SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP AS A STRATEGIC INSTRUMENT FOR STRENGTHENING SOCIAL WELFARE: ESSENCE, ROLE, AND DEVELOPMENT DIRECTIONS

Abstract

The article examines social entrepreneurship as a strategic instrument for strengthening social welfare and ensuring socio-economic resilience amidst modern transformations and wartime challenges in Ukraine. It substantiates the essence of social entrepreneurship and its role in resolving social, economic, and integration problems. Social enterprises successfully combine entrepreneurial activity with a social mission aimed at supporting vulnerable groups, increasing employment, expanding social services, and promoting inclusive economic growth.
Analyzing international experience, the study identifies the peculiarities of implementing social entrepreneurship in Ukraine, focusing on the Vinnytsia urban territorial community. This community demonstrates the gradual formation of an effective ecosystem comprising socially oriented business, municipal support, public initiatives, and international cooperation.
The article evaluates the socio-economic efficiency of social entrepreneurship using indicators such as social burden, entrepreneurial activity, potential employment, social coverage, and fiscal impact on local budgets. The findings confirm that social entrepreneurship significantly reduces unemployment among internally displaced persons, veterans, people with disabilities, and other vulnerable groups.
The research identifies key barriers to developing social entrepreneurship in Ukraine, including insufficient legal regulation, limited financial resources, grant dependence, and a lack of social impact measurement mechanisms. Promising development directions are proposed, including veteran entrepreneurship, digital social platforms, social investment mechanisms, and municipal support programs. Ultimately, social entrepreneurship serves as a vital factor in economic security, social cohesion, and sustainable community development during wartime and post-war recovery.