Last October Jovesólides presented a research on social entrepreneurship in Europe and Latin America. The document addresses the public policies developed, and collects experiences for their promotion carried out in both continents. Is entrepreneurship really one of the pillars on which a new economic model is built? Is there a great distance between theory and practice? Does it solve unemployment?
One of the main conclusions of the research points out that social entrepreneurship has an unequal development, but the societies that bet the most to promote it, those that invest the most in social spending, tend to enjoy greater equality.
The study, conducted by Jovesólides, also confirms that the development of the social economy can provide an optimal response to high levels of unemployment, a consequence of crisis contexts. But to favor this possibility a regulation of the sector is necessary, in addition to applying promotional measures, favor its study…
This research, born in the framework of the project’ InnovaT: social innovation for youth entrepreneurship’, a program aimed at young people from various countries to promote social entrepreneurship in their communities, aims to make social entrepreneurship visible. To this end, it reflects the diversity of public policies that promote the sector as a social and economic development strategy; identifies the keys to these policies, generating good experiences; and provides a series of recommendations to replicate these in other contexts. 
Country study findings
Another striking conclusion of the study points out that in Spain and Latin America, the third sector is the main promoter of social entrepreneurship. Social enterprises, foundations, NGOs, associations… are the actors that most press for its promotion and intervene in the legislative process. Behind these we find civil society, universities and last but not least, the state.
In Europe only Greece and Portugal have developed specific legislation on social entrepreneurship, while in Spain and Romania there is a framework legislation on social economy but social entrepreneurship is not legislated nor there are specific promotion policies for its momentum.
Also in Latin America, countries such as Nicaragua and El Salvador have a very low level of social economy development. At another extreme we find Colombia, which is at the forefront of legislation in this sector, although today there is no specific line of promotion for social entrepreneurship, and it benefits from the lines of promotion of commercial entrepreneurship.
The report focuses on social entrepreneurship as a new possibility for social and economic development, more sustainable and fair. However, there is still a need for greater regulation of the sector and public policies tailored to its development needs, both in Europe and in Latin America. Meanwhile, social entrepreneurship is moving forward without haste, but without pause.
