In 2008, a small group of people met on a beach in San Sebastian Spain, to discuss the emerging field of social innovation and its future direction. They met at a time when there was little understanding of the concept of social innovation, and even less knowledge of how it worked. Any critical analysis of the methods was absent. There was, however, an increasing interest in the idea, with a handful of publications available and a few conferences planned. A community was created, the Social Innovation eXchange (SIX), to provide a platform for people around the world to communicate and share resources.

3 years later, in November 2011 in the entrepreneurial post industrial City of Gydina in Northern Poland, the picture looks somewhat different. Across borders and across continents, hundreds of innovators are generating solutions to society’s most entrenched problems – they are better equipped with a shared understanding, a growing analysis of what works, and increasing funding or political support. Institutions, new and old, are moving to embrace ideas, new methods and processes for social innovation.

SIX are hosting its first international Winter School. Entitled Social Innovation in 2015: What will it look like and how can we achieve it? The event will celebrate the global development of social innovation to date, and plan how this can be accelerated in the coming years, in order to foster the maturity necessary for social innovation to tackle tough global challenges.

The event is by invitation only but if you have a query about the event please contact: louise.pulford@socialinnovationexchange.org