Best Practice: Innovation Communities in Scotland
The Scottish Federation of Housing Association’s Innovation and Future Thinking Programme is bringing their members and other stakeholders together to collaboratively develop new ideas and solutions for the future.
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A Guide for Communities Working with Academics on Participatory Research Projects
This guide is for communities interested in participatory research and engagement with academics as part of participatory projects. It has been written by community members, activists and academics who have been involved in research of this kind. It is intended to provide communities with basic explanations of the background to, and motivations for, participatory research, as well as overviews of the processes of research, the implications that communities should consider when deciding whether or not to participate in projects and the key steps participants can take to minimize risks and maximize benefits.
The Moving Communities Methodology
The methodology has been designed in order to support Idea Makers transform their idea into a viable and effective project.
The methodology delves into 3 topic areas:
- WHO (communities): this relates to the communities to whom the idea is addressed or which it seeks to involve. Are their needs, challenges, but also their role clearly understood and taking into account in the idea development?
- HOW (strategies): this relates to the implementation of the idea. What are the required partners and stakeholders, and how to get them involved? How to scale up the idea and make it more participative?
- WHY (values): this relates to the impact and value of the idea. What is the narrative beyond the idea and how to ensure a broader impact?
The Social Innovation Journey Toolbox
A simplified template visualizes the sequence of actions and tasks and guides the social innovators to complete them. Tools can be adapted to different contexts and different social innovations: most of them can be used by both early- and late-stage innovation. Nevertheless some tools require a wider knowledge of the sector and a deeper development of the social innovation in order to express their full potentiality.
Best Practice: Climate Initiative in Sweden
The Climate Initiative is a campaign for public housing aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions through ambitious goals, cooperation and active exchange of experience. The aim is that the public housing companies should be fossil-free by 2030 and that energy consumption should be reduced by 30 percent. By working together and inspiring each other the housing companies can make truly make have an impact on mitigating climate change. So far, the initiative has been signed by 67 member companies whom together account for roughly 300 000 dwellings. Many more are likely to follow in the coming months.