On April 9th, the SESI Project brought together partners, youth participants, experts, and changemakers from across Europe for an inspiring international webinar focused on sharing the final results of the project and how social entrepreneurship can be a powerful enabler of inclusion.

Funded by Erasmus Plus, SESI (Social Entrepreneurship as an Enabler of Inclusion) is a collaborative initiative focused on empowering disadvantaged youth through social entrepreneurship. Over the past two years, organizations from Poland, Romania, Belgium, and Spain have joined forces to build a stronger ecosystem of support for youth-driven impact.

Representatives from each partner organization briefly introduced themselves: Fundacja Regeneracja (Poland), AIDE Association (Romania), Youth ProAktiv (Belgium/Spain), and Imagine Apps (Spain) and Espacio Geranios (Spain)—all bringing diverse strengths to the table.

Highlighting Results and Best Practices

One of the main goals of the SESI Project was focused on collecting best practices in social entrepreneurship. Each country team conducted national focus groups and then came together in Madrid for a powerful international exchange week filled with trainings, study visits, and shared learnings. The resulting Best Practices Guide—available in five languages—highlights impactful initiatives and offers tools for youth workers and educators.

Key Spanish contributors like Rachida Justo (IE University), Apadrina un Olivo, La Osa, Ecooo, Espacio Afro, and others featured prominently in the case studies.

During the webinar, Rocío Nogales, director of the EMES Network and a member of the UN Task Force for Social and Solidarity Economy, shared about her work and how initiatives like PAES and Emccinno are helping develop a broader understanding of social enterprise across Europe and beyond.

Diving into Understanding Social Entrepreneurship

Teresa Pallarés-Ramos from Youth ProAktiv shared results from Work Package 3, which included a dynamic cycle of webinars, audiovisual content, and interactive matching-up sessions. These allowed participants to learn from changemakers across Europe.

One such changemaker was Chandler Jefferson, former Head of Startups at We Make Change, who joined the session to discuss his global work in inclusive innovation and how social enterprise can open doors for marginalized communities.

Youth Voices and Replicable Models

Andreea Mihaela Balasa from AIDE presented Work Package 4, focused on building a replicable model for training young social entrepreneurs. This included three transnational learning events and tailored coaching sessions.

Youth participants Karolina (Poland) and Andrei (Romania) brought energy and authenticity to the session by sharing their personal experiences in the project—from learning visits to local action.

Launching the SEED Connect App

To close, Fundacja Regeneracja introduced one of the project’s most exciting innovations: the SEED Connect App—a digital platform designed to connect and support youth social entrepreneurs across borders. The app reflects the spirit of SESI: collaboration, access, and sustainable impact.

You can download the SEED Connect App to connect with others and share interesting content and resources related to social entrepreneurship and youth empowerment. 

• IOS
• Android

The session wrapped with an open Q&A and the reading of a poem by Mary Oliver, leaving attendees inspired and equipped with new tools and networks to continue fostering inclusive change.

You can access the link to the recording of the webinar here.