Embassy Supports New Opportunities for Social Entrepreneurship

On August 11, the NGO “Internet-Club Center for International Dialogue” conducted a seminar in Grodno on the development and setup of social enterprises. The event was  part of  a year-long U.S. Embassy Small Grants Program-funded project to involve of underserved groups of people into professional and community life by educating them on the use of modern IT and creating employment opportunities. The seminar gathered representatives of regional local authorities, NGOs from Grodno working on social issues, and project participants. Yuri Krasnoperov, the NGO head, provided an informative  presentation on the basic principles of social entrepreneurship, general types and different models of existing social enterprises, and legal issues and possible risks in this field. He also shared his own experience of creating an innovative IT social enterprise in Grodno, including obstacles they overcame  and results they expect to achieve. Within the framework of the project, the NGO also organized computer literacy courses, held ten education seminars on the use of modern IT, and conducted eight practical workshops on leadership, project planning, and business management.