Project Description

The Institute of Social Innovations (SII) is a non-profit organization established in 2006. SII is striving to create, promote and implement social innovations, to research and propose new responses and solutions to the contemporary social and economic challenges. It unifies a group of excellence-driven researcher and scientists working in policy research, applied social and interdisciplinary research and various policy development projects. The institute conducts scientific research, develops and implements projects, carries out studies and expert evaluations, provides consultations for civil servants involved in policy development processes as well as for NGOs and business companies.

Contact: Sandra Kanopkaite, sandra@sii.lt

Facebook: @MoksloKrautuve

Defining the actions With COVID-19 pandemic limitations, some changes in focus took place in the Lab: from reaching journalists to engaging to journalism students whose classes continued in an online format, and adaptation of the citizen mandate to an online environment as well. Spring 2020 Unexpected synergy The Lab established a new collaboration with an expert in this field of waste management - and it turned out that she had already attended a meeting of the Policy Lab Italy. She was able to use that experience to provide valuable feedback and moderate the citizen mandate workshop of the Food Lab Vilnius. Engaging with citizens on the topic of waste streams Using the format of a citizen mandate workshop, the lab explored the pathway on food waste of the EC and proposed concrete actions for other actors of the system but also themselves. Online; 21 October 2020 Workshops for journalism students Three workshops were delivered to journalism students (many of whom are practicing already) at Vilnius University. Food systems were approached through the entry topic of waste management. Students prepared articles adapted to different audiences and received feedback on their work. Online; October - November 2020 Reflecting on impact The lab host, the Social Innovation Institute, sees new benefits in the collaborations with Vilnius University and experts on waste management and from training young colleagues on organising such events. They are committed to organise more of such activities in the future.