About SIX - Introduction

SIX is a network that’s been set up by a group of organisations to help build the emerging field of social innovation. We believe that many of the big problems that the world faces – from climate change to the care needs of an ageing population - will only be solved by experiment, enterprise and innovation, and that innovation needs to tap into the creativity of every part of civil society, business and the public sector.

All over the world there is an amazing amount of innovation being done, but little settled understanding of how to do it best, or which methods work best. Many claims are made for methods coming from fields as diverse as public policy, social entrepreneurship, design and technology – but so far with little evidence to back them up, and little learning between the different fields.

The relative underdevelopment of the social innovation field means that too many ideas fail to develop, to grow, or to achieve their potential. It’s also one reason why some of the institutions which should be most concerned to raise the game of social innovation – from governments to foundations – remain relatively unengaged.

We hope that SIX will bring the leading organisations engaged in social innovation from around the world so that together we can systematically map out what methods work best, bringing together research and experience, case studies and collaborative teams. SIX has been designed to combine a virtual dimension, conferences, summer schools and other events, as well as publications and discussions We hope that SIX will raise the profile of social innovation. And we hope that SIX will speed up the communication of great ideas from one place to another.

This will take time – but if we can together grow a new field, in which every part of the world learns from every other, the long-term impact could be remarkable.