In 2023 European Christian Academy was approved as coordinator of the NORDPLUS Higher Education consortial project “WE-THINK: ACCELERATING SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP FOR SOCIAL SUSTAINABILITY” (NPHE-2023/10257).
In January 30. 2023, participants of European Christian Academy took part in Forum for Educators in Social Entrepreneurship.
WE ARE NETWORKING:
- European Christian Academy (Latvia),
- Klaipeda University (Lithuania),
- VID Specialized University (NO).
OUR NETWORKING MAIN PURPOSE:
- To develop Intensive Course as impact focused anthropological knowledge accelerator for Social workers, equipping with competences and skills,
- To spread IDEA of Social entrepreneurship in relationship with Social work profession for effective inclusion of marginalized groups of society,
- To develop ANTHROPOLOGICAL approach bringing innovative changes in Social work profession and Social entrepreneurship through application of methodology of Anthropological Design Thinking,
- To prepare Methodology Handbook on how to use Anthropological Design Thinking method.
DEAR NETWORK COLLEAGUES:
Here are key persons for contacts on every step in our network:
| Skaidrīte Gūtmane, prof. – rektore@kra.lv | |
| Valters Dolacis – kursi@kra.lv | |
| Sonata Mačiulskytė, prof. – sonata.maciulskyte@ku.lt | |
| Tomas Sundnes Drønen – tomas.dronen@vid.no | |
| Secretary from European Christian Academy – bsoloveja@gmail.com |
MAIN OBJECTIVE:
- Long term collaboration between partnering HEIs for INNOVATIVE CULTURE FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS.
- To develop Intensive Course as accelerator for SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP INNOVATION ACTIVITIES.
WE LOOK FOR NETWORK EXTENSION AND MORE DEEP RESEARCH AND STUDENT EDUCATION IN SOCIAL WORK / SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP FROM ANTHROPOLOGICAL AND CULTURAL PERSPECTIVE.
ATTENTION!
Ass. prof. Valters Dolacis from European Christian Academy summarized your thoughts:
The main idea was to develop RADICAL INNOVATION that requires a consistent anthropological concept of human being and society. Please read the following articles published in Scientific Proceedings of European Christian Academy (attached as PDF file to your e-mails).
S.Gūtmane “Transforming attitude towards client in social work”
K.Urponen “Professional-centered and Client-oriented Social work”
INNOVATION
is the framework for Social Entrepreneurship and Social work in practice:
- Social work is confronted by the need to define and to create solutions to modern social problems,
- Social entrepreneurial activity as a privileged strategy to address structural unemployment and job insecurity.
FIRST NETWORK MEETING. June 28, 2023.
In Picture: prof. Skaidrīte Gūtmane (ECA), prof. Elvyra Aciene (KU), prof. Sonata Mačiulskytė (KU).
Activities:
- To establish the network and to elect the Board,
- Network activities: discussions about them,
- Quality and criteria for measuring quality of our activities,
- Plan of dissemination.
SECOND NETWORK MEETING. October 23, 2023.
Discussions on the Content and concept of the Intensive course.
INTENSIVE COURSE. March18-27, 2024.
DEAR COLLEAGUES! THE INTENSIVE COURSE PROGRAM WAS SENT TO EVERY STUDENT AND TEACHER. PLEASE RESPOND IF YOU HAVE RECEIVED IT – ALL QUESTIONS PLEASE CORRESPOND TO THE BOARD MEMBERS!
IC Course program is available for download here:
INTENSIVE COURSE IMPRESSIONS
THIRD NETWORK MEETING. September 23, 2024.
HANDBOOK “WE THINK: ACCELERATING SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP” just printed!
Also articles around the project themes are published in Proceedings of Klaipeda University (Lithuania) and monograph by prof. Skaidrīte Gūtmane “Towards the culture of compassion” was published.
- Skaidrīte Gūtmane. “Antropoloģija kā palīdzoša zinātne” (Anthropology as a helping science). – In: “Ceļā uz līdzjūtības kultūru” [Towards the culture of compassion]. Monograph. Jūrmala: Eiropas Kristīgā akadēmija, 2023,
- Brigita Kreiviniene, Marina Bondareva. “Subjectively perceived quality of life of patients with behavioral disorders” – In: Klaipeda University Scientific Journal “Tiltai/BRIDGES”, Vol. 92, Iss. 1 (2024): pp. 1-22). https://doi.org/10.15181/tbb.v92i1.2621; click here
- Guntis Dišlers. “On the discourse of the importance of the Caritative Anthropological Dimension in Social Work” – In: Klaipeda University Scientific Journal “Tiltai/BRIDGES”, Vol. 92, Iss. 1 (2024): pp. 163-180). https://doi.org/10.15181/tbb.v92i1.2630; click here
- Dace Dolace. “Anthropologically-Centred Supervision in the context of the Person-Centred Paradigm of Social Work”. In: Klaipeda University Scientific Journal “Tiltai/BRIDGES”, Vol. 92, Iss. 1 (2024): pp. 181-192). https://doi.org/10.15181/tbb.v92i1.2631; click here
- Arūnas Acus. “Empowerment of People Experiencing Violence in the Close Environment: An intervention programme”. – In: Article submitted for publication in Klaipeda University Scientific Journal “Tiltai/BRIDGES” in 2025, Vol. 93, Iss. 2025. (In print.)
USEFUL RESOURCES FOR FURTHER STUDIES
Sustainable Development Goals – European Commission.
Oslo’s big-hearted businesses. – Visit Oslo.
Asere A. Interesting social enterprises in Latvia.