(15 March 2013) – DGs EMPL and REGIO have together produced a “Guide to Social Innovation”, which is now available to download.
“Social innovation” refers to any innovative measure which has explicitly social (as opposed to merely technological or business) goals.
The “Guide to Social Innovation” describes how many pre-existing European Union initiatives, from the Digital Agenda to the Structural Funds, are working towards this end, and provides many good examples of relevant co-funded projects, as well as placing them in the context of the Europe 2020 strategy.
Detailed practical tips are provided for regional public authorities as to how to foster and enable social innovation, and how to embed social aims within other policies. These are then summarised in a handy ten step guide at the end of the publication.