INSY, Inclusion and Employment in theGreen Belt of the North

Project overview

Social enterprises create value that no balance sheet can see. INSY builds the framework that finally makes it visible, and turns it into funding, policy and jobs across the Norwegian–Swedish border.

Background

A social enterprise that moves someone from exclusion into work produces enormous societal value, and almost no financial evidence of it. That gap is not academic: without documentation, enterprises struggle to secure funding, and public authorities struggle to justify supporting them. INSY tackles the missing measurement tools head-on, focusing on the kind of typical, small social enterprises that actually populate the border region, and on inclusion, employment and competence supply in the Green Belt of the North.

Objectives

• · Develop a scalable methodology for measuring and optimising the effects of social entrepreneurship
• · Identify the success factors behind viability and scalability for social enterprises
• · Create a locally adapted framework for measuring social value, usable as a common platform by enterprises, funders and public authorities
• · Turn the framework into education: course material and a training package that strengthen enterprises' ability to document and communicate their value
• · Deliver policy recommendations and guidance for sustainable business models
• · Establish a cross-border network and a digital platform for knowledge sharing

Partners

• · Coompanion Jämtland (Sweden)
• · Prios Kompetanse (Norway)

KBT's role

KBT Fagskole AS is Norwegian project owner and leads the cross-border cooperation. Project team: Thommy Andresen and Karl Johan Johansen.

Target groups

• · Social entrepreneurs in the border region
• · Public actors designing policy and support schemes
• · Educational institutions

Activities

• · Selecting and following two pilot social enterprises on each side of the border
• · Developing, testing and implementing the measurement methodology with the pilots
• · Producing course material and an education package on social value measurement
• · Building a cross-border network and digital knowledge platform

Results / expected results

• · A shared plan for a locally adapted social value measurement framework
• · Course material and training package for social entrepreneurs
• · Policy recommendations and guidance for sustainable business models
• · Stronger access to funding for enterprises that can document their impact

Timeline

1. Project start

   January 2026

2. Pilot enterprises selected and followed

   2026 – 2027

3. Project end

   December 2028