Collection: Innovation

Towns/cities today must respond effectively to the needs of increased urbanisation. To do this, they need to learn, embrace an innovation process in their practices that involves local people and others. An example..

3 things cities do to foster innovative local government

Research identified; a) New institutions that are “licensed to innovate”, b) Approaches based in design thinking, c) Nurturing more creative bureaucracies...

5 tips for citizen engagement for the public sector

A public servant needs to master the art of engaging citizens effectively. To do the right things, they must listen, engage, and co-create solutions with those they are here to serve – the citizens.

Intimacy, imagination, innovation

Intimacy - create rhythms and patterns of intimacy - familial friendship with God. Imagination - take time to both dream and receive revelation. Innovation - try new things - prototype, test, learn.

Silvopasture

Ancient practice of raising animals and growing trees and pasture on same piece of land. Combats climate change well ahead of solar panels, recycling , etc. Pastures with trees sequester 5 to 10 times as much carbon as treeless ones.

Storyville Gardens

To challenge literacy statistics, Storyville is designed to ignite the desire to read by toddlers to teens and adults alike. It is an imagination-driven, interactive entertainment destination where stories engage and connect.

8 non-numerical ways to assess the health of a church

Church 'success' is seen often as numbers - attendees, donations, etc. However, these are not the best way to measure church health and effectiveness. Here are 8 helpful ways to assess...

The fifth industrial revolution

“I see a crisis of trust in technology. In the Fifth Industrial Revolution, we’re going to have to have a chief ethical and humane use officer. Are we using these technologies for the good of the world?”

Creating a 'Social Business City'

Taoyuan City, Taiwan has created “an enabling ecosystem for social businesses, social enterprises and social innovation” by removing obstacles and giving them the “power, means, opportunities and authority to pursue their goals”

Four key shifts facing the Church

"What would a collaborative, dynamic, authentic, sacrificial, generative and innovative community of Christlike leaders look like?" Four key shifts could help transition to answers to this question. They are..

Growing a healthy and mature prophetic culture

10 years ago, God spoke to Cath very clearly and told her to start multiplying. Taking things that He'd been teaching them in their church, going to others and enabling them to grow a healthy prophetic culture.

How businesses can shift from social responsibility to social change

Including people with lived experience of social problems in identifying, implementing solutions creates impactful, sustainable social change in ways not possible with just board decisions.

Microchurches: co-existing with existing churches, working in partnership

Microchurches are adaptable, lightweight, and lay-led communities that live out their missional identity in a particular network or neighbourhood. They can co-exist with existing churches to reach all the nooks and crannies of society.

The 5 vital signs of a scalable idea

Some ideas that initially seem so promising fail to work on a bigger scale - voltage drops. There are five specific and universal causes of voltage drops and how to avoid them. If these can be overcome then...

Decarbonising transport

Two examples of green innovation. Replacing a diesel transport refrigeration unit could be the equivalent of removing 31 cars from the road and solar foils which can be customized to any vehicle rooftop.

Nurturing curiosity and invention

Virtually everyone begins life with building blocks to construct new ideas. But by 5, only some are still on a path to become adept at such thinking, while most leave it farther behind. But such a fate is not inevitable.

Using tech to help people get back into work

Held over 3 days, Hack2Work brought together over 150 people from many backgrounds to develop innovative digital solutions to help people back into employment post-pandemic. There were 2 winning teams..

Mobilising missional disciples - 2

What does it look like to shift from being an attractional Sunday church to being a more missional church? Leading with mission - training Christians to live as missionaries, to be disciple makers out in the everyday spaces of life

Mobilising missional disciples - 1

A pastor started to shift an attractional, Sunday-centric professional led church into more of a seven day people movement of God, where every disciple was feeling the call to make disciples in the ordinary spaces of life.

Putting nature at the core of business strategy

After building a strong foundation, with new products e.g. plant-based gouda + cheddar, Willicroft are making every decision, whether related to packaging, supply chain or energy, on effect on the planet.

The 'experimental revolution' in business

A fundamental shift in the way businesses make decisions is taking place. Traditionally, running experiments has been the domain of scientists, but managers across industries have been adopting them to inform decisions at an unprecedented scale.

Modern slavery due diligence technology

Slavery is an issue of our time and exists in all industries and countries. Companies are expected to conduct ongoing due diligence. Failure to act creates ethical, operational, reputational and legal risk.

Business as ministry

Business people have not been affirmed in their gifting in the body of Christ. And business itself remains a largely untapped resource for global mission. How do we achieve the paradigm shift from where Sunday and Monday are disconnected?

CrossPurpose

"How do we help our neighbours escape poverty?". CrossPurpose has a mission to abolish economic, relational, and spiritual poverty through career and community development. 473 neighbours so far graduated and escaped poverty...

Chatta - positive impact in speaking, writing and learning

Designed to increase the quality and quantity of parent/child interaction via school. 40% greater progress in both speaking and understanding than children without Chatta.

Youth STEM Matters

Glasgow based social enterprise, YouthSTEM2030, is determined to empower young people around the world to use science, technology, engineering and maths to change the world through progress towards the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

8 social innovations that we could see in next decade

Ways of interacting, underpinned by technologies, that could alter social systems and overcome one or several challenges faced by society.

Let's continue to build community - employment

Employment in our communities will be affected by Covid-19. Many people will struggle to find employment they are used to. Churches i.e. the people, can have a pro-active role to play. This could be...

Tech for good in the fight against coronavirus

The emergence of technological solutions has been one light at the end of the tunnel. Details about some of the most innovative tech solutions that have sprung up throughout the world.

Pivoting your business in response to Covid-19

The Covid-19 crisis has made it necessary for many commercial companies to shift their business models quickly. Many are repurposing their assets to create new value, protect the brand and survive.

A theology of disruption

Interruption is God’s invitation. God is inviting us to see him all around us, in the lives of others, in our conversations, in our serving those in need. It is one of God’s ways of waking us up to what’s around us.

Upshift

A UNICEF innovation programme, now in 22 countries, impacting the lives of hundreds of thousands of young people. A local initiative for self-starting groups of 13-18s to come forward with ideas to address social problems within their community.

Improving wellbeing in the community

Case studies of 9 towns across the UK that are imagining and building new futures for themselves. The stories told show the breadth of responses people have developed to transform their towns.

Who's job is it to build a better society?

Who's job is it to build a better society? What if employers encouraged colleagues to look for marginal gains in society in the roles that they're already paid to do? It's good for motivation, good for business, good for society and needn't be complex.

Innovation in youthwork

The world is changing-and fast-and young people are connecting and gathering in different spaces and places, both real and virtual. Understanding, interest and perceptions about Christian faith are shifting. How affects youthwork?

No Isolation robot

Enables children with long-term illness to virtually attend school, socialise with classmates and remain connected. It becomes their eyes, ears and voice in the classroom.

CitizenLab

A citizen engagement platform for local governments. It helps reach more citizens, manage their ideas efficiently, and make decisions based on real-time data. It introduces local democracies to the digital age.

Self-Reliant Groups

Small groups of people who come from a shared economic and/or social background to support each other, develop friendships, save, share skills, start small businesses.

Community fridges

More than 50 Community Fridges have popped up across the UK helping thousands connect to their communities, access nutritious food, save money and reduce waste.

Recipes rebuilding lives

What started as a pilot in a home, has now developed into a charity with chefs who are refugees from all corners of the globe facilitating cookery classes for thousands of participants.

The Ice Academy

A programme from Ben and Jerry's to support people who have refugee status get back into business and remove barriers they face entering the job market.

Vroom - boosting a child's learning

An app for parents and educators containing over 1,000 brain-building interactions you can do with your children.

Lean Impact - 2

Helping us figure out how to adapt best practises of innovation to the realm of social good. A lot of challenges have answers that are not clear and need different approaches that emphasise the speed of learning - what innovation is all about.

Lean Impact - 1

Modular housing

Products that could be used in small sites locally for rapid housing development. Quality housing, manufactured offsite to minimise on site disruption, whilst keeping the price well below the market average.

The friendship bench

Zimbabwe has been pioneering a groundbreaking mental health programme with stunning results. It uses public benches and a team of grandmothers to tackle depression.

Micro-society schools

With MicroSociety, school is society, a thriving, modern-day, mini-metropolis—complete with a government centre, entrepreneurial hub, non-profit organizations, consumer marketplace and community gathering spaces.

Connecting talented young refugees with business leaders

Embark is a reverse mentoring scheme that connects Turkish business leaders with young Syrians to exchange ideas, develops understanding and builds meaningful connections.

Transforming lives of resettled refugees through entrepreneurship

How can we best help them start afresh? We can offer refugees the opportunity and the means to shape their own through entrepreneurship.

Year Here

A year to test and build solutions to some of society's toughest problems.

Spear

The Spear programme helps 16-24-year-olds,who are not in education, employment or training, into work or training in partnership with employers.

The effect of a dog in school

A comfort dog is a counselling support. They possess the two most important qualities of an effective social worker or counsellor--unconditional acceptance and warmth.

Compassionate Communities

A “compassionate community” scheme in Frome aimed at tackling loneliness and associated ill health has helped cut emergency hospital admissions by 17%.

U-Turn - a sustainable way to address the needs of the homeless

A pathway out of homelessness which engages the community, links with specialist support services, develops life skills and gets people into employment whilst generating income from social enterprise.

Community-led housing - policy and case studies

Why and how Councils are enabling and supporting community-led housing (CLH), together with case studies.

Yondr - helping to live phone-free

The effect on school campuses has been dramatic; increased attention, more socialising, better grades and lower number of discipline issues.

Why beauty matters

“At every level of the human experience, we are looking for the beautiful, something that gives priority to our souls, not just our physical needs.”

Neighbourhood economics

Why do we need to wait for government or authorities to steer money to local projects? Here's some ideas about getting the local community involved in action and funding.

Food security and jobs for unemployed

On the rooftops of the tall buildings in Johannesburg, a green revolution is happening - an initiative to create urban gardening businesses on vacant roofs aimed at creating jobs for the unemployed whilst at the same time providing food.

#Balanceitup

Practical action for employers minded by the common good to help address the widening gap between top earners and lowest paid workers.

Making the case for new school designs

Our model of schooling is more than 100 years old and has barely changed in that time. 10 questions to help thinking.

Piggy Bank Friday

An initiative in primary schools with 10-11 year olds to develop financial literacy. At one school. pupils saved over £24,000 in one year.

Nudging tools for money advisers

A toolkit, which uses behavioural science to better engage and support people with unmanageable debt.

Helping us to be human?

The Light Phone is a very simple, credit card-sized cell phone designed to be used as little as possible.

Increasing the time parents read to their children

Nudges increased parental engagement, doubling reading time and benefiting children.

Improving health and wellbeing through the Arts

Arts therapies have been found to alleviate anxiety, depression and stress while increasing resilience and wellbeing.

Reimagining senior school

In the USA, 13 schools in 11 cities are exploring new, innovative ways to engage students and prepare them for the jobs of tomorrow.

Street Play - communities brought together by kids playing in the road

Closing a street for several hours, several times per year so that kids can play in the street and through that neighbours can meet each other.

Within My/Our Reach - an opportunity to improve relationships

Workshops birthed out of 30 years of research in the field of relationship health given to over 300,000 people. Results; lower divorce rates, better communication skills, reduction in violence.

A community powered by its own renewable energy

A small town in Austria became a net energy producer—generating more energy from renewables than it uses and this has brought prosperity.

Top hits playlist

God seems to be at work through popular songs that either tap into the desire to worship that is in each of us or show something of God's love for us.

How could faith-based organisations do good, better?

Theos report explores different aspects of religious social innovation. Organisations and individuals who are thinking and acting innovatively.

What matters to you? - a new vital sign

We all have vital signs - heart rate, respiratory rate, blood pressure, temperature. However there is a new vital sign about compassion, about care.

Preparing for the 100 year life

Envisage - a social enterprise helping individuals, businesses and community harness benefits of an ageing society and change way we transition into later life.

Better lives, better businesses

A sustainable social enterprise focused on improving the well-being of employees in local organisations?

Window Wanderland

Imagine your neighbourhood’s ordinary windows transformed into an outdoor gallery and all generations coming together in a fun, creative way.

Refresh - Fresh Expressions

Church for people right where they are in the middle of everyday life.

God Behind Bars

Churches are streaming services into prisons. Family members of prisoners can watch the same service at the same time - attend 'church' together.

Memory Café

Memory Café is run by St Cuthbert's Church, Wembley and helps the elderly and lonely who live locally. By doing this, the church has been able to create a real presence in the community and has grown.

Cook an extra plate for a neighbour

Volunteers share extra portions of home-cooked food with people in their area who aren’t always able to cook for themselves. They share once a week, once a month, or whenever works best for them.

Are you an early adopter or a laggard?

What next for church social initiatives, community franchises? A look at their spread and what could or should be next.

Boots the Chemist

A High Street name founded by a family of faith with the motive of bringing affordable medicines to the poor - breaking monopolies and transforming healthcare.

Online Church - extending gospel reach

Everyday Church based in south-west London launched an online church in September 2015. Everyday Church has planted many churches and the online church is seen as another church plant.

Purpose businesses - redesigning business for social impact

Recently there has been a Kickstarter campaign for designing 'The Purpose Hotel'. It was oversubscribed. The concept is based on guests, who use the hotel, 'changing the world while you sleep'.

Private schools helping primaries in deprived areas

In Silicon Valley, California, there is a very high achieving set of schools – Valley Christian Schools. They have linked with a primary school in a local area where there are lots of social issues. The results in this primary school have risen

Bridges Out of Poverty

A resource to help you be a church for the poor? Middle class understandings of those who work with people in poverty are often ill-suited for connecting with and helping people build up resources and rise out of poverty.

Linking CEO pay to rates of lowest paid staff?

Some time back, I attended a workshop on inequality. One of the questions that intrigued me was, 'What should be the ratio of the CEO's pay in a company and the lowest paid workers?'

Social action in the workplace

"What is it about... spending so many hours of my life here? If it's only about trying to find the very rare occasion to talk about faith, well, something is wasted. What I had to learn is God's calling for me here.

Carry a generosity kit with you

A generosity kit could be as big as a suitcase or as small as your back pocket. The idea is just that you face the day prepared – with a kit of items that could range from a safety pin to a shovel, ready to give out generously to those in need.

Foodbank involvement - changing local businesses?

I was having a conversation with a church leader some time back about social enterprise. He then went on to talk about the difficulty with financially sustaining some ‘community franchises’

goHenry - a fun way to pay pocket money and teach good money habits?

goHenry is a Pre-paid Card and App with unique parental controls for young people aged 8 to 18. It was founded by a group of parents, designed specifically with the goal of helping young

Lifesavers - financial education and savings clubs

The Archbishop of Canterbury’s Task Group and pfeg, the Personal Finance Education Group are rolling out LifeSavers, a national financial education programme for primary schools. Could you register a primary school you are involved with?

Joseph Rowntree

By 1900 the Rowntree company had become one of Britain's most famous firms, both for its commercial success and in the field of industrial welfare. Rowntree was an influential social reformer as well as a businessman. He realised that old-fashioned

School Kit - for parents to help their kids get the best out of school

TLG have just launched a video-based course called School Kit. School can often present challenges to children and to parents. School Kit brings together the experiences of lots of parents and unpacks

Life changing buildings

Life changing buildings are those which are instruments, vehicles, tools for community transformation. Well-conceived buildings begin with a comprehensive understanding of the function they serve. Architects may design incredible spaces, eye-catching

Sir Titus Salt

Sir Titus Salt was a successful 19th Century businessman who helped improve conditions for his workers, building a model factory and village. Influenced by his Congregationalist faith he brought a social conscience to capitalism at a time when many

Riding on a smile: a Syrian refugee and his bike

Getting around London is expensive for everyone, let alone for a refugee living on the weekly government asylum allowance of £36.95. Whilst seeking asylum, it is vital that people are able to access