Social entrepreneurship is an approach in the social economy that is becoming increasingly popular in Slovenia. It focuses on the well-being of society and the solution of social problems, and promotes innovation. Unlike traditional entrepreneurship, their goal is not only to generate profit. In most cases, social enterprises are financed from public funds, and financial resources can also be obtained through donations, sponsorships, co-financing, etc. The successful operation and development of a social enterprise is also influenced by the local environment, which can encourage or in some cases hinder social enterprises. In the thesis, the central problem question refers to encouragements and obstacles that social enterprises receive from local environment during their development. I obtained quantitative data with the help of an online survey, which I forwarded to all social enterprises in Slovenia that were entered in the Evidenca socialnih podjetij 31.12.2019 and whose e-mail addresses I obtained. I found out what obstacles social enterprises faced in the beginning of their business and what obstacles they face in their current business and how they solved them. I also learned how certain element of the local community, such as municipality, local companies, educational institutions, centers for social work, social welfare institutions, local associations and citizens hindered or encouraged the development of social enterprises in the beginning of business and how they hinder or encourage them in current business. I also found out what are the needs of social enterprises for support from the local environment. The survey showed that 90% of the surveyed social enterprises encountered one or more obstacles during their development, and most of them pointed out problems with financing. Social enterprises solve these obstacles by better promoting the social enterprise and by improving cooperation with the municipality. Local environments are 94% partially or fully support social enterprises, but most support social enterprises receive from municipalities and individuals. In the research I found out that social workers could also help promote social entrepreneurship by advertising and raising awareness of the local community, which according to the data is insufficiently aware of social entrepreneurship, as social workers have contact with people who may need services or products that are provided by local social enterprises.
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