Active support throughout the social innovation process can make social innovation a reality. This is demonstrated in the report *Making Social Innovation Happen: An Analysis of Best Practices in Supporting Social Innovation*.
The new report summarizes the findings of an analysis of practical examples of support for social innovation. It presents examples from organizations that support social innovation in Spain, France, Latvia, and Sweden. The countries and organizations featured in the report are part of the Building Capacity for a Sustainable Society (BuiCaSuS) project, one of several EU consortia collaborating to strengthen centers of excellence and ecosystems for social innovation in EU member states, linked to the new funding period for the European Social Fund (ESF).
“The participants in this study provide insights that show how cross-sectoral co-creation can be supported in social innovation processes,” says Anna Tengqvist, coordinator at Forum for Social Innovation Sweden Malmö University, who led the work on the report.
Best practices for providing support throughout the social innovation process are highlighted
The examples described in the report include methods, tools, and approaches for supporting the various elements of a social innovation process, as well as examples at the individual, grassroots, societal, and systemic levels.
One example is the Agirre Lehendakaria Center, the Basque Country’s social innovation lab in Spain, which involves the people affected by social challenges through a method they call the “community listening process.” Citizens participate throughout the entire social innovation process, from identifying needs to developing Theory of Change. Another example is Avise, a Competence Centre for Social Innovation France, which offers support organizations a training program called Cap Impact. It includes various tools for measuring social impact. Support organizations can then, in turn, support various social innovation projects and the ecosystem.
“The examples in the report can inspire other support actors to continue identifying and facilitating solutions to societal challenges and making them sustainable. The report is also intended to provide an overview of the support needed within the social innovation ecosystem and the expertise required to support social innovation at the systemic level,” says Anna Tengqvist.
Research reveals a multifaceted process
Research shows that social innovation consists of several different elements—identifying societal challenges, mobilizing actors and resources, generating ideas, implementation, and value creation. However, these elements do not always occur in chronological order; rather, they are often intertwined and recurring.
“Innovation is often reduced to a matter of generating new ideas, whereas the process is actually far more multifaceted when it comes to striving for social change. That is why it is important to support every aspect of the innovation process,” says Malin Lindberg, a professor at Luleå University of Technology who contributed to the report.
Need for More Knowledge and Active Support
The report also includes recommendations for the future. More knowledge is needed about the various elements of the social innovation process. Each element requires active support through tailored methods, resources, stakeholders, and partners. Support is also needed for co-creation and cross-sectoral collaboration. Finally, it is of the utmost importance to support the involvement of the people affected by the societal challenge.
“If we want to support social innovation processes, we need to facilitate processes in which relevant stakeholders collaborate. There is a consensus on the need for collaboration, but now we need to start doing it as well, drawing on research about what works,” says Anna Tengqvist.
Read the report in English (PDF)
Watch the video about the report below.
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