

Korenika is an eco-social farm that produces local products, offers holiday camps and tours. As a social enterprise, Korenika offers training and protected employment for people with disabilities and from vulnerable social groups.

The intergenerational centre MenSana runs the Centre for Repair and Reuse, the Restaurant MenSana and a Laundry and Sewing Room. These initiatives engage individuals facing employment challenges, involving them in activities such as restoring and reusing discarded furniture and equipment, working in the self-service restaurant, and repairing textiles.

Moreover, Mozaik offers additional services such as social activation and intergenerational activation programmes.

Studying Mozaik’s programmes aligns with SERIGO objectives to explore the role and capacity of social enterprises in enhancing the inclusion of vulnerable groups in rural areas. The analysis of two social enterprise programmes embedded in Mozaik’s overall socially responsible activities enriches our understanding of the necessary interlinkages and interactions between socially innovative arrangements to support synergies for local development.

Aim

Through the SMK case study, the working hypothesis is that the complex approach that Mozaik’s two interrelated Korenika and MenSana programmes provide and generates synergies for local development by supporting sustainability and social inclusion through capability building and empowerment.