Preliminary communication
https://doi.org/10.31192/np.21.2.4
Veterans’ Social Working Cooperatives as a Model of Social Entrepreneurship in the Republic of Croatia
Sanja Tišma
; Institute for Development and International Relations, IRMO, Zagreb, Croatia
Danijel Baturina
; University of Zagreb, Faculty of Law, Social Work Study Centre, Zagreb, Croatia
Maja Janković
; Institute for Development and International Relations, IRMO, Zagreb, Croatia
Damir Demonja
orcid.org/0000-0002-4186-5137
; Institute for Development and International Relations, IRMO, Zagreb, Croatia
Abstract
Social entrepreneurship in the Republic of Croatia is a relatively new concept. The issue of the development of social entrepreneurship in the Republic of Croatia is closely related to the lack of an appropriate legal framework, and with the still insufficiently clear criteria for recognizing social entrepreneurs. Cooperatives have a strong potential as one of the instruments of economic and local development, especially social cooperatives that help the socially disadvantaged, the infirm and people in difficult life situations. Veterans belong to a vulnerable group in Croatian society, whose integration into society is still difficult for a number of reasons. Some of the factors are the insufficiently clear and harmonized legislative framework, the insufficient social welfare system and the generally unfavourable social environment. Therefore, veterans’ social working cooperatives represent a potential form of association that enables veterans to be more easily included in society, with the development of entrepreneurial activities and at the same time achieving a positive social role. The assessment of the state of cooperatives in the Republic of Croatia showed that the veterans’ population is insufficiently informed about the possibilities of acting within the framework of social entrepreneurship. This paper specifically considers the potential of veterans’ social working cooperatives as work integration social enterprises. Given that long-term unemployed Croatian veterans of the Homeland War and members of their families are often in the group of hard-to-employ persons, there is a need to take certain measures aimed at strengthening their competitiveness in the labour market.
Keywords
Republic of Croatia; social entrepreneurship; veterans; veterans’ social working cooperatives
Hrčak ID:
306162
URI
Publication date:
17.7.2023.
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