Social economy comprises economic, business, productive and social activities. It includes organizations such as cooperatives, mutual societies and associations, nonprofit organizations, social enterprises and charities whose purpose is the pursuit of collective welfare and the serve of general social interest. The main feature of social economy is the different way of administration and management that constantly combines the common interest, economic performance and democratic functioning as well as the defense and implementation of the principles of solidarity and responsibility.

At the very time when Europe is facing refugee flows come from all over the world, demonstrating in practice that is structured on the principles of solidarity, support groups for refugees have been set up throughout the European countries. It is now absolute imperative for European citizens to show and offer the highest expression of their solidarity and their greatest attention. International and nonprofit organizations call on the governments to intensify their actions and efforts in order to help refugees to integrate and contribute to Europe’s societies and economies. Social economy actors plan, propose and ensure the implementation of programs or the participation in actions so as to help the inclusion of refugees.

Many refugees arrive in Europe with a great diversity of skills, experience and specializations that could make tangible contributions to the European Union workforce. The centrality of labor is commonly accepted as a measure to combat social exclusion though participation in paid employment is identified with social inclusion. Many social enterprises promote insertion into the working life through social economy. Social enterprises promise to recruit refugees and organizing training seminars and learning of the mother tongue of the host country. They take measures for the reception, restoration and integration of refugees.

From the perspective of the dominant policies, are invited to facilitate the transition of refugees into the labor market or, if this is not possible, become themselves a temporary integration space with temporary employment of refugees in voluntary organizations. From a radical perspective, social economy organizations are invited to create the conditions that will lead to empowerment of refugees.

Refugees can find work in:

• Social enterprises produce goods and services of general interest (provision of social services, health, welfare, culture and education).
• Social enterprises that promote employment integration of persons threatened with or experiencing social exclusion conditions.
• Social enterprises concerning integration in economic and social life of persons belonging to vulnerable groups.
• Social cooperative enterprises that promote local development and assist local production (activities aimed at community development). They aim at the production of products and services for the satisfaction of collective needs (culture, environment, ecology, education, utilization of local products, maintaining traditional activities).
• Social welfare enterprises, which relate to the production and provision of social, welfare character products and services to specific population groups, such as the elderly, infants, children, people with disabilities and people with chronic diseases.

The refugees, however, could set up and their own enterprises. Employment is crucial for the effective inclusion of refugees as it allows for economic and social participation as well as personal fulfilment for social economy. The host countries should provide refugees with subsidies and grants so as to develop business activities. In this way the refugees could set up small and viable enterprises with emphasis on strengthening their employment by creating sustainable new jobs.

Refugees may establish their own social enterprises so that:

• Can help their countrymen arriving from their country in order to integrate more easily in the host country, to find them a job, housing and support them and their families.
• To inform the society of the host country for their culture and traditions, cultural norms and manners as well as the cultural life of their country.
• To promote and produce their local kitchen and traditional products.

It is necessary to show our full solidarity and unstinting help to refugees chasing the dream of survival in order to escape poverty and war. Employment is the first step for the integration of refugees into the new society. For this reason, governments should give refugees the opportunity to paid work as a measure to social inclusion.