The Society Integration Foundation (SIF), in cooperation with the Latvian Social Entrepreneurship Association (LSUA) and industry experts, has developed a set of unique learning materials and video lectures on social innovation in the field of social services. These resources have been created under the ESF+ measure “Support for new approaches to community-based social service provision” to promote high-quality, innovative, and human-centred social services that meet the needs of modern society in Latvia.
All materials are publicly available on the SIF website: Learning materials and videos.
The training package combines theory and practice, providing comprehensive knowledge in five key areas: the essence of social innovation; practical development of innovative social services and common pitfalls; identifying the “right” problem – how to address causes rather than consequences; applying various modern thinking tools and methods, including design thinking, in the innovation process; and ensuring the effectiveness, scalability, and sustainability of social services.
These topics are presented by experts in the video lectures, while the handbook “How to create social innovations in the field of social services?” explores them in greater depth, including practical exercises.
“These materials are a significant contribution to improving the quality of social services and developing new approaches. They will help municipal social services, NGOs, and social entrepreneurs to find creative and innovative solutions to the most pressing social challenges, while encouraging broader thinking and cooperation. We see tremendous potential in social innovation to bring real change to people’s lives and to build a stronger, more cohesive society where no one is left alone with their difficulties,” emphasised Alda Sebre, Director of the Social Cohesion Department of the Society Integration Foundation.
The development of the materials involved experts with extensive professional experience: Liesma Ose, communication and social work expert and lecturer at the University of Latvia; Juris Osis, expert in social service planning; Vita Brakovska, lecturer at Riga Technical University and head of the association Knowledge and Innovation Society; Liene Kupča, innovation mentor and service design strategist; and Una Lapskalna-Alksne, social sector specialist and head of Ventspils Social Service.
Their contributions ensured the diversity and quality of the content, combining academic insight with practical experience.
These learning resources provide practical support for anyone wishing to develop new, sustainable, and human-centred social services. They are equally useful for professionals already working in the social sector and for those who are just beginning to explore the concept of social innovation and its implementation in Latvia.
“Overall, this handbook is very strong. It reminds us that the most important thing is to understand what we do and why, before we take action. The material effectively encourages us to see social innovation not as charity but as systemic change aimed at addressing the root causes of problems,” said Inga Ašmane, representative of the social enterprise Development Centre GADALAIKI Ltd.
Gita Aizpure from the Multifunctional Social Services Centre “LAIPA” added:
“I’d like to praise the section on methods, which uses tables, questions, and illustrations — it brings great dynamism to the work.”
Meanwhile, Anda Vītola, Head of Ventspils Municipality Social Service, noted:
“Everything seems useful. Until now, I hadn’t paid much attention to design thinking. The section on community social work, problem identification, and formulation is very good. It’s great that the material also discusses financial and resource aspects, as well as project risks, which are quite important. I appreciate that there’s also information for me as a manager, an idea generator, a team builder, and a service holder. It’s a very good working tool!”
The material was developed within the framework of the ESF+ project implemented by the Society Integration Foundation – “Support for new approaches to community-based social service provision.”
More information and materials are available here: https://www.sif.gov.lv/lv/macibu-materiali-un-video
