The social and solidarity economy and social work in Belgium: a joint pathway for sustainable transitions

The chapter discusses bridges that exist between the social and solidarity economy (SSE) and social work (SW) in Belgium. After setting out the theoretical framework of these two disciplinary worlds in the Belgian context, the chapter sets out to demonstrate how some initiatives in these disciplines strive for a renewed society model, focusing on a universal wellbeing and welfare community. The different case studies bring to the fore the richness stemming from the diversity of actors working together to reach the ultimate goal of an ecosocial just transition including everyone. Thanks to the active engagement within either a work integration social enterprise in Wallonia or a city district in a community organisation for an urban regeneration in Brussels, the users, beneficiaries, stagiaires and citizens have the opportunity to actively participate and be directly associated with the decision making at the various stages of the given project. In the first case study, the stagiaires co-shape their future professional integration; in the second case, it is social emancipation and democratic participation in district public policy. In short, the joint SSE and SW pathway for a transition towards a more sustainable society world is not only an abstract theoretical road, but also a robust, tangible and existing road under construction.