Connecting freelancers for a better work-life balance

• Author: Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion (European Commission)
• Pages: 44-45

SOCIAL INNOVATION: INSPIRATIONAL PRACTICES

SUPPORTING PEOPLE THROUGHOUT THEIR LIVES

44

© Create Responsible

The dif‌ferent areas of Create Responsible’s activities

Problem addressed

Individuals in the cultural sector are more likely to be

self-employed or to be working in temporary employment.

Across the EU, the proportion of people who were self-

employed in the creative industry was more than double the

average observed for the whole economy in 2018 – 33%

and 14%, respectively. Freelancing and job f‌lexibility are more

common in the creative sector but may result in job insecurity

and considerable variations in income over time. To avoid

this, freelancers need to rely on strong professional networks

to f‌ind and retain employment. However, initiatives that help

freelancers in specif‌ic sectors develop such networks and

strengthen their entrepreneurial skills are limited.

Innovative solution

Create Responsible is the f‌irst e-cooperative in Slovenia to

use a digital platform to support, connect and empower

freelancers, part-time workers and the unemployed,

particularly those in the creative sector, such as designers

and artists. The core function of the platform is to create

an online space where these workers can connect with

industry professionals and with each other. Through this

online space, Create Responsible aims to help creative

workers to create a sustainable and stable workf‌low,

which improves the predictability of work, therefore

creating a better work-life balance. The platform is also

used to provide support and training, giving individuals the

opportunity to continue adapting their skills and remain

competitive within their markets.

Following the success of this initiative, Create Responsible

opened a ‘Buy Responsible’ physical store. This is the

f‌irst store that connects socially conscious producers in

Slovenia. The store also of‌fers a testing ground for new

businesses that are not yet sure whether their product is

market-ready, building skills that may support innovative

and entrepreneurial ideas that counter new forms of self-

employment based on precariousness.

Connecting freelancers for a better

work-life balance

Create Responsible

Slovenia

Create

Responsible

Artif‌icial

Intelligence

Social economy

of Slovenia

Cooperative

“Responsible

Creators”

Blockchain

Sustainable

Development Goals

Precarious

freelance workers