The second Stellenbosch Social Innovation Winter School will be held at the Sustainability Institute in Lynedoch from Monday 15 to Friday 19 July.
It will be hosted by Stellenbosch-based non-profit company Ranyaka Community Transformation in collaboration with Stellenbosch Network and the Sustainability Institute.
Applications are open for innovators who have ideas to solve a societal problem that either impacts them, or one about which they are passionate. The winter school will also benefit students interested in exploring social innovation as a career option as it puts the building blocks in place to start one’s own social venture.
The interactive five-day course will cover topics such as understanding social problems and their root causes, identifying opportunities for innovation, design thinking and human-centred idea generation, business models for social innovation, scaling social innovations and measuring impact.
“Too often, those directly affected by societal challenges are excluded from the solutions design process,” said Marli Goussard, Ranyaka’s social-impact strategist.
Stellenbosch and other communities are grappling with issues such as crime, lack of infrastructure, youth unemployment, mental health, unclear career paths, access to affordable energy sources and the need for climate resilience.
“To address these issues it is crucial for academia, impact investors and vulnerable communities to collaborate and collectively brainstorm innovative solutions,” Goussard added.
“By leveraging academic expertise and the lived experiences of community members, we can co-develop effective strategies for positive change, resulting in co-owned social ventures, benefiting vulnerable communities both socially and economically.”
Ranyaka invites NPOs, residents of vulnerable communities, students and social entrepreneurs to sign up for this life-changing experience.
- The cost of R1 500 includes course materials, while students with a valid student number pay R900. Sign up online at bit.ly/siwinterschool24.
- For more information, contact Goussard on marli@ranyaka.co.za or 084 212 2000.
