Entrepreneurial Education for Persons With Disabilities—A Social Innovation Approach for Inclusive Ecosystems

Abstract

Fostering entrepreneurship and inclusive societies are on top of EU policy agenda. This article is bringing together both aims by discussing a social innovation framework for inclusive entrepreneurial education for persons with disabilities. Similar to other disadvantaged groups, persons with disabilities can benefit from entrepreneurial skills for self-management or, on a next level, for starting own, opportunity-driven businesses. The framework suggests several building blocks considered necessary for successful entrepreneurial education for the beneficiaries. First, it is approaching the framework through a social innovation perspective. In doing so, it suggests a social innovation ecosystem perspective to operationalize all relevant stakeholders and contextual aspects relevant for the framework. Second, it suggests to build on socially innovative, hence novel, practices by starting from co-creation and co-production in order to meet individual demands and needs of learners. Furthermore, it takes the concept of universal design into account as it holds major implications for inclusive entrepreneurial education for persons with disabilities and underlines the need of different, more suitable practices in entrepreneurship education and beyond, toward an inclusive learning ecosystem.

Supporting persons with disabilities in entrepreneurship

“…The difference between those with and without disabilities is largely due to a higher likelihood of having a reduction in hours worked or the loss of employment. Similar statistics are reported in the United States where about 20% of those with disabilities have lost their job due to COVID-19 (Kessler Foundation, 2020 [42] ). These negative income shocks tend to have a greater impact on people with disabilities due pre-existing socio-economic exclusion and a lack of coping mechanisms since many already live in poverty (Banks et al, 2021 [43] ).…”

Mapping ethnic minority women entrepreneurs' support initiatives: experiences from the UK

“…However, Stam's approach does not recognise clearly the interdependence of the different elements and hence the drivers of change in the system: rather it emphasises compartmentalisation of activity. This research therefore highlights the issue of degree of openness and extent of support to all forms of entrepreneurship (Kruger and David, 2020).…”

“…The presence of these elements and the interaction between them play an important role in the success of an ecosystem (Stam, 2015). While this provides a general framework for policy analysis, at issue is the degree to which ecosystems are open to and supportive of all forms of entrepreneurship (Kruger and David, 2020).…”

Exploring Teachers’ Satisfaction and Students’ Entrepreneurial Competencies in Four Entrepreneurial Programs Carried Out in Extremadura (Spain) Schools

“…Finally, for all students, we don’t forget that entrepreneurial education at every stage of education can be the coming out of unsuspected entrepreneurial talents which only attends to be discovered and supported. In this regard, importantly, Krüger and David (2020) by developing an inclusive entrepreneurial education framework for person with disability stressed the importance of entrepreneurial education in promoting inclusion and social innovation. Therefore, the initiatives of the promotion of entrepreneurship in the classrooms carried out by the administration are seen as a bet for the future and a long-term investment in a wide range of educational practices.…”