Issue 1: Everyone is a designer (yes, even you!)

Curious how social innovation can provide new solutions to social problems?Join TACSI’s community of social innovators as we share the tools, books, practices and people that inspire us to do better every day.?

This month: A white paper that will have you questioning everything you thought you knew about love and power, a co-design reference book that’s so insightful it will have you bookmarking every single page, a raw and real podcast with one of the leaders in the content design space, a learning opportunity for anyone who works in mental health and is interested in co-design, and more.

//THINK

When Love Meets Power by Charles Leadbeater and The Australian Centre for Social Innovation (TACSI)

Since the onset of the pandemic, everything has changed – not just how we see society, the role of government and health services – but also perhaps how we see ourselves.?

This white paper, written by Charles Leadbeater in collaboration with TACSI, invites us all to embrace a wider set of virtues – care, love, tenderness, nurture – as well as vulnerabilities, doubts and anxieties.

‘Love’ is not a word we often find in the professional sphere, particularly in association with ‘power’, but we reckon this white paper might just change your mind.?

Read the white paper

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Our ‘one foot in, one foot out’ approach to the Future of Mental Health by Carla Clarence

Imagine a mental health system where….?

?? People with diverse living and lived experiences are central to decision making

?? People aren’t stuck in ‘receiving and delivery’ cycles of unhelpful services

?? There’s opportunities for healing in everyday life

At TACSI, our ambition is to make this vision a reality by having one foot inside the system, shifting entrenched mindsets and bringing people to the centre of decision making, and one foot outside the system, facilitating new partnerships and bringing community-led innovation into the mainstream.

Read more

//READ

Beyond Sticky Notes by KA McKercher

Get your post-its ready: TACSI alum KA McKercher has written a co-design reference book that’s so insightful it will have you bookmarking nearly every single page.?

Filled to the brim with helpful prompts, questions, and frameworks, Beyond Sticky Notes dives into the practicalities of co-design and what happens (literally) beyond sticky notes. The book’s organised in three parts (foundations for co-design, six mindsets for co-design, and methods for co-design) and constantly prompts the reader to ask: "Is co-design needed?"

Read it

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The Open Book of Social Innovation by Robin Murray, Julie Caulier-Grice and Sir Geoff Mulgan

This beginner’s guide to social innovation is about the many ways in which people are creating new and more effective answers to the biggest challenges of our times.?

It takes you from inspiration and ideation through to scaling and systems change, and is fundamental reading for anyone wanting to understand the process of social innovation.

Read it

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Radical Help by Hilary Cottam

One book our team picks up again and again is Radical Help by Hilary Cottam . In 2018, Hilary coined the phrase ‘Radical Help’ to shine the light on the changes we could make by thinking radically about the welfare state.

This book will prompt you and your organisation to rethink (and revamp) your social programs.

Read it

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The Practitioner Guide to Participatory Research with Groups and Communities by Dr Lucy Maynard & Professor Kaz Stuart

TACSI principal Dr Lucy Maynard has collaborated with Professor Kaz Stuart to create The Practitioner Guide to Participatory Research with Groups and Communities, a guide to examining the what, why, and how of participatory research.?

Lucy and Kaz demystify research, offer tips for doing participatory research, and provide guidance for better engaging communities and groups.

Read it

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Design when everybody designs by Ezio Manzini

Ezio Manzini is a leading thinker in design for sustainability, and his work and ideas challenges us to rethink the role of design on a daily basis.?

In this book, Ezio puts forward the radical notion that everyone is a designer (yes, even you!). A recent re-reading had us particularly inspired by Ezio’s idea of repositioning resilience as designing with complexity.

Read it

//LISTEN

We’re big fans of the podcast Bringing Design Closer with Gerry Scullion and in a recent episode, Gerry chats with one of the leaders in the content design space, Rachel McConnell.?

The two speak in depth about trauma as a societal problem and, interestingly, something that’s owned by all. They explore the impact that this has on changemakers, and what designers need to be aware of when approaching some of the most sensitive subjects known, such as child sexual abuse, domestic violence etc.?

It’s a deep, broad, raw conversation and one that will leave you with as many questions as answers.??

Listen now

//LEARN

Work in mental health and interested in co-design?

Registrations are now open for TACSI’s 2023 eight-week online learning network called “Foundations in co-design for mental health”.

You’ll learn to apply co-design in mental health settings with Carla Clarence , TACSI’s Future of Mental Health lead, TACSI lived expertise associates, and your peers working in mental health.

They’ll help you get clear on what it takes to do co-design and co-production well, and give you the tools needed to explore how you can realise co-design in your work, your organisation, and the broader system.

Find out more

What are you reading, listening to, thinking and learning about right now?

Let us know in the comments, and we’ll share with our community in our next newsletter ??