Presentation at the conference:

Research, Innovation, Competitiveness and Regional Development

(Athens, Greece 21-22.06.2019)

 

‘Social and solidarity economy among the cities and regions of Southern Europe: An outlet for NEETs?’

 Athina AVAGIANOU, PhD Candidate in Economic and Labor Geography, Department of Geography, University of the Aegean

Sofia KARAMPELA, Post-Doctoral researcher, Department of Geography, University of the Aegean

Theodoros IOASIFIDES, Professor of Social Science Methods, Department of Geography, University of the Aegean

Thanasis KIZOS, Professor of Rural Geography, Department of Geography, University of the Aegean

 

Abstract:

This paper engages with the issue of recent labour transformations in the context of the EU South. Α weak economic environment, stagnation, and dismantled labour markets of the past decades, have all been factors indirectly leading to the emergence of alternatives. Social and solidarity economies – promoted by public policies – have been established, obtaining a leading role in the economic and political scene as alternative modes of production and innovative consumption ways globally. The current marketplace can be differentiated by market economy where profit gaining
prevails and the social economy where social objectives take primacy.

Findings suggest a significant momentum that is developing in the field of Social and Solidarity Economies across Southern Europe, and even more in Greece, Italy, Spain and Cyprus, for the period of 2010-2018. It is underlined that the total number of active Social and Solidarity Economy entities, their total turnover, as well as the number of their employees, exhibit notable increments over the reference period. Finally, the study discusses policies promoting such economies and their potential inter-relation with NEETs – namely young people not in employment, education or training – and the prospects of possible solutions through best practices.

 

Presentation:

Social and solidarity economy among the cities and regions of Southern Europe