At a Glance
Location:
Kolonowskie, Poland
Impact Area:
Labor Inclusion
People Supported:
People with Disabilities, Rural
Joined NESsT Portfolio:
2015
Overview
Young people with intellectual disabilities in Poland are at high risk of social exclusion and unemployment. Currently, less than 0.1% of people with intellectual disabilities participate in the labor market.
Siedlisko runs a nursing home providing full-time high quality care for seniors and people with chronic illnesses, and also delivers catering and laundry services to local companies, individuals and public institutions. The social enterprise trains and employs youth with intellectual disabilities and long-term unemployed people as caregivers of the residents as well as in running the catering and laundry services.
Hear the story of Justyna and other young people who are finding meaning and earning income working for Siedlisko. Click the image above to watch the video.
Results & Impact
47
people with intellectual disabilities received job offers
55
people with intellectual disabilities who received vocational training
178
family members of people with intellectual disabilities who received support
“We are thrilled with the NESsT award. It shows that we have chosen the right course of action related to the labor inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities. We look forward to further support from NESsT to increase the chances for our success.”
NESsT Investment
Siedlisko joined the NESsT portfolio in 2014. NESsT selected Siedlisko as part of its initial cohort of social enterprises in Poland.
NESsT invested start-up capital to help Siedlisko finalize the construction of its energy efficient nursing home and to launch its employment program, allowing the enterprise to open its doors to clients and begin operations in July 2015. In subsequent years, NESsT invested in the development of the enterprise’s catering service which increased the efficiency and production capacity of the kitchen. It also invested in financing a new delivery vehicle that fueled growth in sales of approximately 25% to individual customers. By the end of 2018, Siedlisko achieved a 28% increase in revenues from its catering line and by the end of 2019, they achieved a 16% increase in revenues from the business overall. After five years of successful cooperation, in 2019, NESsT invested again in the extension of the nursing home in order to accommodate more residents and increase number of employees.
The NESsT team in Poland also worked closely with Siedlisko to refine its business model and to improve its operations, conduct market research and outreach, and train the management team. Most recently, it provided guidance on the development of a new home-care service.
Siedlisko has especially benefited from members of NESsT's mentor network, receiving pro-bono advice, including the topic of legal protection for potential franchise opportunities. It also supported the enterprise to obtain certifications for both the catering and caregiver professions for people with disabilities.
Answering the global Covid-19 crisis, NESsT has developed a special support plan for its portfolio. To support Siedlisko, NESsT advised on accessing bailout programs and consulted the energy savings investment for the facility. As the crisis put at the greatest risk elderly & chronically-ill, NESsT plans to further support Siedlisko in advocating for this group.
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