An Italian Pattern of Social Enterprise: the Social Cooperative

The article describes how the social cooperative has becomeinstrumental in the expansion of the social economy in Italy. Itreports the contribution these associations have made to broadeningthe concept and parameters of volunteer organizations,providing basic social welfare services and integrating many disadvantagedpeople into the active society. By virtue of their abilityto activate wider social projects, this type of social enterprisecould be of interest and relevance to other countries (followingthis example, in 2001 the French government created theSociétés coopératives d'intérét collectif), but they call for adequatecompetencies and protection under specific laws because,on the whole, they are too small and depended on publiccontributions.