1. SOCIAL INNOVATION
OCASI Executive Directors Forum
November 11, 2011
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5. Definition of social innovation abound
and a casual observer can quickly
become entangled in a debate over
meaning and nuance. We’re not too
hung about it so we’ve adopted a
simple working definition:

6. Social innovation refers to new ideas that
resolve existing social, cultural, economic
and environmental challenges for the
benefit of people and planet.
A true social innovation is systems-
changing – it permanently alters the
perceptions, behaviours and structures
that previously gave rise to these
challenges.

7. Even more simply, a social innovation is an
idea that works for the public good.
Social innovations come from individuals,
groups or organizations and can take place
in the for-profit, nonprofit and public
sectors. Increasingly, they are happening in
the spaces between these three sectors as
perspectives collide to spark new ways of
thinking.

8. Challenging what
it means to be a
do-gooder
Do good better.
This is SiG@MaRS

9. Most simply, social innovation is about new ideas that
work to address old social problems.
Poverty, homelessness, violence are all examples of
social problems that need dedicated solution-seeking
space. Social innovation addresses these challenges by
applying new learning and strategies to solve these
problems.
Social innovation is an initiative, product or process that
profoundly changes beliefs, basic routines, resource and
authority flows of any social system in the direction of
greater resilience. Successful social innovations have
durability, impact and scale.

10. Social Innovation is Canadian

11. What is a Social Enterprise?
product
“social” or
entrepreneur service Social
Enterprise
market
business
idea Financially
sustainable
businesses with
financing measurable social
impact
non-profit
business
expertise

12. "Social entrepreneurs identify resources
where people only see problems. They
view the villagers as the solution, not
the passive beneficiary. They begin with
the assumption of competence and
unleash resources in the communities
they're serving.”
-- David Bornstein, author of How to
Change the World: Social
Entrepreneurs and the Power of New
Ideas

17. SOCIAL INNOVATION -
ROLE OF GOVERNMENT
Create the enabling environment
Develop supportive policies for tax and
regulatory environment
Enable social finance tools to mobilize
capital

18. PRIVATE $ + PUBLIC GOOD

19. THE BIG SOCIETY
Phillip Blond - Architect of The Big Society

20. THE OWNERSHIP STATE

21. THE OWNERSHIP STATE
New model of public sector delivery
Services provided by social enterprises
Led by frontline workers
Owned by them and their communities
New power of civil association
New civil company = social enterprise

22. THE OWNERSHIP STATE