Baseline Study for Social Enterprises in Macedonia

The Baseline Study for Social Enterprises in Macedonia (Study) is created by ARNO for the purposes of the EU funded project “Social Entrepreneurship for Youth Employment” led by the National Youth Council of Macedonia. The Study is conducted in the period of May to July 2022 showcasing the current situation, capacities, and needs of the social enterprises with a special focus on youth social enterprises.  

The Study aims to create synergies between different actors, institutions and programs and to give a detailed analysis of the state of play of social entrepreneurship in Macedonia. The Study analyses the characteristics, structure, and capacities of the operating social enterprises in all regions of the country, and identifies areas for further support and capacity building. The Study also draws conclusions and policy recommendations relevant to all actors in the social enterprise ecosystem in Macedonia. More concretely, through mapping and analysis of the social enterprises, the Study presents important information and data about the areas of work, location, number and demography of employees, products, and services, economic activity, and revenues and profits of the social enterprises.

In connection, the Study identifies the youth social enterprises as legal entities led and/or incorporate youth and/or create direct benefits for youth, and for the first time, defines them as a separate category in the social economy ecosystem in Macedonia. Besides social enterprises, the Study identifies and analyses the needs of operating ideas for social enterprises to map and assess the potential and path of development of social entrepreneurship in the country. The Study identifies 57 social enterprises in all eight regions of the country, and additionally, maps 40 operating ideas for social enterprises. 

As the main output, the Study produces the Registry of social enterprises in Macedonia, the first of its kind in the country. The Registry is an important dataset that collects and presents data and basic information for social enterprises such as contact information, social mission, location, products and services, etc. wanting to inspire better promotion of social enterprises, awareness raising and new partnerships and collaborations between the social enterprises themselves, and with other institutions, municipalities, businesses, donors, and other relevant stakeholders. The Registry is a “live document” open to changes and addendums and of free usage to the public, citizens, institutions, and all interested parties.

Highlights of the project : mapping of social enterprises; first registry of social enterprises; needs assessment and capacity analysis of social enterprises; defining youth social enterprises and ideas for social enterprises; policy recommendations for social enterprises ecosystem.

Publications:  Baseline Study, Main results and outcomes, Registry of social enterprises in Macedonia: