[C.tour 2018] Seoul Social Innovation Study Tour with Hong Kong PolyTechnic University
“Throughout this tour, I was able to learn that money making is not the only goal we should strive for and that social innovation comes from daily life.”
January 1st to 6th, C. started off our year by organizing C.tour, a study tour which introduces the social innovation field of Seoul to 59 students of Hong Kong Polytechnic University and Ewha University students.
This brings us back to January of 2017 when C. first met HK PolyUniversity during their visit in Korea for their first cohort of the RISE Youth Leadership Programme 2017.
The RISE Youth Leadership Programme (RISE) is a 1-semester intensive leadership training offered to UGC-funded undergraduate students. Throughout the semester the students participate in team building orientation and camp, classroom learning, experiential workshops, and a 2-week international study service trip.
In January of 2017, Saem and Ahyoung were requested to help with a few hour interpretation for presentations held in Seoul Social Innovation Park organized for the PolyU RISE programme. While doing so, we were able to introduce that we also provide C.tour, a study program customized to each visitor’s purpose and specialties which organizes meetings with organizations or individuals by visiting the social economy, social innovation fields in Seoul. But little did we know then, that we would be contacted to arrange the next tour of the RISE programme.
November of 2017, HK PolyU reached out to us requesting the next arrangement for their visit to Seoul. As we were more than happy to, we arranged a few skype calls to understand their purpose of the trip, what kind of studies the students have done so far, and the expectations they have.
Since November to January, throughout tons of communication, we were able to prepare together a compact three day tour. This will be a brief summary of the inspiring people we have met and the places we have been.
[Day 1] Jan 3rd, Starting Off C.tour & Presentation on the Landscape of Social Innovation in Korea
As the 56 students were a mixture of students (that haven’t met each other before) from PolyU and Ewha University with students from various majors, we briefly started off with a quick icebreaking activity, trying to set a more loose and comfortable atmosphere. Followed by an overall introduction on the places we will be visiting, the people we will be meeting, and the meals (most important) we will be having.
Before the students start meeting particular cases and in the hopes to help their understanding of the bigger picture, Sunkyung (founder of C.) shared with the students the background of how social innovation first started in Seoul and about its current landscape. Her presentation was about the below.
What is Social Innovation
Social Innovation Process, Tree & Bee Model
Global Social Innovation Scene
2 SI Scenes in Seoul _Seoul Innovation Park + Sungsoo Valley
Looking back of social innovation in Korea/Seoul
[Day 1] Seoul Innovation Park Presentation & Tour
Established by the Seoul Metropolitan Government, Seoul Innovation Park is a social innovation platform where innovators, citizens and various stakeholders who are interested in social innovation gather together, come up with the ideas on solution for social issues, experiment and spread it collectively. There are currently 190 various organizations, intermediary groups, social enterprises, NGOs inside Seoul Innovation Park. As so, it is one of the ‘go-to’ spots for those who want to see the diverse scenes of the social economy and social innovation initiatives happening in Seoul.
We were welcomed by the team which organizes tours and gives introductions of the Park to anyone who sign up for free. Students were able to hear the 20min presentation introducing the history of the Park, the mission and goals its aiming to achieve, and the current community members working within the Park. After we had a quick tour around the Park, visiting the intermediary groups Youth Hub and Seoul Social Economy Center, along with the separate buildings like the Upcycling center which runs a toy thrift shop for the local residents and organizes programs for children to learn about recycling through activities like disjointing and recreating toys. We looked around the SEMA Warehouse which was established with the Seoul Museum of Art and provides space for exhibitions.
[Day 1] Visit to Seoul Upcycling Plaza & Beautiful Store
After our enjoying our lunchbox from the social enterprise, Picnic Cat, we headed to the World’s largest Upcycling cultural space, the Seoul Upcycling Plaza.
Based on “Seoul Vision 2030 for a Zero Waste City,” the Seoul Upcycling Plaza (SUP) was established to broaden people’s awareness of the environmental, social, and economic benefits of upcycling and cultivate an upcycling-based industrial environment. The various programs (workshops, performances, exhibitions, etc.) offered at the SUP are aimed to encourage people to take proactive steps to change their lifestyle.
As we toured around the seven floor building (From 2 basement floors to the 5th floor), we were able to see the various ways the plaza was promoting and working to develop the upcycling ecosystem. From the Basement, there was a large factory-like space for washing and categorizing the donated items received through the Beautiful Store Foundation. On the same floor was also a ‘Material Bank’, currently used to exhibit various kinds of material that can be used for upcycling. The guide has told us that they are hoping to use this bank in the future not only as an exhibit, but for practical bank uses. The upper grounds included a makers lab, exhibition hall, material library, stores selling upcycling products, and studio / office rooms for upcycling organizations and enterprises. Overall we were able to feel the many efforts that the Plaza was making to raise the awareness of the public and to support the ecosystem for the stakeholders involved.
After our tour of the Plaza, through the freezing weather, we walked about 8 minutes to the Beautiful Store, our next destination.
The Beautiful Store is a nonprofit organization and a chain of charity stores that promote recycling and sharing in Korea. Launched in 2002, the volunteer-run store collects donations of old or worn-out items like clothing, books, bags, kitchenware and appliances, and sells them to raise money for charity. Beautiful Store also helps small businesses in developing countries by importing their products for fair prices, so that they can achieve financial self-reliance using the profit generated in this process. Beautiful Store is currently operating over 100 stores across Korea.
The presenter has given us a 20min brief on the background of how Beautiful Store first started, the various initiatives they’ve done since 2002, and how they are planning to expand. Following was a very honest Q&A session, sharing on the current financial and other difficulties of maintaining the many stores within Korea as a nonprofit organization.
[Day 2] Jan 5th, Visiting another social innovation site, Sungsu Social Valley
As Social Innovation Park is a innovative hub initiated by the Seoul Government, there is a different and more independently developed innovative site which is being called Sungsu Social Valley.
Sungsu valley is a social enterprise cluster located in Sungsu-dong, Seoul. It has developed as a hub that connects and supports people who lead social innovation revealing its identity ‘town of social innovation’ ever since NGOs, social enterprises, youth ventures have gathered in Sungsu-dong in 2012.
Root Impact & Heyground
Among the initial enterprises that came to Sungsoo area, Root Impact can be seen as one of a key players that has contributed in this progress.
Root Impact is a for-purpose organization founded in 2012, supporting Changemakers and social entrepreneurs who are creating innovative solutions to solve any social problems. They have a strong belief that social problems can be solved in a healthier way as more Changemakers come into being. In order to help young social entrepreneurs and Changemakers, Root Impact has been trying to build an ‘Impact Ecosystem’ for more Changemakers and social entrepreneurs to further their mission, solve pressing issues, and sustain their growth. In doing so, Root Impact is providing a Changemaker-friendly environment such as co-living house, co-working space as well as learning opportunities.
Heyground is a co-working space rented out by Root Impact and let out to social ventures looking for a home. Social ventures are able to use the offices and network with other like-minded people. It’s one of several hubs for social ventures that have come into the neighborhood, creating what some have dubbed the “Social Venture Valley.” The eight-story Heyground building holds about 500 people affiliated with 45 companies , making use of its offices, photo studios, meeting rooms and event halls.
As so, we visited Heyground to hear more about Root Impact, Heyground, and the many contributions they have been doing to build the ecosystem of social innovation.
Then we headed to Cow&dog(stands for co-work and do good), another co-working space which was also one of the initial organizations in Sungsoo. We enjoyed our lunchbox from another social enterprise, Mill Company, which uses organic, fair products from farmers in the countrysides of Korea. After lunch, the students were divided into groups and handed a map of Sungsu Social Valley indicating representative spots to visit freely. For around 45mins, the students visited Understand Avenue, Marymond, Seoul Forest Park, and more. We gathered back to Cow&dog to briefly share the stories of the places each group visited.
Because we had a time to visit and experience the bigger picture of Sungsu Valley, it was now time to meet those diverse cases in Sungsu upclose.
Social Innovation Center of Hanyang University & HG Initiative
The first hour was shared by the Social Innovation Center(HUGE) of Hanyang University and HG Initiative. The presenter from HUGE shared his personal story as a student of Hanyang University starting his own project which provided meal vouchers to underprivileged students and about how he became to be one of the founding members of the Social Innovation Center within Hanyang University. The presenter from HG Initiative introduced the overall landscape of impact investment in Korea, the core values HG Initiative focuses on for investment, and a few cases about the social enterprises they have invested on. Following their presentations were a relay of questions from the students asking about the details of HUGE and questions asked to better understand the concept of impact investment.
Talk with 4 Social Innovators (Enuma, JUMP, Eone Time, Creators Lab)
This session was particularly requested by the Hong Kong Polytechnic University. They hoped to have a session where the students can meet with the innovators in a more closer and warmer atmosphere. So we invited 4 social innovators from diverse startups and nonprofit organizations to share with us a 15min ppt on their work, and then divided the students into 4 groups to ask more questions and share conversations with the speakers.
Here is a short explanation about the invited guests.
Enuma is an education technology startup that has designed an inclusive tablet-based learning tools for early learners with the mission to empower ALL children to become independent learners — especially the most vulnerable and typically marginalized.
JUMP recruits committed college-aged “student-teachers” who provide
after school tutoring and mentoring to children of multicultural / disadvantaged backgrounds. In return, student-teachers receive scholarship as well as career mentoring services from a distinguished group of professional mentors. JUMP seeks to provide equal educational opportunities to all children and youth through innovative approach and multi-sectoral partnership.
Eone Times was founded with an innovative spirit and an unwavering mission: to create fashionable products that are accessible for everyone. Their debut product — The Bradley Timepiece — was created to accommodate both sighted and vision impaired users equally.
Creators Lab is a start-up that developed DIY toys made from milk for all children. Creators Lab works to solve child-unsafe situations that threaten children’s safety and hopes to create a new and different solution to keep the safety of children’s playing environment.
We were able to hear conversations from each group that varies from the founding background to the personal stories of the innovator, and we were also able to see the innovators asking more questions to the students as well. 2 rounds of the 30min group talk quickly came to a close and it was now time to head back home. We still remember it took a long time for the students to leave the building because they needed to say their farewells and take pictures with the Ewha students.
[Last Day] Guided Tour of the War Museum
It was now the last day of Seoul before the students head down to Mokpo for their last week of their trip. But before they start their long 4–5 hour bus trip, they have asked us to arrange a tour of the War Museum in Seoul. So we arranged for two english speaking guides to show the students around the museum. After the one hour tour and 30mins to freely look around, we stopped by a cafe for sandwich and paninis. It finally became time for them to really start going, so C. also shared their farewells with the students, wishing them a great time in Mokpo as well.
