Over the last six months, the SI-DRIVE partner, The Young Foundation has been delivering a range of social innovation projects combining research and practice related, in particular, to education, inequality and developing an inclusive economy.
In their research work, they recently launched Humanity at Work, a research report examining the MONDRAGON co-operative as a social innovation ecosystem case study (see picture below). The research explores a global business owned by its workers, delivering economic and social equality by combining success in the marketplace with social benefit. They also drew on the findings of the research to produce a series of policy implications and recommendations for co-operative business and social innovation, in partnership with Co-operatives UK.
The Young Foundation also supports the development and dissemination of new research from the Science Policy Research Unit on the impact of technological innovation and automation on employment and inequality in local areas. They will co-host a workshop in Leeds on the 6th July with a range of stakeholders to develop a manifesto outlining how technological innovation can create an inclusive as well as prosperous economy.
Their Places and Communities team are running and hosting several workshops this month as part of the Unusual Suspects Festival, which brings social innovation theory and practice to a wider audience.
Their Young Academy accelerator programme for early-stage ventures and innovations which tackle educational inequality was recently nominated for a prestigious Dragon Award from the Lord Mayor of London. The most recent cohort of participants completed the programme with a successful Demo Day event hosted by Bank of America Merrill Lynch. As part of The Young Academy they are also currently conducting research with schools, educational experts, investors and ventures examining how schools do and should commission innovation. This will lead to the publication of a toolkit for commissioning innovation, building on our research and expertise from the Young Academy to provide practical guidance and support for teachers and education professionals.
