Together towards common goals

In many respects, Sweden is a good country to be a child in and grow up in. But unfortunately not for all children and not everywhere. Inequality between children has increased, which is in conflict with Agenda 2030 and objective 10 on reducing inequality. An important factor for a more equal start in life is that all children, as far as possible, are given the same opportunities to shape their own lives. The early years of life and the upbringing environment should not be what determines a child's future.

Education is a key factor in effectively reducing inequality in society. and in order to free children from circumstances beyond their control. Such as upbringing, parents and home environment. However, there are studies that show that the gaps within the education system, depending on, for example, family background and parents' level of education,

Almost every seventh student does not pass compulsory school in Sweden today. In socio-economically vulnerable areas, the figure is usually higher. Schools with low results have historically been concentrated in suburbs in the big cities, but even outside the metropolitan regions, more and more schools are achieving lower results in terms of upper secondary school eligibility.

Giving children a more equal chance of achieving upper secondary education is a complex challenge that is not limited to one sector or a certain type of actor group. Nor is the solution simple. Complex challenges require complex solutions and we need to experiment with many different types of solutions to enable a change towards the goal: that all children pass school.

To meet the challenge of increasing inequality among children, and to achieve the goal that all children should have an equal chance of passing school, collaboration, concentration and innovation are needed. To succeed, actors from all sectors must be involved and contribute and have a place in the work ahead. There, civil society actors have an important role to play.

Vinnova's mission is to opening the way for innovation that makes a difference. We want to work to ensure that civil society organizations have world-class innovative power that is fully used to lead effectively in a sustainable society.

Through this specific pilot initiative, Vinnova wants to offer civil society organizations the opportunity to participate in a learning initiative to strengthen its innovative capacity.

The learning effort comprises six half days and is led by Expedition Mondial och Vinnova. Deltagarna kommer att få möjlighet att fördjupa sig i metoder såsom systemtänkande och designmetodik. Därtill kommer de erbjudas förutsättningar och möjlighet att utöka sitt nätverk och samskapa lösningar för att barn ska få en mer jämlik chans att klara skolan. Genom denna lärinsats vill Vinnova bidra till att nya lösningar som tar ett helhetsgrepp på samhällsutmaningen kommer till nytta och att innovationsförmågan i civilsamhället stärks. Cirka 10-15 organisationer kommer att erbjudas att delta.

För att skapa förändring är lärinsatsen uppdelad i tre huvudmoment:

• Fyra lärträffar (halvdagar): Verktyg och metoder för systemtänk

För att mer systematiskt angripa samhällsutmaningen behövs verktyg och metoder för systemtänk, systems thinking. Genom fyra lärträffar kommer deltagarna tillgång till nya metoder och verktyg som appliceras under insatsens genomförande direkt på den utvalda samhällsutmaningen. Verktygen kommer utformas så att de också kan användas för lärande inom den egna organisationen efter lärinsatsens slut.

• Två missionworkshops (halvdagar): Samla systemet i rummet

Vi är övertygade om att framtiden skapas tillsammans. Därför vill vi föra människor samman, arbeta tillsammans systemiskt, över gränser och silos mot gemensamma objective. I denna lärinsats görs detta genom två workshops som riktar sig mot representanter från olika sektorer och intressegrupper med bäring på utmaningen. Metoden som används är ett a mission-oriented approach that involves involving, driving together, seeing each other's perspectives and agreeing on strong clear directions towards important common objective in which everyone involved participates. The process is also expected to lead to the creation of new networks between the actors. Participants will be expected to actively participate in these workshops.

• Possible funding: New solutions are given the opportunity to be tested

The initiative aims to jointly arrive at and illuminate gaps and levers in the system around children and thereby be able to propose new, accurate solutions to help children have a more equal chance of passing school. But complex societal challenges cannot be outlined on paper, they must be given the opportunity to be developed and tested in reality. Therefore, the organizations, together with other actors, will be able to propose future topics to Vinnova on initiatives (calls or similar) that best meet the societal challenge. The organizations are also offered a dialogue with Vinnova about possible funding for solutions that arise in connection with the learning effort. However, future funding cannot be guaranteed to the participants.

Objective in the short term:

At the end of the learning effort, the participants must have:

• Increased understanding of systems thinking and the dimensions of system innovation and how these are relevant for solving complex challenges. This includes an increased knowledge of complex systems and an understanding of how different solutions need to interact in the desired direction.
• Increased its ability to design new collaboration models.
• Increased its motivation to collaborate cross-sectorally and co-create solutions.
• Expanded its network and created relationships with relevant organizations and decision-makers in civil society, the public and private sectors, thereby increasing the opportunity for long-term sustainable solutions.
• Through a design process gained a broader understanding of what in the system should be changed to achieve the goal that all children should have an equal chance of finishing school, and came up with suggestions for system solutions, or themes, that address the challenge.
• Have a plan for how system change will permeate your own work even after the end of the project.

Long-term Objective:

• More civil society and actors from the public sector and business collaborate purposefully to meet children's needs
• System solutions are developed and tested in real environments
• System solutions that meet children's needs are delivered by civil society organizations in collaboration with other sectors
• Go from project and solutions that are independent and fragmented to co-created system solutions that benefit society
• Strong shining example among civil society organizations of innovative ways of working for system solutions that meet children's needs

For this initiative, civil society organizations, including social enterprises, which have a work aimed at children and young people can apply. The organizations can be national, regional or local.

We are looking for organizations that make a real commitment and that want to drive change through increased collaboration and co-creation between sectors. The participants must have the capacity to internally influence their own organization. We expect participants to prioritize and actively participate in this entire effort.

We prefer that each organization is represented by two people, one of whom should preferably be at the top management level (for example, general secretary, innovation manager or the like).

Activities for which funding can be funding for

In this bet, cannot be applied for funding. This offer does not include project funding but means the opportunity to participate in the learning effort free of charge. For the organizations that are accepted, however, it will be possible forafter the decision on granting has been sent out, to apply for compensation from Vinnova of up to SEK 30,000 for internal travel or personnel costs per organization. This is limited to organizations that are considered to conduct non-economic activities.

In addition, the organizations, together with other actors, will be able to propose future topics for initiatives (calls or similar) that meet the societal challenge. The organizations are also offered a dialogue with Vinnova about possible funding for solutions that arise in connection with the learning effort. However, no future funding guaranteed for the participants in the learning effort.

We will only assess applications that meet the following formal eligibility requirements and are in line with the call's aim:

• The company / organization is a civil society organization (including social enterprise)
• Proposal must be written in Swedish or English
• Project parties must be legal entities and the beneficiary must have a branch or place of business in Sweden

When the application has been submitted, Vinnova reviews:

• that the company / organization is registered as a legal entity

What do we assess?

Applications will be assessed according to the criteria potential, feasibility and actors. Each criterion consists of sub-criteria where it is important that the applicant clearly describes and answers in his proposal.

Potential (ie the significance of the results and the effects if the effort is successful)

• The participants' potential to utilize the skills developed during the learning effort in their own work and their own organization.
• Participants' potential to eventually contribute to, or deliver, system solutions that meet children's needs for a more equal schooling

Actors (ie how the organization is relevant to the effort and how those selected from the organization can contribute to the objectiveof the effort)

• Relevance of the organization based on the challenge "an equal chance to pass the school"
• The participants' prerequisites for participating actively and committedly during all parts of the learning effort
• Participation, or involvement / anchoring, with management in one's own organization

Feasibility

• How the organization plans to implement the learning effort's methods, tools and results internally

How do we rate?

The assessment of the proposal takes place in competition according to the assessment criteria stated above. The assessment is made by programme manager at Vinnova.

When selecting participants, Vinnova will take into account that the selected ones represent a balance of different actors, size and geographical spread. Vinnova also intends to strive for an equal distribution of participants in the learning effort.

About our decisions

Notice of your proposal for participation approved or rejected will be announced no later than 17 February 2022. Proposal will be submitted via vinnova's eservices portal. After the proposal registered, a confirmation of registration is sent via e-mail to the person in charge of the user account in Vinnova's eservices portal, project manager and signatory. Vinnova's decision is also announced via e-mail to the person responsible for the user account in the Stakeholder Portal, project manager and company signatory.

Our decision to approve or disapprove of a proposal can not be appealed.

What is meant by civil society?

By civil society we mean: "an arena, separate from the state, the market and the individual household, where people organize themselves and act together in common interests".

The term "civil society organizations" is sometimes used. That means:

• Non-profit organizations.
• Self-governing cooperative activities with selfless mission, and often with an ideological awareness.
• Limited liability company with special dividend limitation. The profit should be a means of pursuing activities and not an objective in itself.
• Social enterprises (see description below)

What is meant by social enterprises?

Social enterprises, ie enterprises where business activities are a means of achieving specific socially beneficial objective. The result is measured in relation to how to meet these objective. Financial surpluses are mainly reinvested in the business, or alternatively invested in a new socially beneficial project.

Can social enterprises apply in this call?

Social enterprises are included in the above definition of civil society organizations and can apply in this call for proposals.