Social Innovation

This week I learned about generating revenue for social entrepreneurs. Many times, nonprofits are used for social problems and it's difficult for them to find sustainable funding. The answer is in business. Shared value is when a social problem is addressed with a business model. This partnership and collaboration is the best way to tackle social issues. I read an example of this this week in "How to Change the World" chapter 11. Vera Cordeiro founded Renascer to help children and families in Sao Paulo, Brazil. She partnered with McKinsey, a management consulting firm, and was able to increase the impact of Renascer. I really enjoyed reading and learning about Renascer. I'm an Applied Health major so I really liked seeing the partnership of Renascer and McKinsey and the impact they were able to have. Vera Cordeiro's idea to help children and families after they left the hospital so that they wouldn't end up back in the hospital was very inspiring. She helped b...

This week I learned about solution and impact evaluation. It's tricky to find a solution that doesn't create more problems. Mission statements are important and so are metrics to measure success or impact. I liked learning about the eight-word mission statement. It's important to state a verb, target population, and an outcome in a concise way.  I was surprised at the Starfish Hurling and Community Service article by Keith Morton. I have heard that story so many times over the years. I'm sure most of us have. I will never think of it the same way again! It really was eye opening to read and I see the points he makes. We must be more community minded. Community mindedness, being aware of the circumstances and getting as much information as possible is important. It's also important to not run out to help immediately, but to to talk to others, know the environment, and work with others to gain knowledge to make the best and most effective decisions possible. Reflectin...

This week I learned about Design Thinking. This model is a process, an action. Anyone can use Design Thinking to create options and solve problems. It has four steps: Define the problem, Create and Consider many options, Refine selected directions and pick the winner. I also learned about building creative confidence and that we can all be creative if we practice and don't worry about judgement from others.  I liked David Kelley's video "How to Build Your Creative Confidence". I was shocked and saddened with the story of his friend in grade school making a clay horse and a girl on the table telling him he did it wrong and it didn't look like a horse. I think this happens all the time. We have all probably been in a similar situation where someone said something to us or maybe we were the ones who said something like that to someone else. It makes me sad. It really only takes that happening once for our confidence to be destroyed. I also liked when he talked...

This week I learned about big problems in the world and root cause analysis. I learned that it's important to really look into what causes problems before jumping into a solution. This way everything gets looked at and hopefully nothing will be missed. There is a greater chance for success this way. I learned about the fishbone tool and the 5 why's to help look at causes of social problems. I really liked the "How Not to Be Ignorant About the World" video. The world has come a long way in solving problems and people are better off generally than they once were. I also liked how this video talked about personal bias, outdated facts, and new bias. We need to carefully consider these when we view/hear information. The Operation Underground video was crazy. It makes me mad and angry that this stuff goes on in the world. I can only imagine how it affects all those kids. It makes me sick. I'm grateful for all the people who are doing things to help those affected by thi...

Summary of the main ideas and topics of the week. This week the topic was "Be the Change". I learned that we can all be involved in social innovation. There are many different levels and ways to be involved. The reading talked about trying to improve things and make changes for the better no matter our career or job. I learned that there are many ways to be involved. People with many different backgrounds have found ways to be involved.  A response to a specific reading, video, or activity. For instance, did something spark interest, surprise, anger, inspire, or confuse you? Reference the specific reading, video, or activity. Add your thoughts, and explain your reaction. I really liked the article "Finding Your Calling in Life" by Jeffrey Thompson. I think the world has really confused this issue of finding our calling in life. There is no one right college, job, or spouse. Rather, we each need to figure out what our unique gifts are and...

  Week 1   Social innovation is a process, product, or program that profoundly changes the way a system operates. It is addressing complex problems at the roots to find solutions. Social entrepreneurs are those who focus on a mission-related impact and not wealth creation. They aim to create and maintain social value. Problems can’t be solved by one organization alone or by private or government agencies. Cross-sector sharing is important for the success of social innovation. Nonprofit, public, and private sectors all need to be involved for idea sharing, values, capital, and talent. There are many different areas and complex social problems that social innovation can be used for and many different solutions.    I enjoyed learning about the Ballard Center at BYU and the stories shared about the way students can be involved there. The three companies that students started from their experience there really interested me. I especially liked the EcoScraps story of ...