1. Economic
Resilience:
the role of social
innovation
Adrian Healy
Healya2@cardiff.ac.uk

2. • What makes economies resilient?
• Why do some places recover more quickly
than others?
• Is it all about structures
• ..........................or are there choices involved?
• What role can local (or regional) governments
play in making their economies more resilient

3. So what is social
innovation?
• New ideas (products, services or models) that
meet social needs
• New ideas developed through social
relationships or collaborations
• can arise from us as individuals, from
communities, from public bodies or from firms

4. Why is it on the
agenda now?
• Search for new economic models
• Recognition that the market will not always
deliver
• Scarce finance
• realisation of missed opportunities
• new communication technologies help

5. So, whatof does growth (new or
• Can be a driver economic
it offer?
improved products or services)
• Can offer new or more efficient forms of
service delivery
• Can address societal challenges (ageing
society, low carbon transitions etc)
• Can be more locally responsive (address our
particular challenges).
• Can support a more resilient economy
(adaptive and responsive)

6. Examples?
• Plenty out there....
• Llangattock Green Valleys Wales
• community body
• purchasing body
• knowledge dissemination
• awareness raising and advocate of behavioural change
• New (user driven) examples
• banking/credit
• health/care services

7. Opportunities for local
• economic growth
areas
• new collaborations
• new products/processes
• opportunities for new enterprises (social)
• Resilience
• a more adaptive economy?
• A less dependent economy?
• A more robust economy?

8. Stages?
• Prompts - potential needs
• Proposals - ideas
• Pilots/Prototypes - testing
• Scale
• Sustainability
• Systemic change

9. Supporting and
stimulating social
innovation
• role of companies
• role of public bodies
• role of community groups
• role of individuals
• Local spaces as a nurturing/stimulating
environment

10. Thank You
Healya2@cardiff.ac.uk