WE WOULD LIKE TO INFORM YOU that at the end of July 2020, we completed work on the "Social(i)Makers" project.
The main objective of the "Social(i)Makers" project was to build an environment conducive to the development and dissemination of knowledge and tools enabling the implementation of social innovations that address current social and environmental issues requiring new, unconventional approaches. To this end, extensive educational and communication activities were implemented, targeting potential stakeholders of social innovation, including financial institutions, entrepreneurs, decision-makers, and citizens.
Project activities were addressed to creators of social innovations, commercial entities interested in incorporating social innovations into business processes, and public institutions looking for non-standard solutions to improve the quality of services offered to citizens.
The project was implemented in two stages.
Stage one
Social Innovation Academy (implemented in 2017-2019)
Activities completed:
- Social Innovation Academy – a free and publicly available online course and on-site training consisting of 7 modules that guide participants through the process of implementing social innovations – from concept, through implementation, to impact assessment. The Academy repository can be found here.
- "Social(i)Makers" Festivals – events promoting the Academy of Social Innovation, organized in each of the 7 partner countries
- Webinars – complementary activities for the Academy of Social Innovation, deepening knowledge on selected issues related to the implementation of social innovations.
- Webinar on Active Citizenship – learn from a real case
- Scaling Social Impact – Discover how social enterprises are amplifying their impact
- Can Blockchain be a tool for Social Innovation?
- Successful strategies to work effectively with Stakeholders
- How do I capture and communicate impact?
- Is Europe financing Social Innovation?
- Social Innovation Policies – What role can hybrid business models play in generating social innovation?
Stage two
Social Innovation Skyrocket Lab (implemented in 2019-2020)
Activities completed:
- World café workshops organized in 7 partner countries
- 7 hackathons organized in each partner country. The Polish edition of the hackathon, "Ethical Fashion Hackathon," was dedicated to developing social innovations that address the challenges of the fashion industry.
- The “Do Business, Make Impact” conference, addressed to startups, social innovators and representatives of socially responsible companies, was part of a series of conferences organized by partner organizations.
- Pilot projects in the area of social innovation implemented in 7 partner countries:
- Innovation Sharing Approach, Poland
- Diginclusion Hub, Austria
- Scalerator, Germany
- Innovative models for employment, Hungary
- Social Impact Evaluation, Italy
- Open Future – entrepreneurial skills for young talents with disadvantaged background, Slovakia
- Learning by doing – Slovenia
- Announcement of the international competition "Be Social, Be Maker"
- Launch of the online platform www.skyrocketplatform.eu – a space created for social innovators and a broad audience for their ideas. It's a place where people can publish innovative ideas, seek solutions to social challenges faced by various organizations, and establish collaborations.
- The workshop , "Designing the Future: How to Ensure the Development of Social Innovation in Poland," was part of a series of Local Policy Focus Group workshops organized by partner organizations. The conclusions from the discussions informed the creation of a Local Action Plan—a document that summarizes the opportunities for the development of social innovation in Poland.
- Three international workshops organized as part of the Social(i)Makers project – "The importance of impact management," "Transnational collaboration among social entrepreneurs," and "Education for social innovation." The conclusions gathered during the events were used to define a transnational strategy for supporting social innovation in Central Europe.
