Innovation
By embracing innovation through human-centred design, we create impactful, sustainable solutions for a future- ready social service sector.
Last updated 2 January 2025
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Overview
We innovate to future-proof the social service sector with impact and sustainable solutions. Innovation is vital for equipping the sector with the agility and responsiveness needed to effectively address emerging needs and gaps.
To provide solutions that meet the diverse and unique needs of service users in our ever-changing environment, the social service sector must continually reinvent itself. Embracing innovation allows us to stay at the forefront and deliver the best possible services to those who need it most.
Innovation means to continually improve solutions to meet emerging needs or transform existing services, creating new ways of working in the social service sector to tackle complex issues and achieve social impact.
When we innovate, we put end-users at the centre of the design and delivery process, ensuring that products, services and interventions are sustainable and effective.
Human-centred design thinking
We believe in a human-centred approach to develop innovative solutions for complex social challenges. This process begins with empathy, understanding the perspectives, experiences, values, hopes and dreams of the people we’re designing for.
Design thinking as a mindset guides our actions and decisions through five phases: Empathy, Define, Ideate, Prototype and Test. For more information, explore the Social Innovation Starter Kit.
Empathy: Research and immerse in needs and challenges of our service users
Define: Analyse research, develop a point of view and refine the design challenge
Ideate: Informed by research insights, generate as many ideas as possible
Prototype: Transform conceptual ideas into tangible prototypes
Test: Test early and improve through iterating
Three key questions to innovate better today
Consider these three questions to design effective and innovative solutions. Start innovating today!
Tools and resources
Social innovation starter kit
Embark on your own innovation journey with this kit [PDF, 2.9 MB], which includes guide, tools and case studies.