What is a ‘social innovation camp’? In a nutshell, Social Innovation Camp uses the web to solve real life problems. It brings together talented software developers/designers and social innovators to build effective web-based solutions to social problems — and all in the course of 48 hours!

The first Social Innovation Camp was held in London in April 2008 (watch the documentary film to learn more about the event itself). Over the course of a weekend, six projects were developed from rough ideas into working prototypes, and two were awarded top prizes. The winning projects including Enabled by Design, a resource for people living with disabilities, injuries or impairment, looking to make adjustments to assistive equipment and their lives. The runner-up project, Visiting Prisons, is a tool to support the families of prisoners and make the experience of visiting a loved one in prison more humane.

The second Social Innovation Camp, held in December 2008, drew 7 ideas from 115 submissions. The overall winner was The Good Gym, which helps people to channel their physical energy in a positive direction by integrating visits to lonely housebound older people into their exercise routines. Second place went to Useful Visits, a platform where people on international trips can volunteer their free time between official activities.

A third Social Innovation Camp took place in Glasgow, Scotland in July 2009.

Social Innovation Camp – Central and Eastern Europe (SICCEE) builds upon these successful experiences, and broadens the project’s scope. Ideas will be accepted from seven countries in Central and Eastern Europe (Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia) and volunteers will be drawn from all over Europe. The event will be held in Bratislava, Slovakia 16-18 September, coinciding with the Trust for Central and Eastern Europe (CEE Trust)’s Civil Society Forum, which reflects on 20 years of civil society in postcommunist Europe.