Introduction

The key to innovation in any sector is connectivity. To innovate, new ideas need to flow, and ideas can only flow when people and organisations are equipped to learn and exchange knowledge.

In the context of community and place-based innovation and impact, this means, among other things, increasing the quantity and quality of partnerships that bring universities, colleges, social sector organisations and local government to create shared value.

Strong and multifaceted campus-community partnerships are an important aspect of a healthy and dynamic innovation ecosystem. The/La Collaborative’s Innovation for Social Impact Toolkit is designed to create a classroom-based, project-driven co-learning environment in which students and community organisation managers/staff both acquire new social innovation-related knowledge and hone new skills they then apply to collaborative activities and projects informed by practitioner’s experience and expertise.

Innovation for Social Impact is more than just a course for those interested in social innovation and the toolkit is not just about supporting experiential learning to enhance students’ skills. Innovation for Social Impact is a “starter-kit” designed to increase opportunities to build relationships and enhance academic impact through talent mobilisation.

With Innovation for Social Impact, experiential learning is engineered to generate genuine reciprocity and value for community partners. Social sector partners play a dual role as co-learners and mentors for students around a real-life project that can help them transform their organisation through innovation.

Objective

The course provides an introductory understanding of social innovation and related concepts and familiarize participants with methods for effecting change, including systems and complexity theory, “lab” and design processes, social enterprise, social finance, policy, and activism. Lessons involve a combination of conceptual tooling, case presentations, group discussions with community partners, exercises, and reflection activities. 

By the end of this course, individuals will:

• Recognize the importance of cross-sector contributions in change efforts.
• Develop leadership skills for social change.
• Appreciate the significance of systemic approaches to addressing complexity.
• Acquire knowledge of practices and approaches to change efforts.

Participants will gain an appreciation of the various factors involved in social systems change and, as a result, will be in a better position to conceptualize the role they might play in addressing the many emerging complex social and environmental challenges our world faces.

Feel free to reach out to us whether you are a learner, social sector partner, or instructor about your questions, feedback, or experience: info@yourcollaborative.org