Bridges as a social innovation case study
Bridges is a small, local community organisation that has a lot to offer towards big picture change.
The Bridges Network Approach is a social innovation that has come from Bridges, while collaborating with many individuals and organisations - large and small.
Bridges provides an important case study for five key ideas/concepts that have been put forward by key thinkers in the social innovation movement:
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Soon to be launched is a report on the Bridges Network Approach, covering the development of this approach and over a decade of strategies, experiences, achievements and systemic challenges.
1: Bridges as a systems-changing social innovation
The Bridges Network Approach is a social innovation coming from a small not-for-profit organisation. As a social innovation, it is systems-changing as it influences beliefs, behaviours and contexts; and also it has been used across fields. It has influenced beliefs, behaviours and contexts for addressing alcohol and other drug issues. The Approach has similarly guided Voice for SONG strategies that have influenced beliefs and the environment for small community organisations. It has also been used to increase organisational resilience through creating a more supportive environment(or context) for Bridges. Bridges, while operating on an insecure funding base, continues to go from strength to strength with relationships and networks that will further link with other networks to address other social issues.
2 : Bridges and social innovation's interest in ideas that can be scaled up
Scaling up or spreading systemic, strengths-based, collaborative ways of addressing social issues is intrinsic to the Bridges Network Approach. In 2000, BADFS initiated the Bridges Project, supported by Western Sydney Area Health Service. Since then many individuals and organisational representatives have contributed to and used ideas from what is now called the Bridges Network Approach. Nirimba TAFE ran workshops and organised Bridges events in local schools. Many partners have indicated that ideas from the Approach have influenced their work. For instance, during Bridges Stage 1, one representative indicated that the collaboration he experienced as a partner working on the Bridges Project influenced him to call together 70 Aboriginal representatives for a particular meeting. Further meetings followed, not necessarily convened by him. However, these meetings led to a new service being developed in the local area. In Bridges Stage II, a worker in the Blue Mountains (and an ex-President of Bridges), coordinated a project called "Bridges 4 the Ages." This project brought together young people and older people. In the last two years, the strategies and model were adopted in a proposal to form a consortium of seven non-government and government organisations to address mental health issues in the Blue Mountains. While the proposal did not proceed in Blacktown because it could not get funding, this use of the Bridges Network Approach demonstrates the interest and its relevance further afield. The same worker, who coordinated Bridges 4 the Ages in the Blue Mountains, began a Voice for SONG group in the Blue Mountains. This then led to a regional group followed by a statewide group. Lauren Harris, the worker, describes her experience of using what is now called the Bridges Network Approach.
3: The need for collaboration, including the linking between small and large organisations
The development of Bridges, Voice for SONG and the Bridges Network Approach has only been possible because of the support and collaboration from many individuals and organisations, large and small. The social innovation movement recognises that many innovative ideas come from small organisations. These innovative ideas need to be nurtured by individuals and groups with additional resources and infrastructure.The Bridges Stage1Report acknowledges many partners, while describing the collaboration between BADFS and Sydney West Area Health in the coordination of Bridges when it began as a project in 2000. The Voices_Project Report (1994/5) describes an earlier critical collaboration with Sydney West Area Health. The Bridges StageII Report describes significant contributions from small and large organisations including Nirimbas TAFE and Mission Australia Links to Learning. Higher profile stakeholders were critical to the success of Voice for SONG. For instance NCOSS and Western Sydney Community Forum played roles in the birth and development of Voice for SONG, as described in the "2001 Emerging_Voice_and_survival_of_small_NGOs. Many small organisations have also been critical. Without the support of all of these stakeholders, the Bridges Network Approach would not have developed and it is unlikely that Bridges as an organisation would still be around today. In addition, many representatives from large organisations have been on Bridges Board. Bridges actvities have also supported the work of large organisations.
4: The need for new funding models and other supports to harness social innovations
Sometimes, social innovations do not succeed fully because of issues such as short-term funding and lack of support. The funding structures for not-for-profits are not set up to nurture innovation. The Bridges Network Approach recognises this as an ongoing challenge to social innovation. Bridges has faced significant obstacles to its survival and development over the past eleven years, and provides an important case study for the unique context of a socially innovative small not-for-profit organisation constrained by short-term funding. Thorough documentation of the limiting effects of short-term funding in addition to Bridges' resilience can be found in media articles, publications & resources and annual reports. Bridges' resilience strategies have included collaboration, efficient use of scarce resources and organisational flexibility.
Like many social innovations, the Bridges Network Approach has been severely negatively affected by the lack of long-term investment in solutions that work. It is important for Bridges to promote what has worked : FAHCSIA's funding model as implemented under the NIDS Strengthening Families Measure has been a model of collaboration and flexibility.
5: Bridges and the concept of social entrepreneur
The initial key ideas for Bridges came from Tirrania Suhood, Manager of Bridges. The core ideas of Bridges are not rocket science. Ideas of collaboration, strengthening relationships and systems thinking are common ideas used by many people. However, the implementation of such ideas is not simple. Ashoka's definition of a social entrepreneur is someone 'with innovative solutions to society’s most pressing social problems...ambitious and persistent, tackling major social issues and offering new ideas for wide-scale change...possessed by their ideas, committing their lives to changing the direction of their field.'
Tirrania's commitment with Bridges so far has been 18 years - commitment to the organisation as a vehicle for changing systems, ideas and networks. Although Bridges as an organisation has had periods of growth, far more important to her have been the changes that have been taking place in networks. She has been instrumental in the development of Bridges the organisation, from Bridges the project. Tirrania was also the driving force behind Voice for SONG, and she has been a leader in the discussions, debates and projects and changes in practice of workers and funders that have stemmed from these structures.
Throughout her time at Bridges, people have consistently wondered why she has not moved on. Tirrania's answer is that systems change takes many years. For example, Muhammad Yunus was working towards micro-credit for 20 years before the context shifted enough to allow the extraordinary success that grew from his efforts.
Click here to view Bridges history through the eyes of the media
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