1. Social Innovation – creating the future Chris Dabbs Unlimited Potential “Making the world a happier and healthier place to live.” 1

2. Unlimited Potential • social enterprise • specialises in social innovation • national leader table for impact measurement (SE100 Index) • GM Chamber of Commerce Innovation Award 2011 • shortlisted in national Social Enterprise Awards 2011 2

3. 21st Century challenges • health • education • care • climate change • growing inequality • social / family breakdown • major crime • ageing population • economic change – approach, geography 3

4. Social Innovation • Social innovation is the process of designing, developing and growing new ideas to meet social challenges. • Societal innovation is social innovation that meets challenges across a whole society. • Innovation that leaves behind a stronger capacity for society to act. 4

5. Social Innovations • co-operatives • public libraries • kindergartens • international aid • Samaritans • consumerism • human rights • distance learning 5

6. Social Innovations • hospices • environmentalism • microcredit • Fairtrade • open source • participatory budgeting • self-management • Specialisterne 6

7. Decisive role Social, economic and environmental sustainability through and across: • social entrepreneurs • politics and government • markets • movements • academia 7

8. Social Enterprise Compared to mainstream SMEs: • 3 times the proportion of start-ups • employ more people relative to turnover • 3 times as many work in 20% most deprived communities • 58% of social enterprises grew in 2010 compared to 28% of SMEs (Source: Fightback Britain, SEUK, 2011). 8

9. Challenges Need new economic models: • make places resilient and open to change • enhance happiness and well-being • nurture and protect environment • not focussed on crude materialism • less reliant on public spending 9

10. Barriers • common assumption that innovation = science and technology • lack of clear policy, structures, routes and finance for social innovation • impeding lack of research and knowledge in social innovation 10

11. Support • new ways of cultivating innovators • empowering “users” to drive innovation • new cross-sectoral and international approaches to innovation • new institutions adapting new technologies for social potential • institutions orchestrating systemic change 11

12. Support • leaders who encourage and reward innovation • finance specifically for social innovation • markets open to social solutions and outcomes • incubators for promising models • explicit methodologies for R&D in social and public sectors 12

13. In short • thinkers, creators, designers, activists need … • ‘connectors’ – brokers, entrepreneurs and institutions that link people, ideas, money and power 13

14. Solutions • Social “silicon valleys” – mobilise resources and energies to tackle social problems in ways that are comparable to the investments in technology 14

15. Europe • Espoo – Aalto Camp for Societal Innovation • Bilbao – Social Innovation Park www.denokinn.eu • Malmö – local innovation forums • Warsaw – Stocznia unit for social innovation & research stocznia.org.pl 15

16. Global • Seoul – Mayor Won Soon Park plans a global hub of social innovation • Singapore – Social Innovation Park www.socialinnovationpark.org • Toronto – Centre for Social Innovation socialinnovation.ca and MaRS Discovery District www.marssdd.com 16

17. Opportunities • local social innovation • local experience in science, technology, media • Co-operatives UK, Design Council, NESTA, RSA, Young Foundation • Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012 • EU Programme for Social Change and Innovation 17

18. Opportunities • Social Innovation Exchange – socialinnovationexchange.org • Social Innovation Europe – socialinnovationeurope.eu • Global Innovation Academy – youngfoundation.org 18

19. 21st Century • Greater Manchester – a global hub for social innovation? Salford as its heart? 19

20. Initial progress • Social Innovation Circle (with the University of Salford) • Manchester Innovation Group engaged • commitment from NESTA from their global experience • support from the Young Foundation • support from Manchester Science Parks • offer from DenokInn (Basque country) • link to innovation programme (Co-ops UK) 20

21. Thank you Any questions? 21