2010: An Innovation Odyssey

Posted by Erin Green on 3 February 2010 | 0 Comments
Tags: TACSi, innovation, website, community, partners

Space may be 'the final frontier' but we think there's a whole lot more to discover back here on planet Earth. And part of that is answers to why we are still seeing significant social disadvantage and a whole host of unmet social needs across the globe.

As we launch into our 2010 Program, The Australian Centre for Social Innovation is looking at different ways we can address those needs. We're working to identify and support the innovative ideas, methods and people that will contribute to and accelerate positive social change.

Our 2010 Program is built around 3 key initiatives.

First - the Bold Ideas, Better Lives Challenge. We want to connect with individuals, groups and organisations who have an idea or a project that can create change in their society. Your idea could address anything from climate change to unemployment, discrimination to healthcare and everywhere in between. We'll work with you to build your capacity to implement your project and if you reach the finals you'll be one of ten projects in the running for funding out of a $1million dollar grant pool and the chance to actually get your project off the ground. Check out the Challenge page for more info.

Second is our Design Thinking for Social Services Project (check out our Design Eye for the Cardigan Guy article) where we're working with government departments to look at fresh ways of designing social services that respond to the needs of people using those services.

Thirdly, we'll be looking at the feasibility of training and support options for social entrepreneurs here in our home base of South Australia. Social entrepreneurs are the people that make social change happen and we need to find better ways at working with and for them.

And all of this is happening against a backdrop of building networks amongst communities, NGOs, government and individuals both in Australia and across the planet through events, meetings, workshops and more.

We're working to develop a bolder, better world and we hope you'll join us on this odyssey.