INSISST
Since june we are officially the National Competence Center for Social Innovation in Belgium (NCCSI). And that’s not all. We coordinate the International Network for Social Innovation Scaling and Systemic Transformation, or Insisst for short.
We are proud to continue developing the competence center, including within a European context. Together with partners from Finland, the Czech Republic, Poland, Denmark, and Ireland, we are embarking on this exciting journey. This collaboration will allow us to learn a great deal from one another and share valuable insights.
Blueprint
For more than 10 years, we’ve been hammering on the same nail. We keep insisting and repeating that social innovation is a powerful lever for tackling countless complex societal challenges. Moreover, we believe that everyone and all actors within the societal pentagon (government, non-profit, business, citizens, and academia) can innovate socially.
That’s why, over the past two years, we collaborated with Europe WSE and 100 different stakeholders to create a blueprint for this national competence center in Flanders. We conducted an in-depth analysis of the state of social innovation development in Flanders. Through a deep dive into the ecosystem, we identified several needs and detected new opportunities to foster the growth and flourishing of social innovation. This resulted in a clear vision, action tracks, and broad support to further develop these efforts.
For the period July 2024 – June 2027, we have received funding to further develop and strengthen this competence center in Belgium. Similar competence centers are being established in nearly all EU member states to promote, support, and scale up social innovation within their local contexts.
Overall objectives of the consortium
- decent and efficient project management, in order to make the necessary progress and to be accountable.
- strengthen the ecosystem and environment for social innovation by strengthening opportunities for networking and collaboration between public authorities, academia, private and third sector organisations around identified and priority societal challenges.
- peer-to-peer learning and capacity building for challenges defined in a “dynamic learning agenda”, and involving external expertise where needed. Also learning from other consortia will be covered.
- monitoring and reflexive evaluation on the development process and the impact of the social innovation national competence centers (SINCC).
- internal and external communication and dissemination, so that other stakeholders interested in our work can learn from our endeavor, its successes and (possible) fails.
Our partners
The partners below form a consortium and joined forces for the professionalization and further development of social innovation national competence centers in their member states.
Rethink Ireland
Our vision is an Ireland which is more just, equal and sustainable because of social innovation.
Genio (Ireland)
Genio is a non-profit European organisation based in Ireland with a deep understanding of complex system change and experience of scaling social innovation.
Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (Finland)
THL is an expert and research institute that provides reliable information for decision-making and activities in the field of health and welfare. Our goal is to promote the welfare, health and safety of the population.
Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs (Czech Republic)
The Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (MoLSA) was established in 1990. It is responsible for social policy (e.g. people with disabilities, social services, social benefits, family policy), social security (e.g. pensions, sickness insurance), employment (e.g. labour market, employment support, employment of foreigners), labour legislation, occupational safety and health, equal opportunities of women and men, European Social Fund and other social or labour related issues.
Shipyard Foundation (Poland)
Shipyard Foundation creates and supports effective solutions to social challenges, involving citizens in deciding on public matters and helping organizations and local governments to plan and implement social activities.
Social Innovation Academy (Denmark)
Danish Social Innovation Academy is social innovation in itself - the Academy builds on member democracy, creates new equal relationships and transforms structures and mindsets by mobilizing a cross-sector collective.
The official open Call title is “National Competence Centres for Social Innovation: Building-up and Consolidating the Capacity entitled 'ESF+ Network of Competence Centres for Social Innovation (ENCCSI)'”
Interested?
Our colleague Tomas De Groote coordinates this project. Please contact him if you have any questions about Insisst.
Funded by the European Union
Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or European Social Fund Agency. Neither the European Union nor the Granting Authority can be held responsible for them.