Professor Sinclair on successful social innovation
Working in partnership with communities is at the heart of all successful social innovation, Professor Stephen Sinclair has told the Acaudio podcast.
The co-director of Glasgow Caledonian's Scottish Poverty and Inequality Research Unit cites The Big Issue, microcredit lending, and the Living Wage as practical examples of social innovation, in the latest episode of the academic research pod.
Professor Sinclair, who is co-authoring a new book entitled Social Innovation and Social Policy, said: "Social innovation is a wonderful source of ideas but when it comes to welfare states, we need something more than just ideas - we need something with longevity and impact at scale.
"You need to work with people. The idea that we know best, that we are going to come and descend upon your community and tell you this is how to do it, is not right. It has to be done in partnership."
Professor Sinclair also discusses his career and his work at Glasgow Caledonian.
He added: "Our students are very engaged with issues around inequality and wealth and how to use social policies to make improvements.
"I find it a very rich and rewarding environment in which to engage in teaching and research."