Reflections on our extended stay in England: Look east, way way east: Canadians tend to look southward for new ideas, trends and perspectives. More and more of us are now looking eastward to the UK and continental Europe for inspiration … Read More
Yearly Archives: 2010
The ‘Liberation’ of Welfare
Smack in the middle of the UK election campaign comes a new book Liberation Welfare published by the progressive think tank Demos, focusing on the reform and transformation of our social support systems. You have to hand it to the … Read More
Leave opposition to the Opposition – tips for solution based advocacy (7)
Judging by their actions, many advocates seem to take opposition critics as their role model for advocacy. Wrong. Opposition political parties oppose everything that is advanced or proposed by the Government. Every idea/issue/announcement invites an opportunity for the Opposition to … Read More
Every Volcanic Cloud Has a Silver Lining
One of the event's that was not postponed under this volcanic ash ceiling still hovering over Europe was the one Million Euro Essl Social Prize presented to Ashoka Founder and CEO Bill Drayton. Ashoka will use this award to assist … Read More
Global Disability Initiative
A number of Ashoka fellows are addressing challenges experienced by people with disabilities and their families. Over the past few years we have formed ourselves into a 'caucus' to discover how we can combine our efforts, particularly to advance the … Read More
Civil Society is Also in the UK Air
By coincidence we are in the UK during their general election. There is lots of talk about the possibility of a 'hung' Parliament so all Canadians at the Skoll World Forum on Social Enterprise are being asked what it is … Read More
England Discards the The Old Math
It doesn't take too long in London before noticing the emergence of a new math. Social Innovators in England are busy creating new equations to address tough, hard to solve social and environmental challenges. To start they exposed the fallacies … Read More
Going Global in Vienna
Thanks to Ashoka, Vickie and I will spend three days at the Hofburg Palace in Vienna receiving advice on how to accelerate the global impact of our latest social innovation – Tyze. Along with twenty-four other Ashoka fellows, we will … Read More
Civility and Speaking Up: Tips for Solution Based Advocacy (6)
Mark Kingwell believes a decline in civility is unhealthy for our Democracy and I agree. Being civil is not about being polite, or being nice or not offending. There is an ethic of substance behind civility. Civility accepts that we … Read More
Dowser – a ‘divine’ alternative to the daily news
Most great ideas, movements or individuals have a trusted companion and talented scribe equally engaged in creating knowledge and discerning wisdom and insights. In fact making sense out of what is happening and identifying the deeper patterns is an essential … Read More