GOODLASH
Basic information
Project Title
GOODLASH
Full project title
GOODLASH - SPACE IN BETWEEN DREAM AND TODAY
Category
Regaining a sense of belonging
Project Description
This project represents an initiative to set up a new capacity to enhance the participation from civil society in the transition towards a sustainable, fair, just and inclusive society. The idea is to develop a collective capacity to be framed on the new mission’s strategy that is currently being shaped in Europe to support the transition towards a circular society in view of Agenda 2030 global sustainability objectives, the Green Deal and New European Bauhaus.
Geographical Scope
National
Project Region
Sweden
Urban or rural issues
It addresses urban-rural linkages
Physical or other transformations
It refers to other types of transformations (soft investment)
EU Programme or fund
No
Description of the project
Summary
More than half of the Global Sustainability Goals are social sustainability goals, and many of the others are tightly connected to those. The ambition is to develop a collective capacity to be framed on the new mission’s strategy that is currently being shaped in Europe to support the transition towards a circular society in view of Agenda 2030 global sustainability objectives, the Green Deal and the EU Democracy Action Plan – A new push for European democracy. The project idea stems from the meaning implied by the word “transition”. Transition refers to the creation of social and cultural identity that takes place among citizens in our contemporary and increasingly interconnected society - in a so-to-speak glocal context that brings together the contextual ties of the local and the global (bottom-up, top-down). The project has included pilot activities to improve public spaces in thought-provocative ways, in line with the values and key working principles of the New European Bauhaus (NEB). Innovation processes have been directed towards groups of young people aged 30 or less, but also towards organisations in civil society working with children and young adults. There is a need to empower people in the transition towards a new and climate-neutral society. Our societal challenges are complex, local and global. Whether they are about climate change, social change, production change, the future of a function in society, inequalities in health - individual efforts are not enough. Changes are required at the system level. If we are to achieve a sustainable future in time, we must think and collaborate in new ways. The outcome of the Goodlash project is a prototype – a new societal function with potential to enhance collaborative governance and citizen-driven innovation locally and regionally in the transition towards a sustainable society. Our next ambition is to co-create a ‘NEB Lighthouse of Democracy Designs’ and further develop the Goodlash model.
Key objectives for sustainability
The Goodlash model represents a new capacity in the making – i.e., system demonstrator – with the overall objective to enable collaborative governance, design, and ownership of the European green deal through citizen participation and deliberation processes at local and regional levels of society - with a bottom-up approach. The project ambition in the long term is to contribute to the renewal of the public sphere and the development of democratic infrastructure with capacity to support self-governance and citizen-driven initiatives, circular and social innovations. The system demonstrator has been developed and implemented in parallel to the NEB Compass. In line with the compass and the value of sustainability it is directed towards the third-level ambition: to regenerate. The needs analysis considers the transformation of the innovation eco-system, ‘how context and environments influence worldviews and paradigms and behaviors’. Critical thinking, arts and design have great potential to open up for new perspectives regenerating society as a whole. The 2-year project with funding from national level has included knowledge sharing and mutual learning from place-based scenarios that allow for decision-making to be owned by citizens, in conjunction with local and regional institutions, public authorities and municipalities. Goodlash examples of light prototypes within the sector of textile and fashion - from collaborations with the Swedish School of Textiles - include sustainable concepts for products, services and processes encouraging sustainable lifestyles in people’s day-to-day life (social economy, circular economy). Examples from collaborations with municipalities, schools and civil society organisations, include the transformation of public space to enhance democratic life and new ways of living at local and regional levels of society. New ideas and sustainable concepts were developed and designed by young citizens in urban and rural areas.
Key objectives for aesthetics and quality
The Goodlash project has contributed to experimentation and co-creation for beautiful and sustainable futures and public spaces both urban and rural as linked to Agenda 2030 and the cities mission. NEB gives us the right to dream about the future - an ideal society that is green, fair and just. But there is an unknown, open, blank territory - public space - to explore between Dream and Today. NEB calls upon the European citizenry to engage in communicative action and political deliberation to enhance sustainable lifestyles and make positive change happen, locally and globally. From HOPE to AMBITION. ‘The transition is just as much a cultural and social transition as a green one: this is the key idea that the NEB wants us to explore.’ (NEB Compass, 2023) It can be argued that NEB presents a momentum for re-invention of the public sphere and renewal of society. A Beautiful transition towards a sustainable future will rely on collective citizenship and the empowerment of people’s critical thinking, cultural artistic dynamics, civic technology, and re-invention of sustainable lifestyles – leaving no-one behind. NEB provides a momentum for social innovations contributing to ‘re-gaining a sense of community and belonging’. Goodlash interventions have focused on lifestyles and communities we can identify with and the meaningful experience of quality of life for all of us through co-creating public spaces for the futures - ‘a re-fashion store’, ‘a culture centra’ or ‘a city hall’. We have invited changemakers from culture and society to integrate new cultural and social values to inspire novel thinking. Project interventions through critical thinking, design thinking, storytelling and visualising have produced concepts to promote sustainable lifestyles and new ways of living. As one example, a diorama to capture and visualise a sustainable fashion store ‘re-think’ was created through an open process and pop-up atelier in the city centre of Borås.
Key objectives for inclusion
The Goodlash project addresses a need to better include citizens of all ages and backgrounds in societal transformation Together as social innovators. Key characteristics of social innovation - put forward by research - are affordability, community engagement, co-creation, togetherness and part of an eco-system. ‘A common characteristic of social innovation is community involvement, where people who are directly affected by the addressed societal challenge are engaged in the process. Insights into their perspectives and needs are crucial for ensuring the relevance, usefulness and effects of the process and results.’ (Forum for Social Innovation Sweden, 2023) Social inequalities and exclusion have been addressed throughout. There is a widespread dissatisfaction with democracy expressed by citizens across Europe. People living in rural areas often feeling excluded and left out. There is a clear democratic deficit – the feedback loop between political decision-making and the public sphere needs to be strengthened, at all levels of society. There is a need to re-invent and nurture collaborative governance and citizen engagement with a bottom-up approach. Project interventions have contributed to design and implementation of new inclusive processes and methods for citizen-driven innovation and learning thereof. Collaborative governance and citizen engagement will ensure the implementation of the green transition. We have thus far co-designed a system demonstrator to support new ways of living together in conjunction with Agenda 2030 and global sustainability goals.
Results in relation to category
Social innovation through critical thinking, arts and design has a democratizing impact that we would like to emphasize. When we mix people with different backgrounds, experiences and abilities in the groups, new thinking and new expressions arise in the meeting between the individuals and the groups. The inclusive environment combined with process-oriented work open creative paths to innovation with a place-based approach. By focusing on sustainability alongside other criteria such as inclusion, accessibility, affordability and quality of experience we can make impact throughout the eco-system of democratic life, cultural life, science and technology in society. There is an acute awareness around issues related to the environment and the classical democratic deficit experienced locally and nationally. There is a sense of urgency to convert resource efficiency towards sustainable consumption and innovative ways of living in Europe. By involving academia through using research-based knowledge we wish to contribute to developing the field of social innovation through critical thinking, pedagogics, arts, design, politics, social sciences and technology especially by enhancing social innovation as both a means and aim in society. Our social innovation eco-system is not as developed in Sweden, as in many other European countries. We need to work on the widening of the existing innovation eco-system to also include the social economy, political and social sciences. Our DREAM is to co-create a New European Bauhaus Lighthouse of Democracy Designs in years to come. Should we be awarded the NEB Prize 2024, we will co-create and co-design this ambition TOGETHER with NEB stakeholders, municipalities, and people locally and globally. IT IS THE MOMENT TO ACT TOGETHER. A NEB award would help us continue our work TOGETHER on the path towards a SUSTAINABLE social and circular future leaving no-one behind.
How Citizens benefit
The Goodlash model enables experimental and participatory approaches including new value creation in public realms fostering new sustainable ways of living in society locally and globally.
Deliberative processes, critical thinking and design thinking have potential to tackle citizens’ disconnect with the implementation of the green transition in their communities. Innovation processes include citizen dialogues and co-creation with a mission-oriented approach. Professionals from civil society organisations, municipalities, public authorities, schools, universities, science centras, science parks, creative companies and local associations have contributed to awareness raising activities and participated in mutual learning activities as enablers together with young innovators. The access to young target groups (students, pupils, citizens/university, secondary schools, local communities) have been ensured through facilitation by Navet Science Center (hereinafter Navet) in collaboration with Coompanion Sjuhärad (hereinafter Coompanion), Science Park Borås (hereinafter SPB) at the University of Borås – and through collaboration with municipalities (Mark, Svenljunga). Navet are experts working with meaningful participation of children and young people in awareness raising and mutual learning activities as part of the implementation of Agenda 2030 - in partnerships with schools. They are further experts on the implementation of the UN Convention of Child Rights in local governance and work together with Save the Children Organisation in Region Västra Götaland and nationally. With the aid of short dramas, experiments, visualisations and brain teasers, many different concepts and themes are treated. Context, development and creativity are important ingredients in all the work. Navet work to give the younger generations knowledge to engage with society, ideas and greater interest in science and technology.
Deliberative processes, critical thinking and design thinking have potential to tackle citizens’ disconnect with the implementation of the green transition in their communities. Innovation processes include citizen dialogues and co-creation with a mission-oriented approach. Professionals from civil society organisations, municipalities, public authorities, schools, universities, science centras, science parks, creative companies and local associations have contributed to awareness raising activities and participated in mutual learning activities as enablers together with young innovators. The access to young target groups (students, pupils, citizens/university, secondary schools, local communities) have been ensured through facilitation by Navet Science Center (hereinafter Navet) in collaboration with Coompanion Sjuhärad (hereinafter Coompanion), Science Park Borås (hereinafter SPB) at the University of Borås – and through collaboration with municipalities (Mark, Svenljunga). Navet are experts working with meaningful participation of children and young people in awareness raising and mutual learning activities as part of the implementation of Agenda 2030 - in partnerships with schools. They are further experts on the implementation of the UN Convention of Child Rights in local governance and work together with Save the Children Organisation in Region Västra Götaland and nationally. With the aid of short dramas, experiments, visualisations and brain teasers, many different concepts and themes are treated. Context, development and creativity are important ingredients in all the work. Navet work to give the younger generations knowledge to engage with society, ideas and greater interest in science and technology.
Physical or other transformations
It refers to other types of transformations (soft investment)
Innovative character
The 2-year project presents a truly innovative collaboration to enhance the participation from civil society and citizens in the transformation of society and places. It has provided a space in between dream and today to co-create the path towards the future TOGETHER. Citizen-driven innovation is a rather new and emerging area - not least in Sweden. Innovative methods with a participatory approach - mission-oriented practices, future literacy - have been developed and tested for the first time. Social innovation actions were co-designed and implemented together with the Swedish School of Textiles at the University of Borås. 150 students from three different degree programmes - including international students - were invited to participate in mission society co-labs. 30 enablers from different backgrounds – were invited to guide the ideas of the students. The mission focused on ‘the future function and life of a sustainable fashion store’. People in local communities, schools and municipalities (Mark, Svenljunga) were invited to participate in society co-labs. 30 enablers including local politicians participated in dialogues and co-creation activities with 30 young participants. The societal mission focused on sustainable transformation of public space and urban-rural linkages. The mission society co-labs were based on future society thinking in line with the NEB Compass and have generated an inspirational mass of light prototypes for new ways of living, products, services, and processes to be further elaborated and tested in the next step. A gender-mainstreaming and non-discriminatory approach (age, disabilities) has been an integral part of the project design and how public spaces can function accessible to all. Interventions were directed towards ‘re-gaining a sense of belonging’. The methodology has been developed through the project and did not exist in mainstream practices at the start of the project.
Disciplines/knowledge reflected
Goodlash interventions are built on a transdisciplinary approach, with collaboration between art, design, community building and sustainability. Co-labs including prototyping ideas and concepts using a mix of participatory methodologies as relevant to the specific challenge to improve public space – citizen engagement in the textile movement and circular transition - or to investigate how public spaces can function and be accessible to all. Professionals from the three partner organisations have come together to form a project innovation team with cross-sectorial and transdisciplinary expertise. Project interventions have been developed through cross-sectorial co-creation with urban-rural perspectives – where actors from the public sector, civil society, industry, and academia jointly explore how to tackle complex societal challenges with a mission-oriented approach. Mission-innovation processes were facilitated by creative teams with experience in the area coordinated by Navet. We encouraged the students to think of alternative futures guided by the NEB Compass at the start of the mission-innovation process. Coompanion are experts in social entrepreneurship, social innovation and cooperative entrepreneurship. They are present throughout Sweden, with 25 independent regional organisations that are owned and managed locally. NAVET is a science centre in Borås, among key target groups are children and young people, and professionals working with children and young people. SPB support research and innovation and contribute to the national implementation of the Green Deal and Agenda 2030. Area of strength in terms of policies for smart specialisation and clusters development is textile. In 2023 the University of Borås has become partner with the Forum for Social Innovation Sweden (FFSIS) to strengthen social innovation in education, research and innovation.
Methodology used
The Goodlash model is directed to enhance social innovation with a missions-oriented approach where different actors work in the same direction towards common objectives. A mission-oriented approach is about changing systems. This requires the participation and active involvement of people from different backgrounds (organised and non-organised interests). It also requires facilitation by creative teams including professional expertise from people with different disciplines and sectorial perspectives. It demands openness to formal and non-formal learning. It is about letting us discuss problems and find solutions TOGETHER. The purpose is for everyone to work in the same direction with a common objective in focus to make the World a better place to live in NOW and for future generations to come. It is about transformation of public space and co-creation of new ways of living to restore a sense of belonging in rural and urban areas. The project has involved the development of light prototypes – i.e. generation of ideas for products, processes or circular business models that build on ‘local culture, traditions and knowhow, contemporary diversity and creativity’. It has included innovation processes – by with and for the younger generations - directed towards ‘re-gaining a sense of community and belonging’ with a special focus on textile and fashion and designed living environments. Interventions were implemented locally, in line with the NEB values and working principles. Our methodology and missions approach starts from “Designing Missions” a practice guide by Vinnova – the Swedish Innovation Agency – written by Dan Hill international designer, researcher and expert in system innovations. Dan Hill helped Vinnova to test and develop a missions movement across Sweden in parallel with the NEB programme that emerged at EU-level in 2021.
How stakeholders are engaged
The Goodlash project represents a joint initiative between Coompanion, Navet and SPB. All parts of the eco-system is dependent on each other and therefore it is important to direct interventions at all levels and across sectors of society. All three project partners operate throughout Sweden and actively cooperate with partners in several European countries and internationally. Navet and SPB joined the NEB Community as official partners in spring 2021 and are privileged to have been part of a unique co-design process as pioneers. SPB coordinate NEB related activities such as matchmaking and meet-ups on relevant topics. SPB is further a permanent member of the Board of Clusters of Sweden, member of ECA – European Clusters Alliance. The project innovation team consists of professionals with extensive experience from democratic life, cultural life, academia, education, science, business, and the public sector. Coompanion, Navet and SPB collaborate in strategic partnerships with stakeholders in the local and regional social change innovation eco-system. Cross-sectoral co-creation and joint capacity-building is necessary to achieve societal transformation on the grounds. Interests of people living locally needs to be included and considered in societal transformation. Together as partners, we are well positioned to anticipate transformative society and act as key interlocutors regionally and locally as well as nationally and internationally in collaboration with academia, public authorities, municipalities, local communities and associations. Project interventions have involved participants and stakeholders from all levels of society (formal and non-formal education, organised and non-organised interests). To tilt society in a sustainable direction requires a multi-dimensional and multi-levels strategy. The Goodlash model is thought to support interconnected transformation in the space between bottom-up and top-down with a NEB Lab approach (middle grounds).
Global challenges
“We need to innovate how we innovate and what we innovate.”
More than half of the Global Sustainability Goals are social sustainability goals, and many of the others are tightly connected to those. This project represents an initiative to set up a new capacity to enhance the participation from citizens and civil society in the transition towards a sustainable, fair, just and inclusive society, locally and globally. The idea is to develop a collective capacity to be framed on the new mission’s strategy that is currently being shaped in Europe to support the transition towards an inclusive and circular society in view of Agenda 2030 global sustainability objectives and the Green Deal. The initiative has great potential to contribute to the NEB Mission, as proposed at EU-level. Innovation processes have been directed towards groups of individuals aged 30 or less, but also towards municipalities and organisations in civil society and educational providers working with children and young adults. Our project complements national policies and regional/local strategies for the designed living environment. It is inspired by the Key Enabling Methodologies (KEMs) that were developed in the Netherlands in order to have a successful mission-driven innovation focus. There is a need for support frameworks at regional levels of society across Europe to support interconnections with the NEB Lab with a bottom-up approach. The project ambition has been to develop a system demonstrator that can address complex societal challenges at local and global levels of society with a NEB lab approach and involve citizens in co-creation and co-design - in synergy with the cities mission as implemented locally and regionally.
More than half of the Global Sustainability Goals are social sustainability goals, and many of the others are tightly connected to those. This project represents an initiative to set up a new capacity to enhance the participation from citizens and civil society in the transition towards a sustainable, fair, just and inclusive society, locally and globally. The idea is to develop a collective capacity to be framed on the new mission’s strategy that is currently being shaped in Europe to support the transition towards an inclusive and circular society in view of Agenda 2030 global sustainability objectives and the Green Deal. The initiative has great potential to contribute to the NEB Mission, as proposed at EU-level. Innovation processes have been directed towards groups of individuals aged 30 or less, but also towards municipalities and organisations in civil society and educational providers working with children and young adults. Our project complements national policies and regional/local strategies for the designed living environment. It is inspired by the Key Enabling Methodologies (KEMs) that were developed in the Netherlands in order to have a successful mission-driven innovation focus. There is a need for support frameworks at regional levels of society across Europe to support interconnections with the NEB Lab with a bottom-up approach. The project ambition has been to develop a system demonstrator that can address complex societal challenges at local and global levels of society with a NEB lab approach and involve citizens in co-creation and co-design - in synergy with the cities mission as implemented locally and regionally.
Learning transferred to other parties
A social innovation is an innovative solution that contributes to positive development for society – locally, nationally, in Europe and globally. The aim with collaboration between art, design, community building, and sustainability is to explore and let innovative and inclusive ideas transform and improve public space at local levels of European society. Learnings from the results of the project interventions thus far have high potential to be replicated or transferred to other places and groups of beneficiaries in the short term, medium term and long term. Innovation processes address the social dimensions of global challenges and the need for collaborative governance to increase citizen engagement in decision-making flows at local and regional levels of society - in comparison to classical decision-making processes and existing policy-making infrastructure. Research around democracy and citizen science points to a need for capacity-building to support a transformative society (holistic). Democratic infrastructure needs to be re-invented in parallel to re-inventing built environment and designed living environments. In the long term we want to continue to investigate and inspire how public spaces can be sustainable and function accessible to all. In the medium term the system demonstrator can be tested and further developed in real life environments in strategic partnerships with local governments – together with associations and citizens in local communities. The perspective of a designed living environment and the architecture, form and design objectives should always relate to society's challenges as a whole, and help to resolve them. In the short term mission-innovation processes can be replicated in collaboration with schools and higher education locally and regionally (example police school, library school at the university of Borås).
Keywords
CITIZEN-DRIVEN INNOVATION
RESILIENCE
NEIGHBOURHOODS
TEXTILE INNOVATION
DEMOCRATIC INNOVATION
