Andreana “Addy” Drencheva

Research insights for doing good and staying well

Hello, I’m
Andreana Drencheva.

Most people call me Addy.

I use original and rigorous research to help purpose-driven organisations create positive social change, while maintaining the wellbeing of their founders and employees. 

What am I currently working on?

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How do social entrepreneurs sustain their change efforts?

Stage: In dissemination

With: Wee Chan Au, Jian Li Yew

Funded by: Arts and Humanities Research Council

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How do social enterprises maintain their mission during crises?

Stage: In data analysis

With: Wee Chan Au

Funded by: Arts and Humanities Research Council

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How do social enterprises and their communities challenge power imbalances?

Stage: In data collection

With: Rising Arts Agency

Funded by: Centre for Cultural Value

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How do social intrapreneurs catalyse change from inside corporations?

Stage: In data collection

With: Elisa Alt, Ute Stephan, Circle of Intrapreneurs

Funded by: British Academy

Insights

Resources and actionable knowledge from published research

  • Power in Partnerships: A Companion for Equitable Collaboration

    Power is often the elephant in the room in partnerships for social or ecological change. Collaborations between grassroots organisations or social enterprises and established institutions are essential for creating impact — but inherent power imbalances affect both outcomes and the wellbeing of those involved. Too often, it’s the partners with fewer resources and less proximity […]

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  • Recently self-employed? Six tips on how to protect your wellbeing

    This article was originally written for The Conversation and co-written with Kristin Hildenbrand and Mike Duffy. Through choice or by necessity, some of us are becoming self-employed for the first time during the COVID-19 pandemic. Evidence from multiple countries suggests that self-employed workers are one of the groups hardest hit by the pandemic. Support offered by governments varies. Yet, […]

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  • Doing Good / Staying Well: A wellbeing toolkit

    The “Doing Good / Staying Well” toolkit provides social entrepreneurs with tools to reflect, plan, and make changes to maintain and protect their wellbeing, which can ultimately lead to sustainable social ventures that catalyse positive social change.

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  • How to know if your employer is serious about helping you find purpose in your work

    This article was originally written for The Conversation and co-written with Elisa Alt. Paychecks are important, of course, but many people also want their work to “matter”. Whether this means helping people in your local area, or contributing to a global cause like reducing waste and fighting the climate crisis, 70% of respondents to a 2020 survey said their personal […]

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  • Closing the ‘subjective impact gap’: How social enterprises can motivate and retain talent by overcoming doubts about their impact

    This article was originally written for The Next Billion. Social enterprises are increasingly lauded as an important mechanism to address development and climate challenges in low- and middle-income countries. Not only do they aim to tackle specific social and ecological issues that are at the core of their missions, but they also catalyse positive impact through […]

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