Penny's blog

Sleepless innovators create community websites A refugee buddy system won a special travel prize at Australia’s first Social Innovation Camp in Sydney yesterday. Presenting the award to Joy Suliman of the Refugee Buddy team, Cheryl Kernot, Director of Social Innovation at the Centre for Social Impact, University of New South Wales, said it was exciting to see innovative and socially beneficial uses of new technology. The winning team received a return airfare and per diem allowance to attend a Social Innovation camp overseas.

1. Do give it a go –make a start on fixing an identified need. 2. Do build a team – most creativity is collaborative. 3. Do remember the answers are in the community – listen, network and learn. 4. Do build trust by being honest, committed and hanging in there. 5. Do form diverse partnerships – with others in the community, especially service users, with organisations with similar goals, with funding bodies, government agencies, non-profits and private enterprise – all sectors play a part in sustained change.