近年愈來愈多青年朋友對社會企業或社會創新感興趣。MaD向來鼓勵青年朋友利用創意幫助社會面對各種各樣的挑戰，在上週末特別舉辦了一連兩天工作坊，由英國享負盛名的社會創新組織Young Foundation將成立的新計劃Global Innovation Academy主兵。期間兩位主持Cynthia SHANMUGALINGAM與Louise PULFORD以多個練習帶領參加者思考如何構思社會創新的計劃。
有人說Young Foundation教授的是一個“方法”，從茫無頭緒中梳理出富系統化的方法出來，幫助人推動意念成行動。不過，與其說這是方法，這更是一套理念的分享，將社會創新從光以利潤為目標的企業中分別出來。謹以隨同全球創新學院來港分享其社會創新企業Enabling Enterprise作解釋。
期望參加者都可從工作坊上主持人的分享中得着思考與激勵：
* 社會創新必需回應需要，而不是創新者個人願望。
* 即使你沒有主意，也可支持他人推動社會創新。社會創新者並不是為個人名利而工作。
* 在從事社會創新時必然會遇上困難，不過，只要你懷着想像力，有足夠智慧構思實際可行的計劃，也有足夠的熱情去做到底，你就會克服攔阻。
下次當有人向你介紹他的意念，先別急着問他的賺錢模式、它是一所社企還是一個慈善團體，不如嘗試多了解對方的理念與遠景、為什麼他要排除萬難地堅持在社會做創新的事。因為這對於一個社會創新者來說尤為重要。
所謂社會創新，它的社會意義總得走在創新或一切別的價值之前。
延伸閱讀：
Young Foundation
Enabling Enterprise
Have you got an idea to make the world better but don’t know how to put it into action?
On August 20 to 21, about 60 young people joined the two-day workshop titled “Social Innovation 101” to learn the method of putting their ideas into practice.
Cynthia SHANMUGALINGAM and Louise PULFORD from Global Innovation Academy led a couple exercises about reframing our questions – after all, we have to understand clearly want caused the problems or what stand in the way in order to come up with an answer that hit the core of the issue.
During the workshop, we also had the opportunity to hear a young social entrepreneur from London about his work. Tom RAVENSCROFT had a wonderful story to tell. A graduate of Oxford University, he became a teacher in a rather challenging school in East London. Realizing that many students in the country was in strong need of employable skills, he founded Enabling Enterprise to help teachers design curriculum that equipped with students with the ability to work as a team, to organize themselves and to present their ideas. Enabling Enterprise is now reaching 11,000 students in 80 schools.
What is social innovation? To Tom, it is to come up with a creative solution after identifying a problem.
Here’re some of the very touching points for sharing:
* It is important to align your ideas with the needs of your target groups.
* Even if you’re not an idea person, you may still do social innovation. You can support others to work out the ideas. Remember, it’s not about you, but about helping others to meet the social mission.
* There’ll be obstacles along the way, but you just have to believe in the values of your work. Remember:
If you are have the imagination to do it, the intelligence to make realistic plans, the passion and courage to see it till the end, you will overcome the challenges!
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