GROUNDS FOR DISCUSSION JULY 19 TH, 2013 SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP

"SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURS ARE NOT CONTENT JUST TO GIVE A FISH OR TEACH HOW TO FISH. THEY WILL NOT REST UNTIL THEY HAVE REVOLUTIONIZED THE FISHING INDUSTRY."

SO, WHAT IS IT? A practical social change movement that uses innovative business skills and technologies to address the needs of marginalized people or communities Pursuing innovative solutions of these social problems by creating new products, services, or approaches An approach to solving problems that cuts across disciplines and sectors grounded in certain values

WHAT DOES IT REQUIRE? Experimentation- Innovation is a risky business, thus innovators must be willing to push boundaries and accept that they sometimes fail Openness- Innovation flourishes when businesses, organizations, governments, and intermediaries all come together to identify and address major challenges Ambition- A balanced mix of both challenge and focus

WHAT DOES A SOCIAL ENTREPRENEUR LOOK LIKE? Committed person with a vision and determination to persist in the face of various challenges Committed to measuring and monitoring his/her impact Holds high standards within his/her organization’s efforts and in response to the communities with which he/she engages Holds a belief that all people can contribute meaningfully to economic and social development and that all things are open to innovation Mass recruiter of local change makers Healthy impatience- doesn’t just wait for change to happen!

Behaviors of people in society Existing conditions within communities Facilitating change in future opportunities WHAT ARE THEY CHANGING?

A FEW PRINCIPLES OF THE FIELD… New projects ought to challenge the rules and systems of our social world and innovate in realms of society such as law, education, and culture Find out what is not working and solve the problem by changing the system Short-term profits are not worth sacrificing long-term goals, but in a healthy system profit can also be a sign of good decisions and financial sustainability The power of projects is based on openness and consent, finding clever ways for people to come together voluntarily Seek win-win techniques where all people involved choose to take part and gain from a project based on trade, collaboration, and honesty