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People's University of Social Solidarity Economy
“UnivSSE Coop”
1
Κοινωνικός
μη-
κερδοσκοπικός
συνεταιρισμός
Τι είναι
το Λαϊκό
Πανεπιστήμι
ο ΚΑΛΟ?
What is the
UnivSSE Coop?
2
People's
University of
SSE
is a social
non-profit
cooperative
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The establishment
• The People's University of Social Solidarity Economy
was established in Thessaloniki in February 2013
by PROSKALO (Cooperation Initiative for the Social
and Solidarity Economy) and until 2017 it operated
as an informal collaborative collectivity, relatively
autonomous from PROSKALO.
• On April 25, 2017, the founding assembly was
established, which created the social non-profit
cooperative "People's University of Social Solidarity
Economy" with the distinctive title "UnivSSE Coop".
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Education
Training
Information
Programs
Publications
Support
services
Aim
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Cornerstone is
 the constant interaction between theory and
practice because “it is not enough for thought to
strive for realization, reality must itself strive
towards thought”.
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It is based
on the dual nature of
cooperatives:
 Social – Economic
and consequently the dual
nature of cooperative
education:
 Ideological –
Financial/Technical.
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The UnivSSE educational
methodology
is based on the principles of
adult learning:
1. Ideas are linked to action
2. The focus of the educational
process is the student
3. Learning by discovery
4. Critical thinking
5. Two-way interaction
between teacher - student
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It is addressed:
…. but also to any
interested citizen
to the people
involved in all kinds
of SSE
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Main actions
Dissemination and Support
Actions
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Seminar lectures-discussions (2013-2014) attended
by more than 400 people and videotaped and posted
on a YouTube channel of the UnivSSE Coop.
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Seminar lectures and discussions
100 broadcasts (2015-2919) in FM 100,6 Thessaloniki
Municipal Radio of volunteers (and on-line at
http://www.fm100.gr/live/fm1006), recorded and posted
on a channel of the UnivSSE Coop in Mixcloud.
Broadcasts
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Educational material
Educational material
UnivSSE website provides free access:
• audiovisual material (135 archives) with a thematic
directory on:
• SSE General and special theoretical issues
• Commons and SSE
• SSE Networking
• SSE Examples - good practices
• bibliographic material (154 archives)
• informative publications (550 archives)
• The audiovisual material is constantly being listened to (from
all over Greece), which have exceeded a total of 29,000.
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Participation in European
and national programs
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European program for youth training in SSE
Creation of educational material for
trainers and trainees in youth
seminars (YOUTHShare).
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5 educational books in 4 languages
(YOUTHShare)
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European youth training program
Implementation of training seminars
for youth employment with emphasis
on SSE (YES).
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Seminars YES (2020)
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European program for Social Innovation
Centers (SEED)
European program for the creation of
Social Innovation Centers in EU
countries.
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SEEDing competences TO SCALE up social
innovation ecosystems (SEED 2 SCALE)
European program for the creation of
Social Innovation Centers in EU
countries.
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SSE Training Program of the Hellenic Ministry
of Work & British Council
Creation of educational material and
implementation of seminars for the
training of trainers in SSE.
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European program for enhancement of social
entrepreneurship in the cross borders area
Implementation of training seminars in
SSE for municipality executives and
local SSE office, as well as in schools
(program “Growing Social”).
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European program for supporting social enterprises
in combating poverty and social exclusion
Studies (program "Social Plate“):
"Developing a Policy to Enhance SSE“
"SSE Good Practices“
"Franchising Guide for SSE“.
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European program to create an educational
board game (YITEG)
 European program: Youth Impacting
Transformative Economies through Game-
design (YITEG).
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Ecological awareness enhancement program
Participation in a program to enhance
ecological awareness and promote
environmental volunteering.
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European open business program for local
community development
 Participation in the European program
“Open Businesses for Community
Development” (OBCD), which promotes the
co-creation of knowledge - through
knowledge triangles - between education,
research and social enterprises.
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European program for the creation of science
- citizen nodes
 Participation in a European program to create
science-citizen hubs to lead to institutional
change and to support responsible research and
innovation in society (INCENTIVE).
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Seminar for the working members of Bios Coop
 Implementation of a seminar for the working
members of the social consumer cooperative of
Thessaloniki “Bios Coop" in collaboration with the
Education Committee of Bios Coop (2020-2021)
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Center for Recycling, Education and Sorting at
the Source
 SSE cooperative consortium for the
creation of a Center for Recycling,
Education and Sorting at the Source in
Thessaloniki.
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Training of
vulnerable
groups
Introductory Seminar
in SSE at the Second
Chance School of
Diavata Prison in
Thessaloniki
Object:
possibilities for
cooperatives to be
created by the
prisoners involved
after their release
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Publications program
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UnivSSE Coop has launched a
program for the publication of key
books on SSE and commons issues,
based on the priorities and needs
arising from the development of
relevant collectives in Greece.
The first edition was made with the
book "Water as a Common Good,
Beyond the Corporations and the
State", 2017.
In this framework, publications of
books on general and special
issues of SSE are in progress.
SSE Networking
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Co-
establishment
and
participation
in the
Association of
SSE Bodies of
Central
Macedonia
“EN KALO
KEM” (2020)
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Participation
in SSE
cooperative
consortium
for the
Integrated,
Decentralized
and Social
Waste
Management
in
Thessaloniki
(2018)
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Participation in
the Social
Entrepreneurship
Forum and the
Observatory of
Institutional
Developments for
Cooperatives and
SSE (2020)
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Co-organizer
of the
4th European
Conference
on Social
Solidarity
Economy,
Athens, 2017
38
Co-organizer
of the
2nd
International
Forum on
Cooperative
Law, Athens,
2018
39
Co-organizer
of the
ICA CCR
European
Research
Conference,
Athens, 2022
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ICA CCR EUROPEAN
RESEARCH
CONFERENCE
“Rethinking co-
Rethinking co-
operatives:
operatives:
From local to global &
From local to global &
from the past to the
from the past to the
future
future”
Athens,
13-15 July 2022
Participation
in the
establishment
of the
Panhellenic
Network of
Social
Solidarity
Economy
Cooperatives
(SSE Coops
GR), 2016
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Participation in
the
establishment
of a network of
62 SSE
cooperatives
for the
cooperative
water
management in
Thessaloniki
and co-
operation with
local
authorities
(2018)
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Social impact indicators of
UnivSSE Coop
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Award for Excellence in SSE, 2019
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Award for Excellence in Social and Solidarity Economy (SSE)
was awarded to People's University of Social Solidarity
Economy "UnivSSE Coop" by the Region of Central
Macedonia, the University of Macedonia and the Democritus
University of Thrace for the social responsibility and voluntary
involvement of its participating members.
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We participate in
the creation of
another world
another world,
which is not only
possible
possible and
necessary
necessary,
but real.
real.
People's University of Social Solidarity Economy
“UnivSSE Coop”
www.univsse.gr
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Οικονομίας-332570916855036
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univsse@gmail.com