EMPOWERMENT GATEWAY

The Business Case Synopsis

Globalisation and the adoption of the 'free market' economic models have added new challenges to the development and sustainability of local communities, in fact they have failed to lead to a more even distribution of benefits for all, instead there is ample evidence that the gap between the rich and the poor at international, national and local levels has grown and will continue to grow.

Another consequence of the free-market economic model has been rising unemployment, capital flight from local communities and the displace and shrinkage of the traditional middle class.

As a result, there is a drive by many stakeholder groups to promote community development as a necessary imperative for a socially just and democratic society and in turn increase the capacity of citizens to act in their own best interests.

It is within above context that the concept for the I Support campaign was formed.

The I Support Programme is a Fourth Sector Social Enterprise, and focus on:

1. Income retention development programmes (Micro Businesses, SMEs and family owned enterprises)
2. Income earning and job creation programmes
3. Development and transitional support for traditional businesses, socially responsible businesses, social enterprises and fourth sector organisations
4. Strengthening of civic organisations and NGOs in local communities
5. Capital retention in local communities
6. Marketing and promotion of local communities to internal and external stakeholders, visitors and tourists
7. Creation and retention of internal and external markets
8. Development of inter-community collaboration (in the same country and cross-borders)

The programme kick-started in Europe on 1 February 2011 in Portugal with the "I Support Lagos" program.

Once the model has been proven, it will be replicated to other local communities in the Algarve.

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