The Third Way is a project devised during a workshop at the Businet conference in Vilamoura, Portugal in November 2018. It had the broad aim of narrowing the divide in understanding between traditional business curricula in VET and HE and the growing sector of social enterprises. This partnership recognises that more young people across Europe are turning to social enterprise and will support and inform their choice. The project required HEIs with a focus on vocational education and business development, to work with European social enterprises to develop a curriculum in partnership with the Third Sector. The project had the primary aim to create innovative and accessible learning programmes that supported understanding and awareness of social enterprise. Social enterprises are an important driver for inclusive growth and play a key role in tackling current economic and environmental challenges. It is estimated that they employ some 14.5 million people, 6.5% of the workforce of the EU. Shortfalls of support were identified by the European Commission, the SEN, and SENSCOT (2017) identified a need for leadership and enterprise training; social impact assessment, and networking to promote capacity building within wider society. This project targeted vocational and undergraduate students and graduates and lecturers that deliver business-related training programmes in HEIs. Taking into account the special condition of VET in Germany it should be designed in a way that would be accessible as well for those who graduate from the dual system. The university partners aimed to work with social enterprises and aspiring social entrepreneurs to produce a curriculum model and MOOC that offers information about social enterprise, for social enterprise and provides learning through social enterprise, and may be accessed rather openly via digital format. It was envisaged that the devised curriculum would further stand alone as a ‘Face to Face' programme of study delivered via a series of interactive workshops. The project represented a serious attempt to ensure social enterprise becomes an integrated component of the higher education business curriculum. It also wanted to support the social enterprise sector to recruit from a pool of graduates and trainees with the required sector-specific skills and knowledge. Briefly, the five SMART objectives of the project were as follows: 1. To identify and analyse stakeholders across Europe to identify specific needs. 2. To establish a platform for communication, cooperation, training, and resources. 3. Develop a model of social enterprise curriculum for business support. 4. To establish a European (global) network of social entrepreneurs. 5. Provide internship opportunities/ work experience. The following results were achieved at the completion of the project and are in direct support of the Call of Action of the EU Commission Expert Group on Social Entrepreneurship: • Shared good practice to support vocational and higher education institutions to develop a new curriculum in partnership with social enterprises and the third sector. • Shared good practice with respect to innovative and interactive online methodologies, such as the use of MOOCs and other relevant VLEs. • The signposting of internships and work experiences for learners and teachers across the third sector of the EEA / EU. • The development of a series of learning activities for undergraduates that combine education sector and social enterprise sector expertise. • The T3W website/Learning Platform which offers open access learning to interactive modules to promote Social Enterprise, upskill and reskill individuals working or wanting to work in the Third Sector. • The use of social media platforms for marketing, dissemination, and communications. The project made use of existing networks and platforms to ensure valorisation with previous projects in this field of activity. • A strengthened linkage between the fields of educational practice and research within the topics of social entrepreneurship, vocational education, and digitalisation.
This project targeted vocational and undergraduate students and graduates and lecturers that deliver business-related training programmes in HEIs. Taking into account the special condition of VET in Germany it should be designe in a way that would be accessible as well for those who graduate from the dual system. The university partners aimed to work with social enterprises and aspiring social entrepreneurs to produce a curriculum model and MOOC that offers information about social enterprise, for social enterprise and provides learning through social enterprise, and may be accessed rather openly via digital format. It was envisaged that the devised curriculum would further stand alone as a ‘Face to Face' programme of study delivered via a series of interactive workshops. The project represented a serious attempt to ensure social enterprise becomes an integrated component of the higher education business curriculum. It also wanted to support the social enterprise sector to recruit from a pool of graduates and trainees with the required sector-specific skills and knowledge. Briefly, the five SMART objectives of the project were as follows: 1. To identify and analyse stakeholders across Europe to identify specific needs. 2. To establish a platform for communication, cooperation, training, and resources. 3. Develop a model of social enterprise curriculum for business support. 4. To establish a European (global) network of social entrepreneurs. 5. Provide internship opportunities/ work experience.
The Third Way is a project devised during a workshop at the Businet conference in Vilamoura, Portugal in November 2018. It had the broad aim of narrowing the divide in understanding between traditional business curricula in VET and HE and the growing sector of social enterprises. This partnership recognises that more young people across Europe are turning to social enterprise and will support and inform their choice. The project required HEIs with a focus on vocational education and business development, to work with European social enterprises to develop a curriculum in partnership with the Third Sector. The project had the primary aim to create innovative and accessible learning programmes that supported understanding and awareness of social enterprise. Social enterprises are an important driver for inclusive growth and play a key role in tackling current economic and environmental challenges. It is estimated that they employ some 14.5 million people, 6.5% of the workforce of the EU. Shortfalls of support were identified by the European Commission, the SEN, and SENSCOT (2017) identified a need for leadership and enterprise training; social impact assessment, and networking to promote capacity building within wider society.