North Macedonia. There is a deficiency of systematic overview of social enterprises in North Macedonia. Here the terms of social entrepreneurship and social enterprise had emerged over the last few years. Social enterprises subsidise to the creation of informal jobs (as a transitory stage between training and employment) and increase a disadvantaged worker’s level of productivity and offer high quality jobs to the most vulnerable members of society. Still, the understanding of social enterprises is less on adult education provider as being considered an informal sort of education. Instead, adult education institutions have a long tradition in Macedonia, since the 1920s when the first Folks’ University was established. Since 2011, according to the Law on Open Civic Universities for Lifelong Learning, they are defined as “institutes providing public services in the area of formal education of youth and adults” (elementary education for adults, secondary education for adults, professional training, vocational education for occupation, technical education for post-secondary education of adults, re-training and further training, including non-formal education for young people and adults) intended for making these people capable for work, for various social activities or personal development in accordance with the Law on Adult Education. Although they have the status of public institutes, they lost the funding from the state in 2001 so they are forced to do self-financing. The Law on Open Civic Universities for Lifelong Learning provided modalities for their transformation but only some of them have passed through this process. Besides the Open Civic Universities in North Macedonia, in the past several years, complying with the Law of Adult Education, non-formal education and training providers are schools, higher education institutions, as well as specialised adult education institutions, companies, trade unions, social enterprises, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) registered in the area of the adult education. Based on the experience of the country, these adult education providers play an important role in the local community and enjoy support from the state that guarantees state funding of their operation and provision of programmes. The intention is to open up access to education for all, with the inclusion of the marginalised groups, capacity building of the adult population for an increase of their employability in accordance with the labour market needs, etc. It is i...
North Macedonia. In Macedonia there is no concrete law for lifelong learning, but lifelong learning is part of other different laws connected to education. As a part of the system of education lifelong learning is included in adult education law, law for national qualification framework, law for vocational education and training, law for higher education. Legislation on primary and secondary education provided only for ‘second chance’ opportunities for adults with uncompleted compulsory education to complete their primary school qualifications, without which they are gravely disadvantaged in the labour market. The first strategic Programme for Adult Education was developed in 2006, setting out objectives for tackling the illiteracy problem and providing basic education, providing education to increase life opportunities and increase social cohesion, and ensuring that adults are able to acquire skills and knowledge that equip them to meet labour market needs and cope with social change. The Lifelong Learning Strategy 2017–2020, inspired by European standards and funded by the EU Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance, aims to enhance lifelong learning by modernising the vocational education and training and adult education systems.
North Macedonia. The existing legal system in North Macedonia does not recognise or regulate social enterprises, and there is yet no uniform understanding of this concept. Currently, the entities that comprise the social enterprise spectrum in North Macedonia are diverse. There are no specific institutional forms designed for social enterprises. Nevertheless, the absence of a regulatory framework does not have a negative impact nor prevents the development of the social enterprise practice in the country. They utilise diverse legal forms, which are regulated by specific legal acts within the Macedonian regulatory framework, such as: • Associations • Sheltered workspaces, • Cooperatives. Yet, the predominant legal form of social enterprise is association. Some of the legal forms hold the potential to develop as social enterprises, while others could easily diverge from the social enterprise practice in a different legal environment.
North Macedonia. There are currently no de facto WISEs networks acting at national or regional level in North Macedonia. However, from the perspective of the wider social economy, actors with a potential to grow into WISEs and taking the lead on this initiative are quite diverse: • CSOs – mostly the legal forms of associations and foundations; • Cooperatives including agricultural cooperatives; • Sheltered companies; • Sole proprietor and other forms of trade companies; • Informal solidarity initiatives and young entrepreneurs.
North Macedonia. State Operational programmes for the active employment measures offer an array of subsidies and other types of support to work based adult education providers, individuals and other employers to support the employment of people facing barriers to enter the labour market. Implemented through the State Employment Agency, these measures are: • self-employment programmes, • support to start-up youth businesses, • subsidised jobs for employment of young people, people at social risk, people with disabilities etc., • training programmes and internships, • public works, • several pilot programmes. The measures for self-employment and start-up youth businesses can be utilised by the new aspiring social entrepreneurs while the measures for subsidised employment might be of importance to social enterprises employing people from vulnerable groups. Since 2008, training for non-formal education has been included in the Operation plan for active labour market measures and programmes. Financing of these trainings is provided by the state. The procedure for the implementation of programmes, measures and services for employment is defined by the Operational Guidelines, adopted by the EARM in cooperation with the other implementing partners. The inclusion of the unemployed persons in the programmes or measures for employment is done on the basis of transparent application processes. The services provided by ESA are throughout the year. Unemployed persons in the course of their participation in the active programmes, measures and employment services will continue to use the acquired right to social assistance and unemployment benefit. Unemployed persons and employers are informed about the possibility to participate in programmes, measures and services in a number of ways (telephone, SMS, e-mail). A suitable agreement is concluded with the participants, which regulates in detail their rights and obligations and also with the adult education providers. Financing of the adult education providers is also provided by the State, the only condition is to have a verified programme in the Adult Education Centre and verified institution for that programme in the Ministry of Education and Science. Other ways or financing is self-financing of the participants, IPA projects, or other projects.
North Macedonia. Main issues that work-based adult education providers are facing in North Macedonia are the following: • The system of lifelong learning in the country needs further development to improve the quantity and quality of adult education programmes, mainly in the area of non-formal education. There is a limited supply of high quality and certified adult learning programmes and work –based adult education providers. There is relatively little demand for non-formal education and training and low awareness among companies of the benefits of training for employees. For instance, labour force survey data shows that only 2.3% of the population aged 25 to 64 participated in education and training in the four weeks prior to the survey in 2017. This is much lower than the EU average of 10.9%. The 2016 data from the lifelong learning survey also indicates that about 10% of employed workers aged 25 to 64 were involved in job-related non-formal training or education (either paid for by their employer or paid for by the worker himself/herself). In the EU, on average, more than one-third of employed people (35.8%) took part in some job-related training or education. This data shows that in North Macedonia very few adults upgrade their skills and knowledge throughout their working life. This probably hinders their productivity, and consequently their salary and promotion prospects. • Accordingly, this shows the need to mitigate the mismatches between the demand for and supply of skills. Various stakeholders are involved in skills governance in the country. These include the Ministry of Education and Science, the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy, the Employment Service Agency, social partners, NGOs, research bodies and international donor organisations.
North Macedonia. Strategy For Cooperation Of The Government With The Civil Society, 2012-2017 xxxxx://xxx.xxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx/sites/default/files/dokumenti/STRATEGY_FOR_COO PERATION_OF_THE_GOVERNMENT_WITH_THE_CIVIL_SOCIETY(2012-2017).pdf
