BEST COOPERATION PROJECT FINALIST

Innova't

Project website: http://fundacionesplai.org/area-formacion/innovat/

Years implemented: 2017

PROJECT PARTNERS

• Fundación Esplai. (Spain - Leader) In charge of qualitative project implementation and is in charge of recruitment of students, administrative issues and mentoring during the first part of training.

• Citilab. (Spain - Trainers) In charge of theoretical training and mentoring during the practices of students as well as they help the youths to elaborate their project.

• i2Cat. (Spain - Trainers) In charge of theoretical training and mentoring during the practices of students as well as they help the youths to elaborate their project. They are experienced in training in social innovation.

• Generalitat de Catalunya (Spain - Support)

PURPOSE OF THE PROJECT AND MAIN ACTIVITIES

The main objective of the project is to train Digital Social Innovation Agents empowering unemployed youths to increase their employability. We created a course of 120 hours (80 hours of training and 40 hours of practice in a city hall, local organization, or in a CatLab). During their practice students must create and develop an innovative project. The young boys and girls learn all the skills and knowledge necessary to work as Digital Social Innovation Agents. The course is part of the CatLabs program, which promotes the articulation of a Catalan network of digital, social and collaborative innovation. The objective is to involve the whole economic and social network of the country in the processes of innovation, according to the model of the Quadruple Helix (R + D + I system, companies, public administrations and users of innovation).

IMPACT

We are working against youth unemployment. The project is part of CatLabs programme, and the main idea is to articulate a system of social, digital and collaborative innovation, for and from the territory. The emergence of ICTs is leading to a "democratization of innovation" and an opening of their processes. Systemic models allow users to be incorporated from the beginning of the innovation process, making the impact of R & D & I investment more effective.

SUSTAINABILITY

It has been a pilot founded by SOC and Social European Founds for youth employability. We have put together two needs and we worked with that funds.

SUCCESS FACTORS AND LEARNING

We think the project has been efficient because we have put together three needs: 1) youth unemployment, 2) necessity of “democratization of innovation” applying them for improvement of their city; and 3) citizen participation of youth. The students have been working/learning 40 hours in city halls, and have been able to apply innovation to the service of citizens.

SCALABILITY

We think it’s transferable and other organizations can implement it. Almost all the city halls have funds to implement innovative digital and social projects in their cities and very often they don’t know how to do it. If they have a Digital Social Innovation Agent they can invest these funds in a proper way and citizens can benefit from innovation and ICT.

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