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Supported by Erasmus + Programme

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Open Digital Europe

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Out of the Box International develops a tailor made open data model and policies based on open digital environment which is transparent, accountable and secured.

Social Businesses

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Out of the Box International works with already existing hubs, various local and national stakeholders and social entrepreneurs in order to further develop and promote successful social entrepreneurship policies and practices.

Solidarity Europe

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Out of the Box International delivers expertise in the field of cohesive policies by using cross-sectorial approach and non-formal  education, in a global perspective.

European Project

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Out of the Box International  works further to enhance current cooperation in South East Europe region and actively supports the integration of all European countries in common European project.

An “Out of the Box” Year in Review

December 23, 2020

2020 has been an interesting year to say the least. What started as an exciting time ahead has quickly ground to a halt with the spread of COVID-19 worldwide. So how did we fare? Well, the dynamics of our work have first of all switched to home offices. What was supposed to be a year of travels and exciting things has become a reality of working from home and endless video conferences.

But as with all situations, we had a choice to make. We could either victimize ourselves, or we could use this time at home to work harder than ever, ensuring the next year will be even better. And most of all, during these difficult times, we realized the importance of supporting each other, as well as having (responsible, socially distanced) fun!

So, what did we achieve in 2020?

First of all, we managed to effectively carry on with our existing projects within both of our Brussels and Portuguese offices. For this we are forever grateful to our amazing partners and collaborators across Europe.

We have formed new partnerships for EU funded projects; we have also drafted a new strategic plan for OTB 2021-2025, focusing on Alternative Democracies, Fresh Ideas for Social Cohesion, Economy with Social Mission and Sustainability. The strategic plan will govern our next steps and activities during the planning period. On top of that, we have engaged in proactive work with the Board of Directors, Expert Pool, Financial Control Committee, as well as supplementing our office with fresh minds and great enthusiasm.

We are proud to note that we have evolved into a dynamic network with a lot of online activity. We have been approved 12 new exciting projects in line with our new priorities, ensuring not only rewarding work, but also financial stability that will allow our organisation to grow and develop.

We have established and further developed our key partnerships with organisations such as UBC, IED, EPA, CESIE, OTB, JEF, CEV, LABs, The Key, MBB, CSICY, IDEAS network, and many others.

And as the year is ending, I’m looking back and thinking of all the things that we have learned during the past extraordinary months.

We have learned of the importance of being ready to be surprised, and, of course, the necessity to keep an open mind for new opportunities when the usual pathways are blocked. We now know the importance of creativity with which we must develop our responses. We have learned of the absolute necessity of empathy and solidarity, be it long working hours or encouraging one to look for ways to express anger, frustration and sadness. And most of all, we have learned that there is always a need for more “Out of the Box” approaches and solutions.

 

I wish you a successful, “Out of the Box” 2021!

 

Marko Paunovic

CEO and Founder

Why Out of the Box International

The seemingly ever-lasting depression of European economies has shaken the very foundations of many European societies. The shear rate of unemployment in Europe and the omnipresent environmental crisis coupled with the often frustratingly slow process of decision making in the EU, are calling for civil society actors to step in and fill the void.

In the aftermath of the 2008. economic crisis, the apprehension of falling under the spell of apathy of economic depression across the continent has not been easy to shake off. However, pinpointing the culprits for the current state of affairs on any particular EU decision maker is not the answer. Nonetheless, the fact remains that the current approach to the economic and environmental crisis hasn’t yet shown the affected citizens the light at the end of the tunnel.

As representatives of the civil society we feel the need to make our voice heard in the midst of the current debate on economic crisis. Being a social enterprise we offer new and feasible ideas in education and community work, creative cross-sectorial cooperation among different actors and strong networking coalitions to turn these dire economic challenges into possibilities through social entrepreneurship initiatives which aim at benefiting wide range of citizens, particularly vulnerable groups and those affected by the economic crisis.

Social entrepreneurship is a simple concept that has been put into practice by civil society actors for the benefit of a specific social group or people, and this is precisely what we want: to create projects and initiatives with fresh ideas in different policies, educational programs or tools, support businesses, empower cultural initiatives and offer different solutions to individuals, corporate bodies, everybody who believe that we can have more Creative, Innovative and Cohesive Europe.

 

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