Forum for Social Innovation Sweden mapped regional collaboration on social innovation and, in a new report, describes how it can be organized and supported. At the same time, the Swedish ESF Council is announcing funding to strengthen regional capacity to address societal challenges.
The Swedish support system for social innovation is fragmented, with a lack of coordination and support structures, particularly at the regional level. Forum for Social Innovation Sweden operates at six universities in Sweden, works to increase knowledge about and provide inspiration for regional support structures for social innovation and collaboration on societal challenges, within the framework of Sweden’s national Competence Centre for Social Innovation European Social Fund (ESF).
“Ultimately, we want to strengthen the conditions for social innovation in Sweden,” says Anna Tengqvist, national and international coordinator at Forum for Social Innovation Sweden at Malmö University, who led the work on the report.
The report “Regional Collaboration on Societal Challenges – A Survey of Examples of Long-Term Organization” describes examples of long-term organization of regional collaboration to address societal challenges. The report is based on a survey and interviews with selected stakeholders in Sweden and internationally. The report also presents 12 Swedish and 7 international examples of regional collaboration, in the form of, for example, networks, partnerships, platforms, and clusters.
Regional collaboration serves as a hub and driving force for social innovation
“The case studies examined share the ambition to serve as a hub and driving force for mobilizing and coordinating actors from various sectors of society around current societal challenges. They also bring together different types of resources—such as funding, expertise, and infrastructure—from various sources and actors,” says Malin Lindberg, visiting professor of social innovation at Malmö University and one of the report’s authors.
Many similarities in the organization of regional cooperation
The survey shows that there are many similarities in terms of driving forces, function, objectives, organizational structure, funding, and working methods among the examples studied. However, the Swedish and international examples differ in one respect. In Sweden, it is most common for actors from the public sector and academia to be involved, followed by civil society and the business sector. In the international examples, on the other hand, it is most common for actors from civil society and academia to be involved, followed by the business sector and the public sector.
“The difference could be partly explained by the Swedish welfare model, in which the public sector bears primary responsibility for many societal functions affected by various social challenges. It can also be explained by the fact that several of the international examples focus on democratic social development, in which civil society actors are seen as central,” says Malin Lindberg.
Regional collaboration yields results on multiple levels
So what does regional collaboration contribute to? Results have been achieved at various levels in the case studies examined, ranging from the development of regional policies at the policy level, to new environments, models, and services at the collaboration level, well-established and sustainable support structures at the organizational level, and a greater sense of belonging at the individual level.
– The examples we have studied are said to have contributed to an increased regional capacity to jointly address current societal challenges. At the same time, it is unclear to what extent the results have been allowed to influence public dialogue and decision-making processes. Regardless, the lessons learned and results can be used as a starting point for assessing, monitoring, and strengthening the status and development of different regions in this area, says Anna Tengqvist.
New call for proposals aims to promote regional collaboration
On June 3, the Swedish ESF Council launched a new call for proposals aimed at strengthening regional collaboration on social innovation. Through this new call, the ESF seeks solutions to complex societal challenges such as long-term unemployment, the integration and settlement of foreign-born residents, and young people who are neither in education nor employment.
– We see many complex social challenges that require innovative solutions. While social innovations are not always lacking, we have observed that many solutions struggle to secure funding beyond the initial phase. With this call for proposals, we want to create opportunities for longevity, sustainability, dissemination, and scaling up. Simply put, we want to create the conditions for these innovations to be institutionalized and integrated among various stakeholders,” says Johnny Karlsson, national coordinator at the Swedish ESF Council, who works with this program area.
To date, the ESF has primarily provided support for various projects aimed at addressing societal challenges through the practical development of social innovation. The new call for proposals, however, directs funding toward initiatives at the strategic and structural levels that can provide support, knowledge, coaching, and networking opportunities at the regional level.
“There is a lack of readily available support at the local and regional levels for funding, organization, knowledge, dissemination, and scaling up that can support social innovation. There is also a lack of sustainable funding. Our call for proposals is one way to strengthen this area,” says Johnny Karlsson
Some findings from the report:
- The case studies examined suggest that many societal challenges are complex and are not being adequately addressed—a situation that requires cross-sectoral collaboration, which is currently far too limited.
- The examples range from physical and digital meeting places to processes, models, and expertise for leveraging and creating synergies between the various motivations and resources of the stakeholders.
- They link local needs and conditions with the motivations and resources of the stakeholders involved, as well as politically established goals and strategies, in order to foster broad engagement and bring about real change.
- The key takeaways from these examples are to develop the organizational structure in collaboration with the stakeholders involved, identify the intersection between needs and opportunities, create environments and a culture that foster co-creation, and ensure support and space for collaboration in the form of time, resources, and expertise.
Facts
The report “Regional Collaboration on Societal Challenges – A Survey of Examples of Long-Term Organization” was produced by Forum for Social Innovation Sweden Malmö University, Jönköping University, and the University of Borås, and within the framework of Sweden’s national Competence Centre for Social Innovation European Social Fund (ESF), which is run by Forum for Social Innovation Sweden at Malmö University on behalf of the Swedish ESF Council, in collaboration with the National Network for Coordination Associations and the Partnership for Social Innovation in Örebro County.
Read the report “Regional Collaboration on Societal Challenges – A Survey of Examples of Long-Term Organization”
Watch the webinar " How Do We Organize Regional Collaboration for Social Innovation?" (YouTube)
Learn more about the ESF call for proposals: Strengthened Regional Capacity to Address Societal Challenges
Learn more about Competence Centre for Social Innovation the European Social Fund