Nagroda za Innowacje Społeczne

Responding to social, economic, and ecological challenges, civil societies play a pivotal role in reconfiguration and the renewal of social practices, with the intention to strengthen social cohesion and to improve the quality of life of the communities they serve. This is the base of social innovation even if civil society actors are not always aware of this concept, because innovation stems from their nature and functional essence, i.e. quick community-based response to social needs, and adaptation to the changing environment. This is one of the most important differences that distinguishes the state from civil society. While the state with its rigid hierarchy is necessarily slow to react to social and ecological challenges, and not able to detect the roots of burning issues manifested at local and mezzo levels, civil societies embedded in the communities offer solutions that can be adapted by the state and could be introduced into the mainstream policy. Therefore, a smart state should create enabling environment to free the innovative energy of civil societies and form partnerships with civil society. In order to recognize the various efforts of civil society organizations active in the Carpathian region, which covers the bordering areas of Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, and Ukraine, the partners of the Carpathian Civil Platform, Brama Karpat Foundation, and later Peritum Foundation – Poland, ETP Slovakia, Carpathian Foundation – Hungary, and Carpathian Foundation – Ukraine, launched its Carpathian

Konkurs Nagrody za Innowacje Społeczne ma na celu wsparcie organizacji społeczeństwa obywatelskiego w prezentowaniu ich innowacji społecznościowych wdrożonych w ciągu ostatnich dwóch lat. Oprócz docenienia innowacji społecznych organizacji społeczeństwa obywatelskiego działających w lokalnych społecznościach Karpat, innym celem Nagrody jest zaoferowanie tym organizacjom możliwości uczenia się od siebie nawzajem poprzez wymianę doświadczeń w zakresie podejścia i metod ich innowacji.

Social Innovation Award prize Each time winners are awarded in each respective country. The Award ceremony is held at the annual inter-regional event of the Platform, where the winners have the opportunity to introduce their innovation.

Social Innovation Award Winners in 2023/2024

HUNGARY: Project Don’t Give Up! by Somnakuno Drom

The main goals of the organisation have become very clear in recent years: the transmission of Roma culture, the preservation of traditions, the promotion of Roma women’s activism, early childhood development and, for the last two years, the support of Ukrainian refugees.

Despite all the difficulties, the organisation has created its own community space, the Golden House. This was achieved through exemplary community collaboration, community fundraising, and the organisation, together with local people, has single-handedly created their community space, an open, non-judgemental community centre where there is room for everyone.

Since then, the Golden House has hosted workshops, community programmes and events.

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100078091895762

POLAND: Organization: Folkowisko Association

The innovation of the Folkowisko Association revolves around mobilizing the social, cultural, and economic potential of the community and developing new social networks and partnerships, especially in disadvantaged areas on the Polish-Ukrainian border.

For years, the Association has worked to promote the culture of the region and facilitate dialogue on rural culture, conducting numerous educational, cultural, and promotional activities. Our flagship projects, such as the Folkowisko Festival and the Peasent Freedom Day, Solidarity Day with Belarusian Nation initiative, have contributed to building a community based on the values of tradition and mutual respect.

The implementation of the innovation involved engaging the local community in the decision-making process, listening to their needs, and actively working to meet them. Creating an audio guide for the historical places in our region such as Churches, training social guides, and renovating stone crosses are specific examples of the Association’s actions.

We also want to make changes in educational part of social work, this is why we organized such project as Beyond Borders Academy. It is a school for young leaders from Poland, Ukraine and Belarus, and our goal in this project is integration, building a bridges between nations and creating a space to share common experience.

The main achievement of the Association was the creation of a strong community of activists who, during the refugee crisis on the Polish-Ukrainian border, engaged in humanitarian actions. Operating under the Freedom Embassy, the Association provided humanitarian aid to hundreds of thousands of people, establishing numerous international partnerships in the process.

For the future, the Association plans to expand its humanitarian activities, aiming to become one of the key NGOs in the Polish-Ukrainian border areas. International cooperation and the development of the local community remain priorities, and the organization aims to maintain sustainable development by supporting educational, cultural, and social programs.

Thanks to its dedication and actions, the Folkowisko Association intends to continue serving as a bridge between different cultures and nations, promoting mutual understanding and respect.

Links to videos related to the innovation:

Story – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JxX8P0T9pvE

Film created by festival participants – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=raS5jwoJe4g

Humanitarian aid – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tcjovswBEHg

ROMANIA: Székelyudvarhely Community Foundation

Run for IT! is an innovative fundraising and grant-making sport event and program, which support the local NGO’s fundraising efforts for community projects.

The success of the programme lies in its broad mobilisation, based on personal contacts and their networks. The message and the collective effort thus reaches its target. It involves NGOs, donors (individuals and businesses) and volunteers. The programme culminates in a sporting event, a collective run/walk in the Municipal Park.

There are many good-willed and proactive groups in the municipality that help the life of our community. Most do not have the resources and cannot reach out to those interested. This is why the Székelyudvarhely Community Foundation organises an innovative fundraising sporting event, Run for IT!, to help 20-30 NGOs to take action every year.

https://szka.ro/programjaink/tamogatasi-programok/fuss-neki/

SLOVAKIA: Project Women2Women by Female Algorithm

After the outbreak of the war in Ukraine we wanted to help – what we know how to do best – to help remove obstacles on the way to find a job and integration into the labour market. Thanks to a personalized concept that we created based on detailed research, we have established a safe community of women where they can find professional advice, a path to a new job in Slovakia, career consultations and Slovak women – us, who have their back in a difficult situation. We have helped 100+ women to define and remove the barriers that prevented them from finding a job.

https://www.zenskyalgoritmus.sk/w2w

UKRAINE: Project: A Space of Unity and Support by Organization: Zakarpattia Libraries

During the war the orgnization has been involved into the different activities aiming at coping and minimizing the results of the war in Ukraine. The project Space of Unity and Support was realized to achieve several goals:

– to improve psychoemotional state and dicrease emotinal presure through series of art-therapeutic activities and motivational meeting, as well as conduction of support groups 

 – to improve level of interaction between IDPs and local people, assist IDPs’ integration into the community by conduction of the interactive club on studying Ukrainian, as well as the conduction of the networking meeting, arts meetings, music parties etc. 

Social Innovation Award Winners in 2021/2022