Social entrepreneurship in creating the foundations of social security in local communities

Abstract

Contemporary processes of administration are of a complex character. It requires from policymakers who form the economic policy the choice of adequate and diverse methods and interaction techniques. One needs to be aware of the fact that creating suitable conditions for socio-economic development should take place on different levels of a country’s organisation. Stimulation of development is inscribed into the core and nature of local government actions and supporting social entrepreneurship constitutes one of the biggest challenges on the level of municipalities and counties. The aim of the study is to point to the meaning of social entrepreneurship in creating the foundations of social security. Social entrepreneurship is inseparably connected to one of the contemporary trends in the economy, namely the social economy. In Poland, the social economy has been gaining in popularity in recent years, following a number of negative social effects observed after the rough period of economic transformation and its ownership and structural transitions. In the study, the essence of social entrepreneurship has been characterised as an important action aimed at improving the feeling of social security. The reference has been made to Świętokrzyskie voivodeship, in which the meaning of social entrepreneurship has been pointed and attributed by policymakers responsible for the development policy. The stimulation of social economy subjects may be an important supplement of regional policy aimed at attracting external investments (with shortages of capital connected to the regional policy). This results from the fact that launching business in the social economy sector does not require significant capital outlay, and may constitute a chance for involving young people who want to test themselves in a role of budding entrepreneurs. Promotion of social entrepreneurship might as well contribute to the reinforcement of social cohesion as well as building regional social capital by including into the labour market some groups that are “forgotten” and feel it difficult to find themselves on the open labour market. The article is of an overview character.