(19 August 2014) – To animate the Social Innovation Europe initiative, the European Commission (DG Enterprise and Industry) has contracted a consortium associating AEIDL and SIX (Social Innovation eXchange, UK), with Euclid Network, Young Foundation, EMES, Nesta, Groupe SOS, Partners Albania and the Danish Technological Institute.
According to Wikipedia, social innovations are new strategies, concepts, ideas and organizations that meet social needs of all kinds — from working conditions and education to community development and health — that extend and strengthen civil society. Social innovation includes the social processes of innovation, such as open source methods and techniques and also the innovations which have a social purpose — like microcredit or distance learning.
Since SIE begun in 2011, the social innovation field has expanded, dramatically. There are more projects, funding, competitions, research and awareness of this field. 2014-2016 is a significant time in Europe to continue to be active in building and bringing this field together.