Innovative Approaches to Social Activation Using Collaborative Social Work Concepts: The Case of Social Enterprise in Working with the Vulnerable Long-Term Unemployed

The article presents a case study of a social enterprise in Slovenia that offered an innovative social activation program based on collaborative approaches. The characteristics of social activation in Slovenia with the legal context of social entrepreneurship are presented, and the innovative approach to social activation is discussed. The results are based on small qualitative research with two focus groups (with professionals and users of the project) and suggest the great importance of collaborative social work concepts: the individual working project of help and working relationship of co-creation as a potential for better results for users. Both the barriers and supportive factors to the use of collaborative approaches are discussed. Suggestions are made on how to put collaborative social work concepts into practice and how to increase competence for their consistent application.