Social Innovation

  WEEK 13 :   Disciple Leadership & Social Entrepreneurship   Main Ideas and Topics of the Week: This week we made the correlation between social innovation and what the church of Jesus Christ teaches about becoming like Christ. Social innovation is the secular application of the gospel.  Social innovation and living the gospel of Jesus Christ doesn’t require that we act a certain way, but when we see others the way Christ does we become different- more like Him. I loved this paragraph from the introduction to the lesson, it states, “Social innovation is not a checklist, formula, or set of skills. It is a perspective and a process. As perspective, social innovation changes world problems into opportunities, changes people from circumstantial definitions into potential, and changes ourselves into agents of change with the mission and power to create a better world. As a process, social innovation applies to every aspect of our lives so that not only do w...

  WEEK 12 :   Self-Reliance & Microcredit   Main Ideas and Topics of the Week: This week we learned about self-reliance and microcredit.  We focused on the fact that self-reliance has the ability to eliminate poverty.   We learned that there are three beliefs and  perspectives lay the groundwork for self-reliance. First individuals must have a moral sense of responsibility for their own well-being. Providing for oneself and one's family. Responsibility touches our deepest sense of right and wrong. Responsibility provides the fuel that energizes people to move out of poverty.  Second, self-reliant individuals possess the psychological trait known as self-efficacy or the belief that they can do things, even new things and very hard things.  Third, self-reliant people will have a long-term perspective that means they honor and respect the past and understand the importance of their individual and cultural herita...

WEEK 11:  What is Impact Investing   Main Ideas and Topics of the Week: This week we learned about impact investing, which is the practice of investing money in companies that not only generate a profit, but also have social or environmental benefits.  We learned that such investments are a growing focus for investors and have the potential to match other classes of investments in terms of return, but with the added benefit of serving real needs and addressing real challenges. Market watchers expect that the demand for impact investing will continue to grow as people decide to take a long-term vision of the market and use money to influence companies’ direction.  Reflection: One video that I found particularly interesting this week was a TED talk by Kevin Peterson of the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation. Mr. Peterson laid out the case for impact investing and explained what his Foundation was doing to change and better the world around them. But most importantly, ...