The National Foundation for Civil Society Development has approved support for nine organizations, including Humana Nova. The funds are intended for the development of socio-entrepreneurial initiatives and social innovations. By launching the "Humana Nova Work Integration Center", we will take a new step in the development of the work integration model and employment of people who struggle to find jobs in the open labor market.
On September 2 and 3, we participated in a two-day training and workshop in Šibenik at the Center for New Technologies and Entrepreneurship Trokut. It brought together representatives of nine selected organizations and their partners.
The program was organized as part of the Call for expression of interest for cooperation with the National Foundation. It encourages social entrepreneurship and innovation that create sustainable solutions for the specific needs of local communities.
Nine initiatives, nine different responses to community needs
On day one, we presented our initiatives, planned activities, and the results we want to achieve. The selected projects cover a wide range of social innovation areas. They include agriculture, food, green public procurement, housing, inclusive production, youth work and work integration.
The selected initiatives:
- OLIB 70 – SOL Association and Fuzul (island agriculture)
- School of Seasonality for More Successful Green Public Procurement – PLANTaža Association and Reducos Software (seasonal food and schools)
- From Thread to Value – Jaglac Orahovica Association and PP Papuk (inclusive production)
- Roots of Change – Pogled Autism Association and Majur Municipality (work with young people with autism)
- Encouraging Local Production Through Short Supply Chains – Croatian LEADER Network and Karlovac County Development Agency (green public procurement)
- Development of Cooperative Housing in Pazin – MOBA Housing SCE and City of Pazin (housing and cooperatives)
- FAVA – Jedna Mladost Association and Braća Radić Secondary School (young people with disabilities and local products)
- Humana Nova Work Integration Center – Humana Nova Social Cooperative and Technology and Innovation Center Međimurje (work integration)
- Krapina-Zagorje County Social Entrepreneurship Lab – Institute for the Popularization of Science and Krapina-Zagorje County Entrepreneurial Center (youth, heritage, and digitalization)
The diversity of these initiatives shows the strength of social entrepreneurship in solving local challenges. It also opens up space for networking, exchange of experiences and new partnerships.
Humana Nova Work Integration Center
Our initiative is based on Humana Nova's long-standing experience in employment, training and work integration of people with disabilities and other groups that are difficult to employ.
We are developing the Center in partnership with the Technology and Innovation Center Međimurje. We want to take it a step further: to design and test a model through which people will acquire transferable work and social skills that are necessary for working with different employers on the open market.
The model includes the assessment and preparation of candidates, development of their competencies, mentoring and support in employment. The other side of the process is equally important: the preparation of employers, mentors and the future workplace for the successful inclusion of new employees.
In this way, we want to turn the experience from Humana Nova into a model useful to the wider community: to people who need support in employment, but also to employers who want to build inclusive workplaces.
Implementation starts now
The second day of the meeting was dedicated to operational implementation. We covered the topics of planning, documenting costs and activities, visibility, and descriptive and financial reporting.
It was especially valuable for us to meet colleagues from other organizations, exchange experiences, and discuss future cooperation.
We are returning from Šibenik with new ideas and contacts, ready for the next step.
It is time to start putting our knowledge and idea of the Center for Work Integration into practice.
Humana Nova is supported by the National Foundation for the implementation of the social enterprise initiative / social innovation "Humana Nova Work Integration Centre".
