Community Innovation Labs
Unlocking community innovation and empowering local social & profit for purpose entrepreneurs
Community Innovation Labs are one of three pillars of Community Alliance infrastructure designed to bring communities, the public sector, and social & profit for purpose entrepreneurs together to collaborate deeply and mindfully and to co-create ideas and develop solutions to the challenges we face in our local communities and neighbourhoods.
They provide a platform for engaging in active research and community knowledge gathering which leads to the co-creation of ideas that are taken forward into development and testing.
They provide social entrepreneurs with the finance, skills, and resources they need to take a leading role in developing solutions which are not dependent upon grants or reliant on centralised public resources and procurement.
Community Innovation Labs delivered in partnership with Community Finance Alliance provide:
- Finance and Seed Investment
- People & expertise Social Entrepreneurs may be missing
- A purpose led and democratised governance structure for their business
- Access to Community Exchange data and intelligence
- Social, Environmental and Wellbeing Impact measurement
- Incubation, mentoring and peer support
- Continued mentoring & support as a long-term investor and shareholder
Using our structured investment approach, we can secure an ongoing income stream to enable us to continue to develop and innovate new finance infrastructure and services.
Opportunities
Dorset Community Wellbeing Lab
We are currently seeking partners to co-pilot the development of Community Innovation Labs in the context of Community Wellbeing within Dorset focused on health in the context of the Wellbeing Economy and 4D Economy.
Dorset Circular Economy Lab
We are currently seeking partners to co-pilot the development of Community Innovation Labs in the context of The Circular Economy within Dorset focused on applying the principles of the Circular Economy, Wellbeing Economy and 4D Economy.
Dorset Procurement Lab
We are seeking to develop “Commercial Tools” and “Markets” to pilot new procurement practices ahead of new UK procurement laws coming into effect in a few months’ time.
We are using our methodology to innovate and co-create our future with these Community Innovation Labs
Wellbeing Exchanges Lab
We are working with members to create a Community Innovation Lab with a focus on Community Wellbeing based upon sharing data. Bringing together purpose led businesses and social enterprises, community groups and the public sector to co-develop digital community wellbeing infrastructure that touches communities through Community Wellbeing Exchanges. The journey is beginning with Time banking and Wellbeing Wallets.
Alliance Innovation Lab
Our members commit time and resources to helping us grow and develop. Along that journey together individuals and organisational members see gaps that could be filled by ideas for solutions. These solutions tend to be ideas that can scale through localised social franchising and make a positive social or environmental impact. This Community Innovation Lab has a focus on supporting our collaborators to develop those ideas and solutions.
