SNL Makes Social Economy Impact Visible in Eastern Germany
The ASSETS project is investigating the real-world impact of social economy organisations across six European regions. In Germany, the spotlight is on Soziales Netzwerk Lausitz gemeinnützige GmbH (SNL), a key partner advancing rural self-help and community support through neighbourhood assistance, counselling, digital access, and grassroots collaboration.
In Weißwasser, researchers from the Universität zu Köln recently carried out fieldwork to interview SNL staff, engage with local stakeholders, and map the impact of the organisation’s work. This effort contributes directly to the ASSETS project’s core goal: making the contributions of social economy organisations visible, measurable, and scalable.
SNL’s approach highlights key lessons that resonate across the social economy:
- Innovation must lead to implementation
- Long-term impact requires work beyond fixed project cycles
- Systematic reflection and learning are essential
- Evaluation tools can drive visibility and improvement
Methods like stakeholder mapping and impact evaluation, though often viewed as abstract, are proving to be valuable tools for learning and long-term resilience.
Together with SNL, the ASSETS project is helping shape a more effective, accountable, and future-ready social economy in Germany and across Europe.
