About us

ARNO is an organization for Social Innovation established in the Macedonian civil landscape in 2013.
The organization started by providing solutions to large global challenges with small, local actions. Immediately after its very first project, ARNO became recognized as a ground-breaking leader in the field of Social Entrepreneurship. Thanks to the successful management of the “Green Ideas Competition” for many years, it is also acknowledged as a national resource for awareness and inspiration in the field of Green Entrepreneurship.

ARNO has vision, talent, energy and resources to be the creative source for improvement of the communities we live in.
It has organizational values and attitudes that promote and sustain innovation, such as:

Expectation of a deep understanding of complex social issues, culture of innovation & market orientation.

Our Mission & Vision

ARNO’s mission is: To develop and support social innovation through design of new options and diverse social initiatives, which are developed by active, independent citizens that act jointly and contribute towards community development and positive changes.

ARNO’s vision is: Shaping the future by sharing our resources and discovering new approaches

Key Areas

social innovation, social entrepreneurship, green economy, VET for youth employability, philanthropy and CSR, development agenda, post-2015, advocacy, youth.

ARNO’s strategy is integrated into decision-making by embedding it into the discussion on the Annual Assembly and Executive Board meetings. New generated ideas and evaluation processes are updated to reflect the broader performance objectives set out in its strategy to align priorities at all levels of the organization. Throughout the year, ARNO’s management team reviews performances and approves future actions guided by its strategy. As ARNO moves forward, it is focused on achieving its goals while building institutional capacity, managing emerging risks and embracing opportunities that increase its contribution to the civil society role.

Programme Areas

As a socially innovative organization, ARNO has been able to translate its mission and vision into projects and activities that highlight its commitment, readiness and ability to innovate in order to respond to social issues. The organization believes that civil society actions are a powerful way to create lasting change for the communities. Thus, focused work in the programme areas and strategic goals accompanied with the building of skills, resources and relationships, is the path towards building stronger impact.

A programme area is a topic that has impact on ARNO’s work and communities of interest. It is an area of significant opportunity and requires organization-wide focus and engagement. With emphasis on using social innovation approaches,
ARNO’s work is structured around 4 main programme areas:

Social Innovation Programme, Sustainable Development Programme, Philanthropy Programme and Youth Programme.

The Team

ARNO is founded by bright and creative minds with philanthropic hearts, who are passionate about their communities and causes.

But running CSO and scaling its impact takes more than passion. It takes knowledge, skills, resources, relationships, time, planning, patience and flexibility, as well as support and guidance from actors that recognize their role. That’s why ARNO’s team is highly experienced in different industries and fields (civil sector, IT industry, PR, journalism, advertising, sociology etc.), where they hold specific skills and commitment for development in their expertise.

ARNO seeks to nurture an inclusive and diverse work environment that accepts people from all ethnicities, religions, sexual orientations and gender identities who share the same values of mutual respect and responsibility.

Irina Janevska photo

Irina Janevska

President
Marjan Icoski photo

Marjan Icoski

Program Manager
Antonio Danilovski photo

Antonio Danilovski

PROJECT COORDINATOR
Stefani Prenkova photo

Stefani Prenkova

PROJECT COORDINATOR
Shemsedin Iljaz photo

Shemsedin Iljaz

Financial Manager
Katerina Panova Matoska photo

Katerina Panova Matoska

Administrative Manager
Nikola Vojnov photo

Nikola Vojnov

Brand Manager
Anjeza Sadiku Gorenca photo

Anjeza Sadiku Gorenca

Collaborator
Antonio Gjorgjievski photo

Antonio Gjorgjievski

Collaborator

Partnership

Membership:

ARNO believes in future-oriented leadership and collaborative relationships. It is a member of the National Youth Council of Macedonia, Y-PEER Macedonia, MenEngage Platform of the Eastern Europe and Central Asia (EECA), Diesis Network,Network of green social entrepreneurship (informal network), Regional Network for Youth Entrepreneurship. In 2017, ARNO was the National Implementing Partner of the UNFPA CO for the Youth Component from their Annual Work plan.

Donors:

The Rockefeller Brothers Fund (USA) UNDP (N.Macedonia), UNFPA (N.Macedonia), UNFPA (EECARO), European Commission, Impact Hub Vienna (Австрија), The Regional Youth Cooperation Office (RYCO), Agence Française de Développement(AFD), The National Agency for European Educational Programs and Mobility (N.Macedonia) Western Balkans Fund (WBF), Visegrad Fund

National Partners:

Management Consulting Association “MCA-2000” , Fund for Innovations and Technology Development (FITD), The Economic Chamber of North-West Macedonia , Secondary Vocational School on hospitality and gastronomy “Lazar Tanev” Secondary High School “Rade Jovchevski Korchagin”- Skopje, DSUPU “Lazar Ličenoski”, Treebanks, University Student Assembly at the University “St. Cyril and Methodius ”, YPEER Македонија, Slow Food Vodno, CSO Youth Can, Ljubeznost, Misla, Social Integration & Empowerment Centre – SIEC, Association „Solem”, AHP Prilep, Startup Macedonia ,Faculty of Economics Skopje through the Yunus Center for Social Businesses at the Faculty of Economics Skopje

Regional Partners:

Balkan Green Foundation (Kosovo), Fund for Active Citizenship (Montenegro), Mozaik Foundation (Bosnia and Herzegovina), Partners Albania for Change and Development (Albania), Trag Foundation (Serbia), HumanRights360 (Greece), The Social Entrepreneurship Observatory (Regional Initiative, est. in N. Macedonia), Optimist (Serbia)

 Neomenioi (Greece), Lens (Kosovo), Association for Democratic Prosperity – Zid (ADP – Zid Montenegro), Youth ambassadors (Serbia), Nešto Više (Bosnia and Hercegovina), Yunus Social Business (Albania), Smart Kolektiv (Serbia), IEC Tehnopolis (Montenegro), Znanje na delu (Croatia), CDP„GLOBUS” (Bosnia and Hercegovina)

International Partners:

Radvliskis Lizdeikos Gimnazia (Lithuania), Prva Susachka Gimnazija – Rijeka (Croatia), Out of the box (Belgium), Go Green Belgium (Belgium), Mod of Life (Romania), La Sabina de el Bonilo (Spain), Barka Foundation for Mutual Help of Poland (Poland), Municipality of Krobia (Poland), the Salvation Army (The Czech Republic), the Municipality of Revfolup (Hungary), Pedagogical University of Cracow, (Poland), Desert Bloom for Training & Sustainable Development (Jordan) , ART-ER (Italy), GROUPE SOS Pulse, South East European Youth Network (SEEYN), Institut Francais, the Franco-German Youth Office (OFAJ), Apprentis d’Auteuil (France), Vilniaus kolegija (Lithuania),Asociatia Scoala De Valori (Romania), COSV –  Cooperazione per lo Sviluppo (Italy), Kyodai Sports Club Association (Romania), Comune di Prato (Italy), KEY – Innovation in Culture Education and Youth (Cyprus), Contrôle-Z Nouvelle Aquitaine (France), Istituto Istruzione Superiore Statale “Marini-Gioia”(Italy)

Rockefeller Brothers Fund logo Erasmus+ logo UNFPA logo UNDP logo Social Impact Award logo

Other Highlights and Fun Facts

#1

In 2015, ARNO received the Social Impact Award and established the Cooking Classes initiative (as an economic activity/ dreaming for Social Enterprise spin-off).

#2

ARNO’s very first project, “Youth Professional Kitchen-New Technologies for Social Business“, was used in the book for Innovation and Entrepreneurship for the first years’ studies as a success story on the Social Entrepreneurship Initiative.

#3

Website Design Awards: www.coolinari.mk received Best Web Design National Awards: 2nd place in 2017 and 2018 in the category “Food and Health”.

#4

ARNO’s office furniture is upcycled by one of the winners of the Green Ideas Competition (SPIN).

#5

ARNO’s promotional materials are made of plantable recycled paper with flower seeds, a product of WIZART, Green Ideas Competition 2018 Winner.

#6

The activist Antonio Gjorgjievski, chef and coordinator of activities in the Coolinary Program, received the Youth Civic Engagement Award - Young Citizen Participation Award 2016.

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Annual Reports