Update from Wrexham Glyndwr University

In terms of the project, we held our final project meeting in Freiburg in April 2019. We were able to work on the educational materials and the infographic outputs from the project. We were also able to visit three social enterprises that were trading or thinking of trading internationally and discuss our findings and the project outputs.

At the end of March Sarah spent a week with Dr. Mary O’Shaughnessy, at University College Cork (UCC) as part of a Short Term Scientific Mission Scholarship, awarded by the COST Action, EMPOWER-SE. Short-term Scientific Visits (STSM) is a unique networking tool developed by COST to support the development of original knowledge related to social enterprise in the case of EMPOWER-SE. This networking tool facilitates COST Action participants who are willing to go to an institution, organisation or research centre in another participating COST Country in order to foster collaboration and conduct empirical research. Such visits enable participants to learn new techniques, gain access to specific data and methodologies unavailable in their own institutions/organisations and enlarge their relational and social capital.

During the visit, Sarah was able to build on the craft-based social enterprise project that she has undertaken for the Crafts Council (UK). She visited three social enterprises; Deaf Enterprises, Churchfield Community Trust and Cork Craft and Design, all of which are located in the Cork area. She was also able to meet representatives from Cork City Council, which are currently part of the Atlantic Social Lab project, which aims to develop and promote social innovation approaches and methods to give response to key growing social issues of the Atlantic Area, both within citizens, third sector and social enterprises as well as the public sector; http://atlanticsociallab.eu

Sarah also gave a public lecture at UCC relating to the findings of this project, which was attended by students, lecturers, and local social enterprises.

If you would like to find out more about EMPOWER-SE and the events and scholarships that are available, please click on the following link; http://www.empowerse.eu