NESsT, in partnership with the Danube Transnational Programme, SENSES, developed an online course to support entrepreneurs with running successful and sustainable social enterprises.
How was the course created?
Before the launch of this course, NESsT conducted research to pinpoint the skills and knowledge gaps of social entrepreneurs and the regions in which they operate.
Social entrepreneurs revealed the areas that are most challenging for them. NESsT designed a module for each so that entrepreneurs have a roadmap and a framework that helps to train your mind on how to solve these challenges.
The training modules are designed by experts from eight countries, including…
What will entrepreneurs know by the end of the course?
How to start and run social enterprises successfully and in a sustainable way
How to develop a sustainable social business concept
How to use general marketing practices
How to develop your sales pipeline
How to design a strategy and an operation framework for your social enterprise
How to track and improve the effectiveness of your efforts
How to use basic financial terminology and channel it into the financial management of your business
How to design the sustainability of your business by integrating different financial mechanisms, such as grants, loans, and other investments
How to evaluate business opportunities
How to identify, evaluate and minimize the risks of your social enterprise
How to integrate representatives of different vulnerable groups into decision-making roles
Who should take the course?
You have a solution to a social problem in your community but do not know how to create a business around it
You have a business plan or are interested in designing one
You are eager to improve your entrepreneurial skills
Your need more targeted education on generating social impact. Perhaps you have a business already but it is not yet generating high social impact
You would like to increase the market share of the enterprise or shift from local market to regional, national or even international market
You want to establish market relationships with multinational companies, but find it hard to reach them
You want to learn about financial tools for long term sustainability
What is the course format?
The course consists of six modules that include a presentation and videos focusing on descriptions of the concepts, expert testimonies, and case studies of best practices. A quiz at the end of each course will help you to evaluate your new knowledge. All content is in English and each presentation and the information on the platform has been translated to the national language of the partner countries of the SENSES project.
What modules are included in the course?
Module 1: Introduction to social entrepreneurship - Social entrepreneurship in a nutshell - Design Thinking for Social Enterprises - Social business model canvas
Module 2: Effective marketing tools for social enterprises, with specific focus on on-line marketing
Module 3: Sales and pipeline management, with specific focus on how to enter to new markets
Module 4: Challenges in the management of a social enterprise, with specific focus on social impact measurement
Module 5: How to ensure long-term financial sustainability?
Module 6: Intellectual property and innovation management