Volunteering with Wind of Renewal: 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

Interview with Boris Gotchev and Christian Wernitz from BuergerEnergie. During  our visit to Berlin we watched a very interesting presentation by Luise Neumann-Cosel, member of BuergerEnergie Berlin, organized by Respect for Greece eV . The presentation was held on the environmental school of the Botanic Garden of Berlin. BuergerEnergie Berlin eG  is a registered cooperation that is planning to buy the Berlin Electricity Grid. As off  2015, a new concessional contract for Berlin’s electricity distribution grid will be deciding on who answers for sustainable grid operations in Germany’s capital over the next decades. So, there is a unique opportunity for Berliners: citizens join to buy the grid, use profits wisely and shape the future of Berlins’ energy system. For more information you can read here the interview that  Boris Gotchev and Christian Wernitz from BuergerEnergie answered for us.

Boosting Social Enterprise Development. Good Practices Compendium, OECD. Social enterprises are long-standing agents of inclusive growth and democratisation of the economic and social spheres, and they have proved resilient to economic adversity all the while addressing socio-economic challenges in innovative ways, re-integrating people back to the labour market, and contributing to overall social cohesion. This compendium derives policy lessons for boosting social enterprises from the analysis of 20 initiatives in several EU member-countries, covering a range of policy areas from legal frameworks, finance, market access, and support structures, to education and skills. The compendium is available electronically here

Energy poverty in Greece; Social innovation proposals to tackle the phenomenon

We would like to inform you of the publication of the study “Energy poverty in Greece; Social innovation proposals to tackle the phenomenon” which was concluded by the Heinrich Βöll Foundation Greece in collaboration with ΙΝΖΕΒ – Institute of Zero Energy Buildings and the social cooperative Wind of Renewal. In this study, the factors comprising the multi-faceted problem of energy poverty are being introduced as well as its social, economic and environmental consequences. Policies and good examples for dealing with the phenomenon from various European countries are being presented. Also, we are putting forward a series of proposals to tackle the problem in Greece. More specifically, these proposals demonstrate the need for a holistic approach of green, social innovation that, in conjunction with the adequate documentation of the phenomenon, can provide viable solutions, with respect to the current circumstances of Greece. The proposals focus in four main areas: changes in policy, information and education, increase of the energy efficiency of buildings and the use of renewable energy sources. You may find the executive summary of the study on energy poverty in pdf format, which is available in English here. The whole study is available in Greek here.

The Social Entrepreneurship Forum 2015 put the basis for the Code of Conduct for Social Enterprises which aims to highlight common principles and ethical rules governing the activities of social enterprises and stands alongside all ethics and moral behavior legislation applicable to all businesses and bodies with economic and social activity and purpose. The Code of Conduct is available here

Social Entrepreneurship Forum 2015

The Forum has been a platform for dialogue, information, spread of good practices and networking for the development of social and cooperative enterprises in Greece, as well as exchanging knowledge about financial tools and the sustainable operation for social and cooperative enterprises. Further information is available on Forum’s website: http://seforum.gr

See also: Forum’s Declaration , available material and photos