City of Maribor and Podravje Region – Slovenia

Pilot Name: Social Innovation Accelerator

Description:

The aim of the pilot is to test the program of Social Innovation Laboratory, connect people, ideas and resources and elaborate ways of further support needed to boost social innovations and social economy sector growth.

Activities:

There are two main activities that will be implemented:

1. Social Innovation Laboratory:

– Identifying & diagnosing & ranking social / community problems in Maribor & surroundings (methods – workshop – using problem tree, analysing available open data, mapping needs, assets, making problems visible – i.e. –using Janes walk, video, etc.), ranking /valuating identified problems (e.g. voting).

– Creating proposals and ideas to solve identified social/community problem (hackathon/s, design thinking) and selection of one idea that will be prototyped further on (pitch, voting)

– Prototyping / testing the idea in practice: providing support to idea holder(s) by using mentoring/coaching methods, use of fablab facilities, networking etc.

– Testing and if necessary, improving the program of Social Innovation Laboratory.

2. Model of connecting people ideas and resources in City Social Innovation HUB

– In order to assure space and/or place which bring and keep people together to learn, share, and collaborate we will, together with stakeholders, elaborate the City Social Innovation HUB model. The HUB will be the space / places where social entrepreneurs, community activists, non-profits, and others, can come together to share ideas, insights, and experiences.

– Elaborating program of further support needed to boost social innovations and social economy sector growth in Maribor and Podravje region.