A new report from Forum for Social Innovation Sweden lessons learned from the Swedish ESF Council’s program area for social innovation and the projects funded through it. The report provides insights into what is needed for innovative solutions to strengthen social inclusion, the labor market, and education.
In the current programming period of the European Social Fund (2021–2027), the Swedish ESF Council has established a specific program area for social innovation (PO E). The report shows that this initiative has provided the legitimacy and resources needed to move away from established practices and test new solutions. It has also made it possible to support social innovation in a more focused and systematic manner.
At the same time, several challenges have been identified, such as short-term project funding and existing regulations, for example state aid rules as well as the application of the Public Procurement Act and conflicts of interest, which can hinder cross-sectoral collaboration. Furthermore, it is perceived that that there is limited capacity among relevant societal actors—such as certain project owners and the Swedish Public Employment Service—as well as a lack of coordination within the welfare system. Other challenges include the fact that several of the policy areas involved are heavily regulated, and social innovation is given low priority in innovation policy.
“We see that the ESF’s program area for social innovation can help change norms and structures in society, but better conditions are needed for these initiatives to have a long-term impact,” says Malin Lindberg, visiting professor of social innovation at Malmö University.
A shift in focus in the calls for proposals
One observation in the report is that the focus of calls for proposals in the social innovation program area has gradually shifted from supporting the development of individual innovations to improving the conditions for social innovation.
The report provides an in-depth analysis of the measures needed to achieve renewal through social innovation, as well as the conditions necessary for this within organizations and society.
Research findings should support the development of innovative public services
It aims to establish a knowledge base for the continued development of the ESF’s support for innovative initiatives in the areas of employment, education, and inclusion, such as the development of community services that contribute to the development of new methods, cross-border collaboration, and new ways of thinking. The report can also be used by other stakeholders working to promote an inclusive workplace and society.
The ESF's definition of social innovation
The ESF defines social innovation as “the development and implementation of new ideas (regarding products, services, methods, and models) that simultaneously address social needs and create new social relationships or partnerships.”
National Competence Centre for Social Innovation the European Social Fund
This report was produced within the framework of Sweden’s National Competence Centre for Social Innovation the ESF, which is operated by Forum for Social Innovation Sweden in collaboration with the National Network for Coordination Associations (NNS) and the Partnership for Social Innovation in Örebro County. The Competence Center is operated on behalf of the Swedish ESF Council and is co-financed by the European Union.
The purpose of the Competence Center is to support the development of social innovations through initiatives aimed at ESF projects, the ESF Council, and key actors in the field of social innovation. This includes efforts to share knowledge, develop processes, models, and tools, as well as aggregate analysis of the lessons learned and results from the projects and the program.