Navigating the ‘meaningless’ of social innovation: perspectives of social care practitioners in Scotland

Figures & data

Table 1. Dimensions of social innovation: four Case study exemplars.

	Case Study 1 Social care in remote rural areas	Case study 2 Language classes to delay dementia	Case Study 3 Physical activities for older people	Case study 4 Collective of older people services
New idea	Subsides traditional care model in rural area with a befriending business in a large urban centre.	Provides language classes to delay dementia and improve cognitive abilities in older people.	Provides activities which usually exclude older people, including discos, climbing, surfing etc.	Co-operative of small organizations deliver activities for older people in an under-served rural area.
Meets social needs	Clients approached the business due to lack of care provision in area.	Provides an alternative activity for people with dementia.	Brings together older people to reduce social isolation, improve health and wellbeing, and offer signposting and support.	Provides a range of alternative and conventional activities suitable for purchase through personal social care budgets.
Creates new relationships/collaborations	Generated new community collaborations amongst clients, carers, community volunteers and NHS services in islands and remote rural areas.	Formed links across other social enterprises to combine services for delivery, created relationships between organization and multiple agencies/organizations.	Formed links across other social enterprises to combine services for delivery, created relationships between organization and multiple agencies/organizations.	Generated new community collaborations amongst clients, carers, community volunteers and NHS services in rural areas.
Good for society	Provides sustainable rural social care for older people, reduces social isolation.	Provides activities for individuals with dementia and their carers, reduces social isolation.	Provides activities and social contact for individuals and their carers, keeps older people active for longer.	Provides sustainable rural social care and activities for older people, reduces social isolation.
Enhances society’s capacity to act	Generated a sustainable new support network for vulnerable isolated people, NHS is keen to replicate on other islands in partnership with organization.	Trains language tutors to teach people using verbal, sensory and non-verbal means.	Empowers socially excluded individuals enabling them to become more active and visible in society, challenging stigma and ageism.	Generated a sustainable new support network for vulnerable isolated people, promoting employment, new start-ups and high standards in care and activity provision.