Learning for Change: Practical tool to identify Critical Turning Points in Social Innovations

For achieving transformation, there are decisive events, encounters and actions that push social innovations forward. Within the TRANSIT project, more than 450 Critical Turning Points (CTPs) in their social innovation initiatives were identified with the use of a tool. On the first day of the Learning for Change conference, participants were given the opportunity to test the tool in a 90-minute-session to identify CTPs in their own social innovation experience.

Practical tool to identify Critical Turning Points in Social Innovations

By looking at the Critical Turning Points (CTP) in social innovation, we can learn about decisive events for achieving transformation. One of the session organizers, Saskia Ruijsink introduced a practical tool to analyze the process of a social innovation and to identify these planned and unplanned events, encounters and actions that drive change. This tool has been applied in the TRANSIT project which has resulted in more than 450 CTPs elicited.

After a brief summary of the theoretical background, the conference-goers practiced the tool themselves. In groups, one of the participants shared an experience of a social innovation initiative. The rest of the group analyzed the narrative by using the tool to discover CTPs in the various phases of that particular experience. Analyzing the narrative in retrospect and discussing the events, actions and moments plotted on a timeline allowed to decipher what the CTP was that made the social initiative to alter. Furthermore, by sharing related experiences and other perspectives on the case the group discussions exemplified social learning.

Curious to find out more about the CTPs? Go to the TRANSIT database of the CTPs: www.transitsocialinnovation.eu/sii