Social Innovation/Spring 2021

  Image source: www.thesimpledollar.com It’s All About the Cash      Social innovation is about new solutions to old problems.  Innovators develop programs and plans to attack social issues from different angles and solve health issues both large and small.  The limiting factor in nearly every developing program is funding.  Ask any program planner what their biggest obstacle is, and the answer will likely be “money.”       Even the best social innovations require an initial investment of capital to get off the ground.  Most require ongoing infusions of funding until they can build income and become self-supporting.  Facilities and supplies cost money, staff must be paid, permits are not free, and the focus of the program, solving a public health problem, is a large drain on the organization’s resources.       There are several resources available for funding a social program, but they all carry challenges and obstacles.  Government and local grants can be a good source, but they

  Source:  GlobalCitizen.org It All Comes Down to Impact      No matter what you are selling, be it a new gadget on late night television, or an innovative social program, the final deciding factor of success is measured as impact.  In other words, “does it work?”  Did the product achieve the desired goal?  We can write elaborate mission statements and vision statements, create flashy presentations and brightly colored advertisements, use impressive buzz words and celebrity endorsements; however, if the end result does not meet the needs of the consumer, we have failed.  In social innovation, our target population’s needs must be identified clearly and goals set to meet those needs.  A vague mission statement indicates vague goals, and impact becomes difficult to measure.       Kevin Starr’s talk “Lasting Impact” describes a specific formula for a mission statement, and for evaluating impact.  By creating an 8-word (or less) mission statement with a verb (the action taken), target

  (Source: CatherineHenryLawyers.com) What if any problem could be solved using a series of steps?        Sometimes a problem seems so big and complicated we don’t know where to begin.  We become mired in a swamp of disorganized thoughts, ideas and information and end up without a viable solution.  Sometimes a very large problem requires multiple solutions to address the root causes, before the main problem can be attacked.  By engaging a process called Design Thinking and being creative with solutions, those huge problems can be broken down into their elements and solved.  An important element of Design Thinking is asking the right questions when determining the roots of the problem.  Instead of asking “how can we fix this?” start by asking “why does this happen?”  For example, if you find you frequently run out of milk on the weekends, instead of asking “how can we get milk on Sunday mornings?”, ask “why are we running out of milk before Sunday?”  Then, employing Design Thinking you

(Source:  Humanium.org)       This week’s focus was on root causes.  By identifying the root cause of a problem, programs can be designed to address the cause rather than the symptoms.  By using brainstorming, charts, and asking “why?” a problem can be back-traced to the events or situations causing the problem.  While some social problems are fairly simple to identify and address, others are complex and inter-related.  These are called “wicked problems” because as you address one root cause, you affect another and create more problems.  Truly innovative solutions are needed to successfully plan interventions to solve wicked problems.      The two videos that discussed the problem of child sex slavery absolutely enraged me (https://youtu.be/GUC303TijDk and https://youtu.be/d8K8JSbsdo0 ).  While it is encouraging to know that there are organizations conducting “sting” operations to identify, imprison and prosecute those involved in human trafficking, it is sickening and heartbreaking to

  (source: latterdaysaintmusicians.com) Become the Change You Wish to See      The field of social entrepreneurship has opportunities for contributions at many different levels.  While anyone can have a revolutionary, innovative idea, not everyone is cut out to be a social entrepreneur.  Additionally, without intrapreneurs/implementers, volunteers and donators, the work needed for social innovation would never get done.  I am reminded of the phrase “too many cooks spoil the pot.”  If everyone wants to be in charge, there is no one left to implement the work.  While social innovation can be exciting, and cause us to become energized and inspired to seek out opportunities to change the world, we must balance the desire to engage in service with creating opportunities for income and profit.  There can be a functional balance between serving the needs of a population through innovative programs and generating income for investors, stakeholders, and even ourselves.  Creating a program tha