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Allyson Hewitt
Toronto, Canada
Currently work as the Director, Social Entrepreneurship at the MaRS Discovery District in Toronto, Ontario Canada and as the Director of SiG@MaRS - Social Innovation Generation - a national collaborative on social innovation
Recent Activity
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Allyson commented on the article |Nathaniel you have done a nice job synthesizing a few of the controversies in this emerging sector - thank you.
Here are few thoughts from those of us working with SiG, the Social Innovation Generation Team at the MaRS Discovery District in Toronto.
1. Do visionary individuals or collective action drive social change?
The answer has to be both. Individuals often start with the idea but it is of no value if it is only about them. They need to engage others, get them to believe in the power of collective action to make change. Ashoka is wonderful and so is Skoll and many others who work to recognize the value of individuals and their ability to engage and inspire others. But this movement does itself a disservice if it becomes about hero worship alone, especially at this stage of its development.
2. How narrowly should “social entrepreneurship” be defined and to whom should the term be applied?
Sally and Roger make great points and give us due caution about what could happen but again, at this stage of development we are prepared to open the tent and invite many in. One of the great moments for us in doing this is when someone literally declares "wow, I'm a social entrepreneur". It incredibly empowering for people to feel they have a sense of community and they are not alone in their efforts to make money AND change the world.
3. Can an organization grow and still meet the local community needs?
Yes, but the work that needs to be done is in understanding the essence of the innovation. What is it that is being scaled? Dr Frances Westley of SiG@Waterloo is working with the other SiG members to design a series of workshops to help us get at this understanding, which then makes scaling "in the local context" a worthwhile exercise.
4. Do social entrepreneurs address root causes or just symptoms of social problems?
Ideally it is root causes but those are few and far between. Social entrepreneurs often tackle challenges with policy implications yet the skills to change policy may not be those of the instigator of the social innovation. Many different people with different skills sets are required to achieve change at the root cause level.
5. Is the growing relationship between the nonprofit and for-profit sector a good thing?
Again, the cautions listed are well worth noting but everyday we are greeted by young social entrepreneurs, mostly in their 20's who are keen to make money and make a difference and they are rejecting the for-profit, not-for-profit distinction... and more power to them. It is not our place to force them into our understanding of existing systems but rather to encourage them to find structures that work. Personally, having dedicated my career to the NFP field, I'm encouraged by many I meet in the FP world who feel the way I do about building a movement of social entrepreneurs that is way beyond CSR.
Thanks again Nathaniel, great discussion.
Allyson
SiG@MaRS
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Allyson commented on the article |Marina, as first time Skoll attendee the pre-session you hosted on Social Entrepreneurship Education was an invaluable opportunity to meet a smaller group of colleagues who I would then re-connect with through the rest of the conference. Much appreciated as (approx) 800 delegates makes it a bit tough for some to just jump on in there.
I really enjoyed the entire event but would appreciate the chance for both more audience participation - the best part of the conference was often not the speaker but the delegate and their questions; and a chance to see more criticism. These events tend to be a bit self-congratulatory and it is hard to allow for real critique in the current format but in my mind that would have advanced the agenda even further.
That being said i was blown away by Professor Jim Austin and his ability to summarize such disparate information in such a distinct and charming manner - not sure about the beard but am sure he has earned the right to present himself anyway he chooses.
Thanks again! -
Allyson signed the petition | -
Allyson commented on the article |I think this also speaks to the needs of intermediaries - or honest brokers - as Matthew Horne calls them. www.innovation-unit.co.uk/images/stories/honest_brokers_final.pdf
Can we increase efficiency among social enterprises by consolidating things they don't want to do or don't do well? Could there be a CEO for many organization who helps with issues related to incorporation, filing, governance and business models and let others do what they do best?
Sage Centre in Toronto is doing some interesting work in this area but it is just the tip of the iceberg. http://www.sagecentre.org/
Anyone else have any models that are working well and that we could learn from? -
Allyson commented on the article |http://www.marsdd.com/mars/socialentrepreneurshipsummit/stayconnected
Please follow the link to 'stay connected' to those following the Social Entrepreneurship Summit and Social Finance Forum 08 held November 17th and 18th at the MaRS Discovery District in Toronto.
We are in the process of posting videos, photos, powerpoints, proceedings and discussion threads online and we want you to offer your advice on how we continue to make these events more accessible and relevant.
Allyson Hewitt, Director, SiG@MaRS
