Innovation
for better
lives
We’re The Australian Centre for Social Innovation. Our friends call us TACSI.
For over 16 years, we’ve supported government, philanthropy, PHNs, NFPs and communities to value, learn, do and create the conditions for social innovation. We do this through approaches and practices that embrace complexity, by including lived expertise, and supporting learning through doing.
Our work includes service and policy innovation, supporting communities to lead local change, and stretching Australia’s sense of possibility.
What is
Social Innovation?
Glad you asked. Social innovation is the approach of finding better ways to respond to challenges that affect people and communities, like ageing well, poor mental health, and domestic and family violence. It’s innovation focused on social and public good.
Looking at challenges through a social innovation lens means looking for creative ideas that work better and are fairer. These might include new or improved practices, services, policies and ways of working together.
Social innovation is often applied in situations that are politically and culturally complex, with long histories of entrenched disadvantage, and in areas where go-to responses have failed to improve outcomes or stopped working. Typically, effective social innovation involves a just process that includes the expertise of people affected by the problem, a focus on creating a just outcome, and results that further justice.
At TACSI, our approach emphasises the inclusion of lived expertise, systemic awareness, activating imagination, and learning through doing.
Who we work with
Learn how our partners are using and applying social innovation across sectors
Clients and partners
Social innovation in action
Explore projects and initiatives where social innovation has led to measurable change
Complex challenges can’t be solved alone. Let’s connect, and we can explore how TACSI’s knowledge and practitioners can help your work.
Ideas & insights
News, stories, and bold ideas from the frontlines of social innovation.
TACSI
Learning
Hub
Deepen your and your team's skills and understanding of social innovation – and your confidence to put it into practice. We run short and long courses for all skill levels in areas including: co-design, coproduction, allyship and working in systems.
Back our big ideas
We’re seeking funding for a set of initiatives, each designed to strengthen Australia’s collective capability to tackle our most persistent social challenges.
Join our community of changemakers
Subscribe to our monthly newsletter for project deep dives, new resources, first access to reports and papers, behind the scenes at TACSI, and ways to get involved in our work.
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Knowledge for change
Explore our library of reports, papers, toolkits and guides to support social innovation in Australia and across the world.
