CTRP Maribor, social enterprise

Centre for Sustainable Rural Development CTRP Maribor is non-profit, humanitarian social enterprise, which provide expertise and organisational support to social and other initiatives that support economic, social, environmental and cultural development of the Štajerska region in a sustainable way. We offer support to beginners as well as experienced entrepreneurs, so they can fully develop their business ideas and potentials. We are also active at international level, constantly developing new projects and cooperating with similar organisations from Europe.

We offer non-formal education and guidance for different target groups: people living in rural areas, people with special needs, the unemployed.

We organize workshops, where individuals acquire specific skills and knowledge as added value:

• acquiring of suitable work habits, knowledge, experience and skills needed for finding employment,

• strengthening individual work stamina, persistence in working, sociability,

• networking with local institutions to secure long term working possibilities,

• acquiring of competitive knowledge and competencies, demanded by the labour market, accounting for social enterprises,

• employment after finished training.

We currently employ 6 full time employes and 6 additional individuals are taking part in the learnig workshops. Some of them will be employed by us. We also cooperate with 37 volunteers.

Our areas of activity are development of creative small businesses and new jobs in rural areas, development of sustainable tourism in the countryside and in (protected) areas of nature, local sustainable food production and healthy nutrition, effective and sustainable use of local resources and energy (wood, water) for the purpose of development and commerce (sustainable construction, sustainable sources of energy, local produce), preservation and sustainable activation of natural heritage, preservation and creative development-promoting use of tangible and intangible cultural heritage (buildings, customs, traditional arts and crafts) ustainable mobility, sustainable environment protection (biological water treatment systems, use of natural materials and resources, …), education and awareness-raising about various aspects of sustainable development.

Main activities are:

• cooperation and support in development and implementation of projects or specific activities aimed at sustainable development proposed by local communities, associations, individuals, companies, institutions and international partners,

• development and implementation of our own projects and specific activities aimed at sustainable development (educational activities, events, awareness-raising activities, projects),

• identification of social and economic innitiatives among local stakeholders (municipalities, associations, individuals, companies) and combining them into strong cooperative projects aimed at sustainable development of the countryside,

• shaping ideas and proposals into projects for the acquisition of national and European funding and private-entrepreneurial funding,

• acquiring new knowledge, experiences and good practice examples in the field of sustainable economy and use of natural resources and transferring them to stakeholders in the Štajerska region and Slovenia,

• education and awareness-raising about all aspects and fields of sustainable development among the general public and among stakeholders,

• networking and coordination with similar institutions in Slovenia and abroad for greater success and efficiency in achieving our goals.

Contact person: Simona Klančnik

Website: https://kulturnadediscina.si/