A common platform for change

2020, Research

Through embedded design work, I have been documenting a real time study of social innovation, enabled via collaborative funding in the digital economy (ie. Crowdfunding). This has principally taken the form of working with a community bakery, as it engages with the community, and supporting them in delivering a successful crowdfunding campaign for a new Community Bakery in an underdeveloped area of Newcastle. Through situated field work, I have developed insights in social innovation, as it scales and invariably must work with the community, and relate to the wider economy and legislative / funding environments. This work has contributed towards a case study into ‘Civic Crowdfunding’ in which platforms have partnered with local government and university to enable funding of small scale community projects. The relationship between social innovation and design in the community, and the wider economic relations, are probed through practical work.

Through published work, this research is developing contributions to leadership in Social Innovation and Co-design, and Design Methodology. Future publications will critique the political economy of these emerging models of funding.