1. Supporting social innovation Social innovation for a better world in our time Fondazione Mondo Digitale Rome, October 2009 DAVID ALBURY Co-Chair, The Innovation Unit

2. davidalbury@btinternet.com Why social innovation? Supporting social innovators Creating the conditions for social innovation

3. A perfect storm … Long-term challenges which are becoming more pressing Recession, leading to massive tightening of public finances Persistent issues with no known pathway to solution Increasing pressures and demands on services Radical and compelling social innovation: significantly better outcomes, for significantly lower costs davidalbury@btinternet.com

4. … in education davidalbury@btinternet.com Global inter- connectedness, demographics: new ways of living and working Recession, leading to massive tightening of public finances Those disengaged, de-motivated or disenfranchised 21 st century skills, potentials and pervasiveness of ICT Radical and compelling social innovation: facilitated, peer and collaborative learning enabled by new and emerging technologies

5. … and in health davidalbury@btinternet.com Ageing society, long- term conditions, climate change Recession, leading to massive tightening of public finances Drug and alcohol abuse, increased obesity More informed and demanding consumers Radical and compelling social innovation: wellness focused, self- care supporting services, closer to home

6. Not just incremental improvement Exhaustion of traditional public services Limitations of ‘top-down’, ‘command-and-control’ Need not just ‘best practice’, but ‘next practice’ Radical innovation: but where from? davidalbury@btinternet.com

7. Sources of radical innovation Rarely from inside current system – too vested and invested in existing processes and practices, existing mindsets and methods Sometimes from edge and margins … … but more frequently from social innovators and social entrepreneurs: start-ups davidalbury@btinternet.com

8. Supporting social innovators Why social innovation Creating the conditions for social innovation

9. Three diamond innovation support davidalbury@btinternet.com STIMULATINGINCUBATINGACCELERATING

10. Stimulating social innovation davidalbury@btinternet.com Analyse need and identify real problem Scan horizons: other sectors and countries Seek innovators, engage ‘users’ Generate creative options STIMULATING Ideas for ‘next practice’ field trials, potential radical innovations

11. Incubating social innovation davidalbury@btinternet.com INCUBATING Prototype, test and trial Model and simulate Manage and lead change Develop business case, secure finance Models of ‘next practice’, of radical innovation, in action

12. Accelerating social innovation davidalbury@btinternet.com Cultivate communities of practice Social networking and viral marketing Synthesise evaluation and research Enrol national agencies ACCELERATING

13. Two examples davidalbury@btinternet.com Communities of learningExcluded young people with schools and groups of schools, communities and the Training and Development Agency with third sector organisations, commissioners of services and social investors

14. Technology and social innovation davidalbury@btinternet.com Technology as driver of social innovation eg need for new skills, new learning Technology as enabler of social innovation eg more informed and expert patients Technology as connector of social innovators eg networks and exchanges

15. davidalbury@btinternet.com Creating the conditions for social innovation Why social innovation? Supporting social innovators Lessons for policy-makers

16. Creating the conditions davidalbury@btinternet.com CULTURE and LEADERSHIP SUPPORT and INVESTMENT (intermediaries) REWARDS and INCENTIVES (demand) SHAPE and OPENNESS (supply)

17. Passionate about outcomes: ambitious, clear and simple goals and aspirations …. …. and relaxed about how to achieve them Focuses majority of innovation effort on small number of challenges and priorities Encourages and celebrates disciplined innovation and experimentation, informed and managed risk-taking Externally oriented: towards users, frontline staff, other sectors, other countries davidalbury@btinternet.com CULTURE and LEADERSHIP

18. Investment funds and venture capital to create possibilities, incubate promising ideas, support start-ups Support is not just finance, but wrapping round innovators necessary skills and expertise for disciplined innovation Financial and reputational rewards for organisations, teams and individuals who innovate, and adopt innovations, successfully Granular, timely outcome and performance information davidalbury@btinternet.com SUPPORT and INVESTMENT (intermediaries) REWARDS and INCENTIVES (demand)

19. High performing, innovative sectors have common characteristics: – small number of large, dominant players (oligopolised core) – wide periphery of niche providers, specialist suppliers and innovative start-ups – much innovation comes from periphery, but large players take to scale Openness to: – new providers – new models – ideas and individuals from other sectors, other countries davidalbury@btinternet.com SHAPE and OPENNESS (supply) Extensive networking and high mobility of staff between organisations

20. Beyond surveys and user groups, deeply engage users in the innovation process User-driven innovation, citizens as co-designers and co- producers Models of ‘open’ innovation (think Linux or e-bay) blur boundaries of consumers/producers New practices often require action/behaviour change by, new relationships with, citizens and users davidalbury@btinternet.com

21. DAVID ALBURY Independent policy and organisational consultant davidalbury@btinternet.com +44 (0) 7976 205970 Co-Chair, The Innovation Unit Ltd Expert Adviser, Capgemini Demos Associate Visiting Professor in Innovation Studies, King’s College London Member, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, Public Sector Steering Group 21davidalbury@btinternet.com