Social innovations are new strategies, concepts, and organizations that meet social needs such as working conditions, education, community development, and health. They extend and strengthen civil society. Social innovation includes both social processes of innovation as well as innovations with a social purpose, such as online volunteering and microcredit. The UN Global Pulse initiative uses big data for development and humanitarian action, such as providing anonymous privacy-protected climate datasets and assessing damage from natural disasters. Interesting social innovation initiatives in Eastern Europe and Central Asia include using gamification to engage youth on unemployment and corruption in Moldova, a job search mobile app in Macedonia, and an SMS information service for farmers in Azerbaijan. The conclusion emphasizes defining problems,

1. (Social) Innovation
VOJTECH HLEDIK, UNV

2. Definition
Social innovations are new strategies, concepts, ideas and
organizations that meet the social needs of different elements which
can be from working conditions and education to community
development and health — they 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 online volunteering, microcredit,
or distance learning.

4. ….. but IT is of course big part of it
- Open data / Hackathons
- Big data
- Apps
- Using new technologies solving development issues
and strengthening service delivery

5. UN Global Pulse
◦ Global Pulse is a flagship innovation initiative of the United Nations Secretary-
General on big data.
◦ Global Pulse functions as a network of innovation labs where research on Big
Data for Development is conceived and coordinated.
◦ www.unglobalpulse.org
◦ Data for Development and Humanitarian Action examples
◦ Anonymous privacy protected datasets for climate action
◦ Nepal earthquake damage assessment
◦ Libya humanitarian needs mapping

6. Interesting initiatives in our region
Moldova
Gamification - CommunityPlanIt.org: Youth Unemployment, Fight corruption
Macedonia
Job/internship/volunteer opportunities in real-time + online support
MY Municipality – engage with local decision makers
SMS info system that helps farmers reduce their use of polluting pesticides by providing up-to-
date information on the most effective times to spray

7. Interesting initiatives in our region
Azerbaijan
One-stop-shot for integration of 270 state services (fixed fees, deadlines, call centers for
complaints and improvements suggestions)
Belarus
Mobile apps “Eliminator of Myths of the HIV Topic” and “Bottle Hunter”; the campaign
GreenMap.by, which uses a website and mobile app to give information about collecting
recyclable and hazardous waste
”Career-Centre” — a project providing people with disabilities opportunities to work remotely.

8. UNDP/UNV Social Innovation and
Volunteerism Project (Uzbekistan)
- www.iact.uz
- Small Grants for innovators
- eco-bags supporting women with disabilities
- Do-It-Yourself Labs
- Café Scientifique

9. Conclusion
- Different solutions work in different countries
- Define problem – design thinking – prototype – scale up
- Be engaged
- Ukraine has already good supporting infrastructure – start
up accelerators, co-working hubs, IT clusters and networks