Social Innovation Camp

The emerging Social Enterprise and Social Innovation segment in Australia, especially utilising available technology, is creating communities of people, from various backgrounds and levels of experience to meet, collaborate & create solutions to solve some of the problems and issues that we, as a society face.

On the weekend of the 5th, 6th & 7th of March, 2010 over 100 attendees particpated in the first ASIX Australian Social Innovation Camp. Originated in the UK, the camp acted as an incubator for a series of ideas using the web, that demostrated the power of social innovation.

Did it work? What were the results? Was it worth the effort?

With some of the most highly respected members of the Social Innovation segment offering their support, acting as mentors or sponsoring the event it seemed the expectation of achievements was very high.

This influence and mix of personalities created an interesting, perhaps rare circumstance of face-to-face community collaboration. Witnessing ideas form into working website prototypes, the disparity of language between programmers, marketers and project managers, and the dynamics of different personalities that form a successful team attendees finished the camp satisfied with their achievements. They were excited about the possibilities and opportunities for the future.

The attendees all shared a passion for Social change and Innovation but many were still unsure of their place, how much they could conrtibute or even what Social Innovation was. The idea that a social venture could be sustainable and did not need not rely on the pitfalls of the long process of funding were new to many already familiar with the segment.

Almost all were frustrated with governments inability to move quickly in these areas, acknowledging that they have the desire and best intentions to make an impact but, due to mountains of beaurecratic red tape and the pressure of public opinion, often fail to deliver.

Many were also frustrated with big business, whose now cumbersome processes choke innovation and agility. Whose apparent greed and focus on shareholders and not the individual, the community or the environment as a whole has pillaged resources, taken advantage of the poor and vunerable while continuing to increase their bottom line.

A new age of Corporate Social Responsibility is dawning, a desire to improve communication, collaboration and inclusion will allow businesses to act smarter, increase satisfaction, increase business efficiency and sustainability.

So what does this mean for Social Entrpreneurs? "A social entrepreneur in the 21st century will redefine entrepreneurship as we know it, due to their progressive business models".

At the end of the camp these expectations were exceeded with useful & working live websites finely tuned business and marketing plus clear strategies for sustainability of the individual venture in the future.

The winning ideas were:   

http://www.asix.org.au/content/cheryl-kernot-announces-travel-prize-si-camp

Closing remarks about camp:

http://www.asix.org.au/content/final-word-si-camp-2010

Presentations from winners:

http://www.asix.org.au/content/presentations-winners-1st-australian-social-innovation-camp 

The attendees of this camp finished with stronger and deepers ties in the community, a glimpse at what is possible, what can be created, an understanidng of the calibre of people active in the Social enterprise community and a willingness to continue this momentum.

What can be done to ensure this happens?