Making Waves

Making Waves

17

A Caribbean Social Innovation Guide

01 . Understanding Social Innovation in the Caribbean

Strengths Across the Region

The Caribbean’s greatest strength is its people. Across all four countries, the primary competitive advantage was the local social network: this expressed itself in a rich culture of informal connections, community spirit and a

strong value for relationships, making Caribbean islands fertile ground for social innovation.

Some common regional strengths emerged:

The Power of “We” & Community Connections People naturally build relationships, form organic networks, share knowledge and collaborate, especially in a crisis.

“Sheroes”: Women Leading Social Change

Women are at the heart of community development, making up a majority of leadership roles across many civil society organisations in the countries studied.

Organised & Established Institutions

Growing Policy Support Governments across the region are increasingly recognising the importance of innovation, sustainability and inclusive development within their national plans.

Universities, research centres, innovation hubs and long-standing organisations provide valuable knowledge, expertise and support for innovators.

Common Challenges

While the Caribbean has many strengths, social innovators also face common barriers that make it harder for good ideas to become action, and for action to scale impact. Women lead a significant proportion of civil society organisations across the Caribbean, yet many continue to navigate funding models that make it difficult to cover core operating costs and invest in long-term sustainability. Youth Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET) scores were high, leaving youth challenged with the means to access finance when growing social innovation ventures and at risk for social exclusion.