Good Stuff

Doorstep darning

This article from PSFK caught my eye. It's interesting to me as it raises some interesting questions about how we consume. There are god knows how many 'green' or 'ethical' fashion brands around these days but actually maybe what really need to do is completely re-think the whole thing.

As I am currently developing some thoughts around the whole notion of repair and how we might 'brand' them, I found the story both inspiring and also a signal that I'm onto something...maybe.

Microloans for the Marginalized!

[English summary:  The Danish Government has funded a project, where microloans are given to marginalized Danish citizens with entrepreneurial dreams. Great way to take them seriously and to develop social services. We hope for a next step: an actual social lending site for Danish/European marginalized entrepreneurs - peer-to-peer, not just government-to-clients!]

De er vant til at blive skubbet rundt i systemet, at skulle svare på intime spørgsmål fra alverdens sagsbehandlere, at blive talt om og til i stedet for med, at være samfundets fejl. De hedder socialt udsatte, matchgruppe 5, hjemløse, marginaliserede, førtidspensionister. 

Nu bliver de anerkendt som individer med drømme, der kan virkeliggøres. I hvert tilfælde i et nyt projekt hos Socialt Udviklingscenter SUS, hvor 15 "socialt udsatte" får adgang til mikrolån til deres egen iværksætterdrøm. Det er et pilotprojekt støttet af Socialministeriet.

Fedt.

Det får mig til at tænke to ting (og en helt masse flere, men det bliver nok lidt rodet ;)):

1. Jeg håber virkelig, at SUS vil være gode til at kommunikere projekterfaringerne til en bred vifte af stakeholders. SUS har tidligere lavet nogle ret geniale projekter indenfor brugerdreven social  innovation, som de bare ikke har fortalt så mange om. Innovation uden spredning er så ærgerligt.

2. Det ville være umådelig interessant at se samme mikrolånsidé ført ud i en social lending community, hvor private mennesker kunne låne til danske (evt. skandinaviske eller europæiske) socialt udsatte, sådan som danske MyC4 og amerikanske Kiva gør det muligt at låne til fattige i den 3. verden. Eller som engelske Zopa eller amerikanske Prosper gør det i et mere peer-to-peer forbrugerorienteret univers.

Så hermed en newbizz idé: En social lending community for socialt udsatte og andre med iværksætterdrømme, som ikke kan gå i banken eller til investorer for at få deres drømme finansieret. Snup den før din kollega! ;)

MyC4

I've just been over to see Tim Vang at MyC4.

He's a really charismatic guy who I met at a seminar on CSR inspired innovation a week or two ago. He had a whole lot of interesting and inspiring stuff to tell me about their organisation.

We had a long and interesting chat.

At The Aid Agency we talk to businesses a lot about having a purpose beyond profit. A 'point' if you like. MyC4 is the perfect example of this. They're driven people. They know were they are going and they know why they are going there.

Anyway, more about MyC4 the brand another time. Hopefully we're going to do something together. (are you kidding, I'm going to make it my personal mission to work with these guys)

This post is actually a call to action.

Their aim is to eradicate poverty through business before 2015 and they're going to do that with you investing your money in developing world businesses. Significantly, they're not asking you for a 'free' loan. In fact, you can't 'donate' a loan. There's a minimum return rate of 2%, which has sparked a lively debate within the MyC4 community.

Another exciting aspect to this is the possibilities which arise when the community start to discuss stuff that crops up. Tim told me really inspiring story about a restaurant business. The owner appealed to the community for suggestions for names. What she got back wasn't just the name but logo suggestions and all kinds of related feedback. I find this fascinating. The potential for the investment of resources in this manner seems limitless.

Anyway, back to the job in hand. I urge you to take a look around. (it's still in beta right now) and maybe you could become a 'builder' too.

To paraphrase Sir Bob at Live Aid. 'Give them your f******g money' or maybe that should be 'Give yourself some f******g money (whilst doing some good)' Doesn't have the same headline-grabbing ring to it but it makes more sense.