Social Innovation in Community Engagement: A Case Study of Red Cross Australia

This paper discusses the implementation of social innovation in community engagement services in Australia, with a focus on Red Cross. It analyzes the challenges faced by Red Cross in implementing social innovation in its operations of community services.

Running head: COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author note:

1
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
Executive Summary
Social Innovation requires to be performed in amalgamation with alliance between government
and communities in order to seek resolutions for community challenges and further ascertain that
human centred services attain most effective outcomes. The Australian government has
developed certain humanitarian initiatives which underpin the public sector labour force along
with the wide ranging community to work in collaboration in order to introduce community’s
ideas and resolutions to the challenges public experience. Social innovation will be playing vital
role to ascertain Australia as a truly protected place to thrive. Federal government is keen to
strengthen its associations with community service sector. Thus through a range of initiatives and
community endeavours, Red Cross one of the prominent community organization has aimed to
work directly with people within the community who are in utmost need. Thus the services of
community organizations are efficiently been designed, investment and offered in approaches
that generate the most efficient potential outcomes given that accessible public funding will
typically be predetermined. The paper provided comprehensive insights about the way social
innovation has been successfully implemented in realm of community engagement services in
Australia. In addition to this the paper has analysed the challenges Red Cross has faced in
implementing social innovation in its operations of community services.

2
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................4
Discussion........................................................................................................................................4
Social innovation and community engagement theory................................................................4
Proposed social innovation and the way it contributes to the common good..............................6
Red Cross Swot & Pestle Analysis..............................................................................................8
Challenge of Social Innovation faced by Red Cross.................................................................11
Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................11
References......................................................................................................................................13

3
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
Introduction
The word ‘community’ comprises a broad terminology in order to define groups of
people whether they are stakeholders or citizen groups. A community may be associated to
community of place, community of practice or community of affiliation or identity (Duguid et al.
2013). Community engagement is thus identified as strategic process constituting specific aims
and objectives of working with identified groups of individuals whether they are associated
through geographic location or mutual interest or affiliation to recognition and emphasize on
issues impacting the wellbeing of people. The linkage of the term ‘community’ to ‘engagement’
contributes to expand the dimension and shifting the focus from individual to the mutual with the
related implications for integration in order to ensure forms of consideration is made of the
diversity which tends to exist within the realms of any community (Voorberg, Bekkers and
Tummers 2015). Community engagement can be highly multifaceted and work-intensive and
thus necessitates immensely committed resources such as time, investment and people with
essential skills and abilities. Citizens and leaders engaged in communities across Australia and
other regions of the world have been contesting to make appropriate preferences and decisions
for communities and areas of challenges which they aim to address (Budiselik, Crawford and
Chung 2014). The aim of the following paper is to develop the conceptualization of social
innovation to community organization. In addition to this the paper further evaluates forms of
challenges community organization face while adapting social innovation concepts to focus on
common wellbeing.
Discussion
Social innovation and community engagement theory
Social innovation theory has been identified as relevant in evaluating and comprehending

4
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
factors which emerged at the initial stage of innovation progress. Social innovation tends to
emerge when individuals constituting certain atypical backgrounds establish structured
organizations in order to safeguard unofficial, naturally developing associations of value and
importance (Moulaert 2016). Social innovation has been observed to be supported by networks
of community, organizations and influential aid and support. This has led social innovation to lay
a significant groundwork for consistent advanced technologies resulting to incorporate improved
ways of efficiently structuring enduring social relationships. Successful attainment in community
engagement primarily relied to the degree to which innovation tend to emerge in forms of social
associations between organizations and further transforming approaches which distinguish forms
of needs and demands of commons (Voorberg, Bekkers and Tummers 2015). However
recognizing requisite tools and mechanisms in order to reconcile areas of challenges between
institutional and mutual commitments typically not into negotiations may have the propensity to
be impacted with the rise of difficulties and challenges (Moulaert 2016).
Furthermore, the organizational, management and governance actions and procedures
have been recognized as crucial determinants in establishing authentic communication networks
between stakeholder associations that involves wide ranging communities. Such areas however
in the perspective of Gardinier (2016) necessitate people who possess the competence to produce
innovative and skilled ideas and their contribution to newly developed knowledge will fit well
within the forms of metrics disseminated by global rankings. However on the other hand
Benneworth and Cunha (2015) claim that distinguishing appropriate indicators while working in
the audit cultural contexts is immensely crucial to evaluate and recognize community
engagement and acknowledge forms of ingenuity as well as social innovation to successfully
incentivise community organizations and safeguard public welfare. Author has observed that

5
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
while ‘service’ has been considered to be one of the vital determinants of community welfare,
these endeavours tend to stimulate the dimension of community engagement beyond the realm of
volunteerism and organization compacts in order to entrench the values and standards of social
innovation in order to re-evaluate the association between public welfare and its community
(Herrera 2015).
Thus social innovation comprises the capacity to evolve the understanding of knowledge
sharing surpassing the customary lines or boundaries of economic clusters. However while
concepts of social innovation has been typically perceived as a vital procedure relevant within
the community a highly unified and integrated relationship is required for successful community
engagement configuring communities’ association with the stakeholders (Benneworth and
Cunha 2015). Thus advanced and highly developed way of thinking along with effective
boundary-crossing organizations is recognized as critical determinants specifically in challenging
and multifaceted situations. As a result, innovation in community engagement has been
recognized as a significant area of scope for Australia’s community organizations to integrate for
efficiently provoking as well as stimulating communities to develop as highly engaged
community (Moore et al. 2016).
Proposed social innovation and the way it contributes to the common good
Associating With People Affected By Crises
The Red Cross Australia acknowledges forms of humanitarian innovation which tends to
optimize when it is derived by the public intrinsically integrated to crisis and dilemma. The
proposed social innovation plan primarily demonstrates the way Red Cross Australia has
efficiently applied to the Fundamental Values and Principles in order to underline human-centred
as well as participatory innovation (Redcross.org.au 2018). The Australian Red Cross along with

6
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
International Federation of Red Cross intends to formulate a significant global initiative in order
to determine the influence, implementation and expenses of future technologies based on the
conditions and realities of disaster survivors. Nicholls, Simon and Gabriel (2015) reveal that a
significant human-centred innovation procedure must be embraced by Red Cross which initiated
by promoting conversations between technology developers, local community organizations and
residents in disaster-prone regions of nations such as Australia, New Zealand and Kenya. Such a
comprehensive mechanism further will facilitate the local community players in places of New
South Wales to share events and experiences of bushfires and floods and other disaster
experiences (Icrc.Org 2018).
It has been claimed that tools and mechanisms implemented to efficiently contest such
community endeavours with persistent struggles have been proven as being unconstructive
further resulting to high level of distress and apprehension. Red Cross Australia through its
proposed Social Innovation Plan has primarily focused to reintegrate local members to efficiently
design and sustain experiments to develop the concepts and ideas to prioritize through the
proposed social innovation strategy (Redcross.org.au 2018). Drawing its variance from top-to-
down technology endeavours, the proposed plan primarily emphasize on necessities articulated
by local communities and further accomplishing survivors’ preferences and demands.
Moulaert (2016) further reveal that previous humanitarian initiatives have shown
incompetence in improperly aligning with community priorities and value. However the
proposed social innovation plan will fundamentally incorporate local residents and communities
to play crucial role in programmatic human-centred decision-making process. Such a community
outreach initiative has been anticipated to offer essential feedback tools and procedures such as
hotlines, messaging systems and feedback or grievance boxes along with documented

7
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
communication tools to address community perspectives and to perform as per needs and
concerns (Benneworth and Cunha 2015). It has been observed that through these social
innovations along with community initiatives humanitarian are directly associated to public’s
needs and demands. Thus internalizing feedback and suggestions mechanisms has been
recognized as productive approaches for Red Cross Australia to enhance its social innovation
and services and further establish trust and loyalty with communities (Nicholls, Simon and
Gabriel 2015).
Red Cross Swot & Pestle Analysis
Strengths Weaknesses
 Strong brand equity
 Robust and nationwide
employee and volunteer base
 Poor Labour Associations
 Website Expenses
Opportunities Threats
 Strategic Affiliation
 Innovation
 Expansion of products and
services
 Strict Regulations
Created by author
Strengths
 Strong Brand Equity- Australian Red Cross comprises strong brand equity at cases of
natural calamities or any other critical situations which demands vital humanitarian
assistance (Benneworth and Cunha 2015). Thus the community organization enjoys a
substantial degree of prominence and value among other non-profit organizations in
Australia. Red Cross consequentially attains considerable public and private donations
and exhibits a better alliance from diverse range of public and groups in relation to
volunteering and other performances.
 Robust and nationwide employee and volunteer base- Voorberg, Bekkers and

8
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
Tummers (2015) state competence to possess vigorous employee base along with the
capacity to efficiently mobilize them at rapid pace to facilitate public and communal
wellbeing to contest with challenging situations has been identified as vital in the
performance of Australian Red Cross (Redcross.org.au 2018)
Weaknesses
 Poor Labour Associations- Australian Red Cross for the past few decades has been
encountering critical forms of accusations on the way it has been developing relations
with its employee base (Duguid et al. 2013). Such scenarios further signify unstable
associations which the organization suffers from employee attrition.
 Website Expenses- Australian Red Cross expanded into technology domain in order to
offer comprehensive knowledge and association to public with utmost efficacy. To
proficiently emerge into innovation realm, the organization must emphasize on expense
of maintaining newly developed sites, creating graphics as well as logos along with other
forms of content (Gibson-Graham and Roelvink 2016).
Opportunities
 Strategic Affiliation- Red Cross Australia can develop strategic alliances with other
community enterprises which do not constitute political or religious attachments to
facilitate its services and contribution to the communities in Australia (Amundson 2010).
 Expansion of products and services- Red Cross as a community organization can
develop its products and services to incorporate other innovative and advanced service
ranges such as medical supplies.
Threats
 Strategic Affiliation- The Australian Red Cross must attain certain regulations and

9
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
directives while aiming to develop its service range and further sustain competitive
advantage (Gardinier 2016).
PESTLE Analysis
Political Factor- The political factor impact Australian Red Cross in the non-profit
organizations which underline the community organization (Budiselik, Crawford and Chung
2014). As Red Cross focuses on community welfare the organization would be requiring
financial aid to efficiently execute its operations. Consistency in Australian political domain is
useful to Red Cross as it can facilitate Federal government to attain its purposes by shaping the
contributions which they utilize and their functions which they execute.
Economic Factor- High rate of unemployment and labour expense can impact the services of
Red Cross as this would hamper the volunteer base of the organization (Voorberg, Bekkers and
Tummers 2015).
Social Factor- Demographic factors are highly constructive for Australian Red Cross as the
community organization typically seeks for new people for volunteer purposes (Gibson-Graham
and Roelvink 2016). Thus increase in population will further facilitate elevated volunteer base
and can further aid in times of crises.
Technological Factor- Elevating rate of technical expertise can positively affect the services of
Red Cross as such a procedure would enable Red Cross to establish strong communication base
with its volunteers as well as survivors who are need of welfare services.
Furthermore, exploitation of technology interfaces as well as auditory determinants is
distinguished as potential factors impacting the functions of Red Cross.
Legal Factor- Australian Red Cross will comprise contracts with important volunteer base as the
organization would require executing human-centred operations to safeguard Australian

10
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
communities (Nicholls, Simon and Gabriel 2015). However the competition law are positioned
in place with Red Cross operations that incorporate obligations which are trying to reduce the
rate of competition.
Habibi, Laroche and Richard (2014) note that infrastructural modifications can be
unconstructive for Red Cross as aged group will gradually exhibit incompetence in executing
their roles and performance as volunteer. Thus rise in population can serve a beneficial role to
Australian Red Cross for community engagement services.
Environmental Factor- Red Cross has identified that critical deficit of awareness as well as
misassumptions of communities related to community wellbeing and its relevant services act as
communication challenges to the organization (Herrera 2015).
Challenge of Social Innovation faced by Red Cross
Author observed that key mechanisms for the improvement and execution of social
innovation pose critical impacts on the outcomes generated through social policy in the domain
of social innovation (Redcross.org.au 2018). Red Cross will have the propensity to develop
growth of social capital to enhance organizational efficacy. However an institutional approach to
these areas of challenges serves a critical role in comprehending the method and adaption of
social innovation and further emphasize on implementation of improved ideas and practices
acknowledging volunteers to take accountability of safeguarding their communities
(Redcross.org.au 2018). Implementation of innovation mediation in realm of social innovation in
community services requires development to address critical challenges related to economic
feasibility of community structures (Nicholls, Simon and Gabriel 2015).
Furthermore, availability of small-scale forms of social-entrepreneurship also has been

11
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
recognized as crucial factors which need utmost attention. There can be witnessed effective
assessment system emphasized on the outcomes of social innovation mechanisms to community
welfare services (Icrc.Org 2018). However, because of recent experiences emerging from wide
ranging migrations, global community tends to encounter challenges related to diversity
management from a cross-cultural perspective. Such forms of complexities further can be
determined by implementing advanced forms of social innovation in the realm of community
engagement (Gibson-Graham and Roelvink 2016).
Conclusion
Therefore from the above discussion it can be concluded that awareness of the need for
social innovation has been relentlessly rising in Australian society. Certain instances of human-
centred endeavours have included projects of aiding crises survivors who have experienced
utmost disregard from governments. Thus to develop the productivity level of social innovation
in domain of community engagement, significant public-private alliances are important. Such
affiliations however tend to form community organizations of development in order to
implement and further elevate effective practices of social innovation. Thus if social innovation
in Australian community is to be implemented community organizations must consider the
potential it offers.

12
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
References
Amundson, N.E., 2010. Metaphor making: Your career, your life, your way. Ergon
Communications.
Benneworth, P. and Cunha, J., 2015. Universities’ contributions to social innovation: reflections
in theory & practice. European journal of innovation management, 18(4), pp.508-527.
Budiselik, W., Crawford, F. and Chung, D., 2014. The Australian Royal Commission into
institutional responses to child sexual abuse: dreaming of child safe organisations?. Social
Sciences, 3(3), pp.565-583.
Duguid, F., Mündel, K., Schugurensky, D. and Haggerty, M., 2013. Conclusions. In Volunteer
work, informal learning and social action (pp. 219-235). SensePublishers, Rotterdam.
Gardinier, L., 2016. Service-Learning Through Community Engagement: What Community
Partners and Members Gain, Lose, and Learn From Campus Collaborations. Springer
Publishing Company.
Gibson-Graham, J.K. and Roelvink, G., 2016. Social innovation for community economies.
In Social innovation and territorial development (pp. 41-54). Routledge.
Habibi, M.R., Laroche, M. and Richard, M.O., 2014. The roles of brand community and
community engagement in building brand trust on social media. Computers in Human
Behavior, 37, pp.152-161.
Herrera, M.E.B., 2015. Creating competitive advantage by institutionalizing corporate social
innovation. Journal of Business Research, 68(7), pp.1468-1474.
Icrc.Org 2018. Australia. [online] International Committee of the Red Cross. Available at:
https://www.icrc.org/en/where-we-work/asia-pacific/australia [Accessed 16 Sep. 2018].
Moore, T.G., McDonald, M., McHugh-Dillon, H. and West, S., 2016. Community engagement:

13
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
A key strategy for improving outcomes for Australian families.
Moulaert, F., 2016. Social innovation: Institutionally embedded, territorially (re) produced.
In Social innovation and territorial development (pp. 27-40). Routledge.
Nicholls, A., Simon, J. and Gabriel, M., 2015. Introduction: Dimensions of social innovation.
In New frontiers in social innovation research (pp. 1-26). Palgrave Macmillan, London.
Redcross.org.au 2018. Australian Red Cross. [online] Redcross.org.au. Available at:
https://www.redcross.org.au/ [Accessed 16 Sep. 2018].
Redcross.org.au 2018. Disaster relief and recovery. [online] Redcross.org.au. Available at:
https://www.redcross.org.au/support-us/donate-funds/disaster-relief-and-recovery [Accessed 16
Sep. 2018].
Redcross.org.au 2018. International aid. [online] Redcross.org.au. Available at:
https://www.redcross.org.au/about/how-we-help/international-aid [Accessed 16 Sep. 2018].
Voorberg, W.H., Bekkers, V.J. and Tummers, L.G., 2015. A systematic review of co-creation
and co-production: Embarking on the social innovation journey. Public Management
Review, 17(9), pp.1333-1357.