We are pleased to announce that Social Innovators (SI) hubs in Bulgaria, Croatia and Slovenia were launched. The hubs are open spaces created to support and accelerate social innovations and contribute to local communities, hosting more than 1550 people per year, participating in a wide variety of events. From the opening of HUBs until March 2020, there were 258 visitors in Slovenia, more than 550 in Croatia and 511 in Bulgaria. In total more than 60 civil society organizations used HUBs and almost 1000 young people participated in various activities hosted there.
Due to the current situation with the global COVID-19 pandemic, all three SI hubs are currently closed to the public. We are looking forward to opening our doors again for organizations, citizens and initiatives as soon as it will be safe to organize public gatherings again.
SI hub in Slovenia
On December 11th of 2019, at Gortan Square 15 in Koper, PiNA opened the first community space in Istria, dedicated to meeting societal challenges. Social Innovators HUB (SI HUB) will provide free space sharing, offer educational and informative content and expert advice for developing ideas and supporting project planning and implementation of actions and programs. More than a hundred people attended the opening of the HUB.
Those interested will be able to join the SI HUB program by applying for the Annual Call for Proposals for Non-Governmental Organizations and Disorganized Youth Groups and Individuals.
Read more here.
SI hub in Croatia
The Social Innovators hub in Croatia, branded as YIHR.hub was launched on November 28, 2019. The YIHR.hub at Đorđićeva 8a in Zagreb is a new space dedicated for civil society organizations, informal civic initiatives and others. More than 100 CSOs, media, and college staff and students attended the event. The YIHR.hub opening started with the Social Innovators project presentation, as well as a panel “Deconstruction of Social Innovations – the return of the underrated!”. The panelists shared their formative experiences in CSOs and the IT sector, discussed the potential for social innovations, and shared their perspective on activities planned within the Social Innovators project.
In the earthquake in Zagreb that happened on March 22, YIHR.hub was severely damaged. Stay tuned for updates about the hub activities in the following months.
Read more about the hub launching event here.
SI hub in Bulgaria
On October 18, 2019, the Social Innovators Bulgaria was officially opened. The space was presented to the public as a place to enable NGOs and young people who want to work in the civic sector, learn and develop social innovation together.
In this format, the first official day was also held – over 100 participants, various civic organizations and causes who had the space to share, inspire and exchange ideas. Bulgarian Center for Not-for-Profit Law, Maria World Foundation, Concordia Bulgaria Foundation, Bulgarian Biodiversity Foundation and Ideas Factory Association opened the world to the civil sector and social innovation – through various workshops and discussions, organizations provoked participants to think socially, how useful is one thing we create to society.
