SI-DRIVE is structured alongside 13 work packages (WP). These are:
| Work Packages | Title | Lead Organisation (short name) |
| WP1 | New scientific concepts and theoretical frameworks | TUDOsfs |
| WP2 | Novel Empirical Research and New Evidence | Brunel |
| WP3 | European and Global Mapping | ZSI |
| WP4 | Policy area: Social Innovation in Education and Lifelong Learning | TUDO sfs |
| WP5 | Policy area: Employment and Social Innovation | TNO |
| WP6 | Policy area: Social Innovation in Environment and Climate Change | AIT |
| WP7 | Policy area: Energy and social innovation | TNO |
| WP8 | Policy area: Mobility/Transport and Social Innovation | IAT |
| WP9 | Policy area: Health and Social Care | YF |
| WP10 | Policy area: Poverty Reduction and Sustainable Development | Brunel |
| WP11 | Research on Policy Implication | TNO |
| WP12 | Dissemination | ZSI |
| WP13 | Project Management | TUDO sfs |
New scientific concepts and theoretical frameworks (WP1)
WP1 examines the conditions under which social innovation takes place, unpacking and developing the concepts that are associated with this phenomenon, and explores and explains the variety of processes and networking through which social innovation occurs. The key focus is an examination of the role(s) that citizens and organisations play across all sectors of society (public, private businesses, civil society) in developing, planning, implementing, and sustaining social innovations.
Novel Empirical Research and New Evidence (WP 2)
The novel empirical research comprises two elements: a global survey of social innovations; and a set of in depth case studies that will allow mapping the ‘World of Social Innovation’, combining the regional perspective with the selected policy areas. Looking at the key dimensions of social innovation and social change and its related cross-cutting themes seven policy fields and different contextual facets of cultural backgrounds, religious and ethical aspects will form the three thematic strands of our field work and will be, in addition to the theory, the guiding principle for designing field work.
European and Global Mapping (WP 3)
WP3 gives a global overview of social innovation and its different, regional and cultural background and differentiations. The main task is to compare European with global regional approaches, analyse the different approaches and priorities, identifying good practice and lessons learnt. The main responsibility of WP3 is to implement, coordinate and monitor the European and global mapping survey
which will provide the main database for follow-up activities such as analysis of characteristics of social innovation, foresight studies and policy recommendations. WP3 will act as an interface between WP2 (methodology), WP4-10 (seven policy fields) and WP 11 (policy recommendations).
Social innovation approaches in the seven policy areas (WP 4–10)
The analysis of seven policy areas is the empirical core activity of SI-DRIVE. The policy areas are:
- Social Innovation in Education and Lifelong Learning (WP4)
- Employment and Social Innovation (WP5)
- Social Innovation in Environment and Climate Change (WP6)
- Energy and social innovation (WP7)
- Mobility/Transport and Social Innovation (WP8)
- Health and Social Care (WP9)
- Poverty Reduction and Sustainable Development (WP10)
Research on Policy Implication (Work Package 11)
Within WP 11 policy recommendations will be elaborated. Our approach to achieve these is to use a set of discussions between social innovators and public policy makers. We will start with policy area discussions with experts and policy makers. As input to these discussions, we will first start with a foresight study. The results of these discussions will feed into a multilevel foresight and governance discussion (regional policy makers, national level, European level) based on a discussion with national policy maker on examples how to approach social innovation and a discussion with European policy makers. Within these separate round tables, we are also looking at the divide between politics and public administration.
Dissemination (WP 12) and Project Management (WP 13)