Dec 03 2019
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European Action Plan for the Social Economy: confirmed!

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On December 1st, European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen stated in her mission letter to Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights, Nicolas Schmit: “You will develop a European Action Plan for the social economy to enhance social innovation”.

Social Economy Europe (SEE) President, Juan Antonio Pedreño, commented: “I would like to congratulate President Von der Leyen for this courageous decision of boosting the social economy across the EU to co-construct an economy that works for people and the planet. We are ready to cooperate with Commissioner Nicolas Schmit and with the entire Commission to enter this new era of EU policies for the social economy”.

SEE has been consistently calling for a European Action Plan for the Social Economy since 2014. In 2018 the SEE presented a the policy paper “The future of EU policies for the Social Economy: towards a European Action Plan” that was submitted, in cooperation with the Social Economy Intergroup, to former Commission Vice-President Jyrki Katainen.

President Pedreño added: “This opportunity is the result of a collective success of all social economy actors that working together contribute to build a more prosperous and sustainable European Union. I would also like to acknowledge the fundamental support that the social economy has received from many Institutions, Member States and the Social Economy Intergroup and its members. Today I would like to pay tribute to the tireless commitment of our friend Jens Nilsson, former co-Chair of the Intergroup, who left us in 2018”.

Furthermore, this announcement enhances the need to renew the European Parliament’s Social Economy Intergroup to work hand in hand with the European Commission to develop a successful European Action for the Social Economy.

About the social economy in Europe:

The social economy is an essential part of the European economic and social landscape formed by a diversity of enterprises and organisations such as cooperatives, mutuals, associations, foundations, social enterprises or paritarian institutions of social protection.  In the EU there are 2.8 million social economy enterprises and organisations, that employ 13.6 million people and account for 8% of the EU’s GDP.

Social Economy Europe (SEE) is the voice of the 2.8 million social economy enterprises and organisations.

Nov 26 2019
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Volunteering with Wind of Renewal / Anemos Ananeosis

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Since September 2016 Wind of Renewal hosted more than 300 volunteers from all over the world for social and ecological actions. Here are some useful materials for the new volunteers:

Code of Conduct for VOLUNTEERS en- 2019-2020

The Volunteers_Welcome_Pack_2019-2020 if you want to partcipate in volunteering with the social cooperative Wind of Renewal

WELCOMMON HOSTEL Volunteer Rules 2019-2020

Nov 26 2019
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YESClima project: Greater Energy Efficiency for Athens Buildings

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EUKI’s YESclima project held a workshop in mid-September on “Energy efficiency in buildings and natural techniques to cool/heat buildings”. One topic at this workshop was a presentation of the results of energy audits, conducted by students trained in the project.

The Greek organisation Wind of Renewal hosted this event. They invited the project partners – the University of Cadiz, the Energy Agency of Cadiz, the Free University of Berlin and the Secretariat for Future Studies – to the Welcommon Hostel in Athens. Representatives of other organisations such as the Center for Renewable Energy Sources & Saving (CRES), the Hellenic Passive House Institute and the Mayor of Agios Dimitrios also took part in the event.

Presentation during the YESclima Conference

The participants exchanged on the opportunities and challenges of energetic refurbishment of public buildings. Photo: YESclima

At the conference, eight students from Greece and Spain presented the results of energy audits at schools and other buildings in the regions of Cadiz (Spain) and Attica (Greece). The students had developed proposals for energy saving measures. These primarily focus on natural cooling and heating techniques and a change in the attitude of those who use the buildings. The students used energy bills to analyse the current situation in the buildings. They also reported on a study trip to Berlin at the end of August where they found out about natural technologies on cooling and heating in Berlin and Brandenburg.

Young people build house from straw bales

During a study trip to Berlin, the students built houses from straw bales, clay and wood. Photo: YESclima

The many experts present shared ideas about the opportunities and challenges of the work required to upgrade the energy performance of public buildings. “The difficulties are massive but the benefits are even greater,” commented Evi Tzanakaki from the CRES Centre. Stefanos Pallantzas from the Hellenic Passive House Institute added that action was needed quickly.

For example, George Drallos, a Board member of EBHE, the Greek Solar Industry Association, presented specific concepts. He emphasised: “Greece is the first country in Europe that has established significant production of thermal solar collectors and storage units.” However, energy efficiency also depends on how people use the buildings, commented Konstantinos Karampourniotis, Co-President of Living Prospects: “You make a difference if you change your user behaviour.”

More events for the project will be taking place in the next few weeks. YESclima, a project of the European Climate Initiative (EUKI), promotes greater energy efficiency in public buildings in Greece and Spain and particularly highlights the possible positive effects for the labour market.