In the last ten years, the Quebec network of Native Friendship Centres has supported the development of social economy projects within the ten Centres d’Amitié Autochtones (CAA – Native Friendship Centres) in Québec. Around fifteen social economy initiatives are already in progress and aim at meeting the urgent needs of Native people living in urban environments in a culturally relevant way. These initiatives are taking place in the following economic sectors of activity: CPEs (Early Childhood Centers), community housing, socio-professional integration, personal services and care, food security and food service, tourist and recreational activities, aboriginal art and culture. Two innovative projects will be presented: the Sakihikan project (Intercultural and recreational crossroads) of La Tuque’s CAA and the Kijaté project (social housing) of Val-d’Or’s CAA.

Graefewirtschaft is a social enterprise creating jobs for immigrants and refugees in Berlin. Graefewirtschaft runs different businesses including catering for schools, kindergardens and daycare centres, a canteen and household services and operates a restaurant that supports a group of immigrants. Together these businesses employ a total of 50 people. Graefewirtschaft was founded in 2009 by long-term unemployed immigrants and Germans. Immigrants and asylum seekers are often denied access to the German labour market because of the difficulties of having the qualifications acquired abroad recognized or their unclear residence status. This is the gap where Graefewirtschaft comes in, empowering immigrants and refugees through secure jobs, to which they can contribute and develop their skills At the same time, the services created reflect the culturally diverse district while the different businesses developed are based on local needs in the neighborhood and the skills of the immigrants.

Nyarugusu refugee camp is located in Kigoma, Tanzania. Just like other refugee camps, it is characterized by lack of financial capital and inadequate skills that hardly enable people to engage in economic activities such as micro business, income generating activities and savings.

Good Neighbors Tanzania, as an only implementing partner of UNHCR in Livelihood sector, has been initiated to reduce existing conflict between refugees and host communities and to promote self-reliance and reduce economic dependency of refugees in Nyarugusu camp through delivering multi-dimensional livelihood coping mechanism. The outputs have been the establishment of adequate venue for market-driven livelihoods intervention through mixed solution (incubate micro business and varied income generating activities, constructing additional common market with 80 kiosks and connected day care center); the increase of accessibility to capital and consumables for livelihood opportunity (financing for micro business and income generating activities through micro financing systems) and the provision of entrepreneurship and vocational skills training to refugees and host communities.

The CSMO-ÉSAC has positioned itself as a major partner in the development of the social economy and employment sector and community action. It strives to play an important role both in the social economy sector and that of community work. The mission of the CSMO-ÉSAC is to promote and consolidate dialogue and partnerships in order to resolve labour issues common to businesses and agencies in the industry. It seeks to ensure the development of the labour force and employment on a sectoral basis through the mobilization and interaction of the main actors involved, through increased understanding of the labour market and by establishing lifelong learning and action strategies.