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Social entrepreneurship hub - Tkalka in Maribor
Published on 28 June 2018
Slovenia
Vzhodna Slovenija
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About this good practice
Tkalka/Weaver as alternative office building in the very heart of Maribor has reopened its gates in 2014 to a picturesque collage of organisations, initiatives and individuals who inhabit its premises in diverse processes of cooperation and in multifarious aspects of co-working. Fundamentally diverse activities of over 100 individuals and of more than 25 organisations inhabiting Tkalka/Weaver thus intertwine, connect and intersect in the organic atmosphere of a working and living habitat. Tkalka/Weaver thus stands for both the edifice it designates and the process it embodies: it is co-working in ceaseless formation; it is a delicate fabric of professional, conceptual and existential variety; it is supportive environment for socially engaged work and life.
As incubator of change on the total surface of 2500 m2, Tkalka/Weaver resonates in the polyphony of entrepreneurship and social economy, tourism, sustainable development, non-governmental sector, consultancy services and advocacy, environmental programmes, inter-generational initiatives, human resources development and employment strategies, local environment and its products. Fluid intertwinement of multi-coloured threads woven by Tkalka/Weaver has given birth to a new platform of social relations where life and work go hand in hand, embedding its offices, halls and stairways with solidarity and human dignity.
As incubator of change on the total surface of 2500 m2, Tkalka/Weaver resonates in the polyphony of entrepreneurship and social economy, tourism, sustainable development, non-governmental sector, consultancy services and advocacy, environmental programmes, inter-generational initiatives, human resources development and employment strategies, local environment and its products. Fluid intertwinement of multi-coloured threads woven by Tkalka/Weaver has given birth to a new platform of social relations where life and work go hand in hand, embedding its offices, halls and stairways with solidarity and human dignity.
Expert opinion
The Tkalka/Weaver hub in Maribor, Slovenia, is a good example of boosting SME competitiveness through a supportive environment. In this case, the hub focuses on social entrepreneurship, on the one hand offering physical space and on the other hand promoting new ways of collaboration and the development of new social practices. The co-working mindset is expected to lead to synergies between the companies operating in the hub and bring about benefits in areas relevant to the local economy, such as tourism, the environment and sustainable development. Having been awarded on several occasions, this social entrepreneurship hub might inspire other regions to develop similar initiatives, provided there is sufficient funding and other resources to do so.
Works at
Interreg Europe Policy Learning Platform
Resources needed
The municipality of Maribor has renovated old building of 2500 m2 and gave it to Tkalka/Weaver without rent for 5 years. Daily management is done by a 3-members team working fully voluntarily.
Evidence of success
Maribor, Slovenia’s second largest city, was awarded to be the European Capital of Social Economy for 2018. The reason is in the experience and achievements in the field of social entrepreneurship, which was done majorly by Tkalka/Weaver. It which was also awarded as best coworking space in Slovenia in 2015 having over 100 users including 25 social enterprises and cooperatives offering innovative solutions to social, economic and other problems of the region.
Potential for learning or transfer
Tkalka/Weaver is a space and at the same time is a social process promoting new ways of collaboration in society and development of new social practices, which may be interested for other regions.
Tkalka/Weaver) is an office building in Maribor, which was not in use for over 5 years. The owner, Municipality of Maribor, rented the premises for the purposes of tourism development, entrepreneurship, social entrepreneurship and cooperatives as well as for the development of social innovations. New users with their own volunteers work carried out the necessary basic reconstruction work, cleaning and equipping with the help of sponsors and donators which were attracted to participate. In 2014 became a 2500 m² large co-working space, a community space, providing roof of possibilities to a very diverse crowd of enthusiastic, persistent and creative people.
Tkalka/Weaver) is an office building in Maribor, which was not in use for over 5 years. The owner, Municipality of Maribor, rented the premises for the purposes of tourism development, entrepreneurship, social entrepreneurship and cooperatives as well as for the development of social innovations. New users with their own volunteers work carried out the necessary basic reconstruction work, cleaning and equipping with the help of sponsors and donators which were attracted to participate. In 2014 became a 2500 m² large co-working space, a community space, providing roof of possibilities to a very diverse crowd of enthusiastic, persistent and creative people.
Further information
Website
Good practice owner
You can contact the good practice owner below for more detailed information.
Organisation
TKALKA, razvojna zadruga
Slovenia
Vzhodna Slovenija
Contact
Senior research and project manager