Presentation by Benedict Wauters (ESF Flanders)

1. Europees Sociaal Fonds
International seminar on supporting social
innovation with the European Social Fund
26-27th October 2015 , Brussels, Hotel Bloom

2. Europees Sociaal Fonds
International seminar on supporting social innovation with
the European Social Fund
26-27th October 2015 , Brussels, Hotel Bloom
Louis Vervloet
General Director
ESF Agency Flanders
Welcome and introduction

3. Innovation and the ESF in Flanders
• Flanders has a long established tradition in
allocating ESF for innovation
• This tradition continues in the period of
2014-2020
• It was our ambition to establish our new
operations in support of innovation on the
cutting edge of practice and knowledge

4. Innovation and the ESF in Flanders
Priority axis ESF in EURO
1 Loopbaanbeleid curatief:
162 325 134
2 Loopbaanbeleid preventief:
67 114 353
3 Sociale inclusie en armoedebestrijding:
81 327 223
4 Mensgericht ondernemen:
35 067 997
5 Innovatie and transnationaliteit
32 312 147
8,5 % of
total ESF

5. Innovation and the ESF in Flanders
• Hence, we embarked on an ESF project of
our own:
– “Meer werk maken van innovatie voor
werkgelegenheid en arbeidsmarkt” / “Make
innovation work for employment policy and the
labour market” (ESF project 4895)
– Colleagues from Sweden, Poland and the Czech
Republic reinforced our reflections

6. Recap on the project
• Phase 1:
– extensive literature review from which we derived key principles
– seminar in Brussels
• Phase 2:
– study visits
– training
– more reading
– exchange event in Brussels
– decision point: positive validation of the ”Toolkit”
• Phase 3:
– further elaboration of the toolkit, taking into account remarks
from expert during validation…
– based on more reading, training…
– and the launch of the first “Innovation via Exploration” call under
the new ESF programme in Flanders

7. We reviewed innovation literature from
the last 10 years
• General articles on innovation, creativity, …:
– Harvard Business Review
– Sloan Management Review
– McKinsey Quarterly
– Strategy and Business (Booz)
– Others…
• A range of articles oriented to innovation in/by
the public sector
• A range oriented to social innovation
• All summarised in fiches!

8. Including also larger publications
…etc…

9. In total we covered around 100
publications!

10. We had a look at what others are
doing abroad…
• MINDLAB, Denmark
• Centre for social innovation, Malmö
• La 27 ième region, France
• OECD OPSI conference (Observatory on public
sector innovation)
• SEE (Sharing Experience Europe) Design
Innovation Policy conference, Brussels

11. We got together with others in
Flanders…
MIX
Call voor Innovatie met de
Creatieve Industrieën

12. We got trained…
• IDEO online service design training
• Flanders In Shape / SPIDER project on service design
• I-propellor / Oksigen on social innovation
• Flanders DC innovative business models
• Sociale Innovatie Fabriek on pitching concepts for
funding
• Transition management
• Lego Serious Play…

13. Then we read some more…
Etc..

14. ..and some more…
Etc..

15. Now we are here to share some key
insights with each other!

16. Etc..
Service design:
Pearson Lloyd, UK
Behavioural
science: Ideas
42, US
Human development
and capabilities:
University of Pavia,
EU CRESSI project, IT
Transition
theory: DRIFT /
EU Transit
project, NL

17. Our focus in the
main programme
Session with
Scottish collages
after the main
programme

18. All of it bundled in…

19. All of it bundled in…
Full of practical
tools and
guidance as well
as theoretical
frameworks
Focus on new
“services” but
taking account of
the need for
systems
innovation

20. Open Space from 17-18h
• Czech experience with their ESF call for
social innovation:
– Workshop room 1 (A&E in UK with
PearsonLloyd)
• Scotland and U lab:
– Workshop room 2 (Ideas 42 and Education)
• Others can meet in the lobby, near the
coffee etc….
• Write a brief intro and let me know before
lunch, then we will “advertise” after lunch

21. I hope you will find the seminar to
be exciting and thought provoking !
Thank you!