June 2019
Price: £95 PLUS VAT
Format: DOWNLOADABLE PDF
This conference discussed a range of new government policy initiatives aimed at harnessing technological innovation to drive social change for good - and examined the implications for charities, social enterprises and the private sector.
In the context of aspirations set out in the Civil Society Strategy, discussion took place on ways in which charities and social enterprises can better engage with, and make use of, digital technology, as well as priorities for supporting social tech start-ups and scale-ups.
The agenda brought out latest thinking on the potential impact that new technologies can have on tackling complex social issues - looking at case studies from the UK and abroad of the deployment of advanced tech for good causes, examining outcomes and assessing the way forward.
There was also discussion on the scope for involvement of private business - as well as ways in which it can be made easier for ventures in the social tech sector to bid for and win contracts in the public sector.
Delegates considered how best to promote continued innovation in social tech organisations, and what more needs to be done to ensure they have sufficient access to finance, investment and business development resources, following the announcement of a new fund for social tech ventures supported by the Government and the Social Tech Trust.
There was also further discussion on key priorities for driving and enabling the uptake of technologies such as AI and digital fundraising tools by charities at varying scales - including developing digital skills within third sector organisations, promoting good governance and best practice in data handling, and examining ways in which tech solutions can be matched to charities’ scale and requirements.
