Technology shouldn't be for the privileged few, but should be accessible for all and aid the most deprived of communities, says Raj Mair of Innovation IT.
In 2005, I set-up a triple-bottom line social enterprise called RequipIT as a joint venture with Bethany Christian Trust, which initially provided refurbished computers for businesses and the home user, but is now also offering refurbished electrical appliances.
More recently, I have been involved in early discussions with the Scottish Government in relation to its hardware disposal strategy, including the consideration of the full set of social, environmental and economic drivers and how these can promote the consideration of social benefits.
Business strategy and technology consultation has also been provided to Mull and Iona Community Trust, which is lead by the core objective of community regeneration and works to combat the issues associated with isolation on remote, rural Scottish islands, reduce inequalities and ultimately improve the quality of life for residents.
Zindagaani, which means 'lifestyle' in Hindi, is a new start-up organisation co-founded with my wife Alpana, which has a vision to set-up social enterprises in deprived communities providing advice, training, support and employment of disadvantage people, while re-directing profits for the interests of the community in which it serves.
As managing director of Innovation IT, I have been keen to make it a priority to provide technology to charities, not for profit organisations and social enterprises in order to operate effectively and efficiently and enable business growth.
There are a number of key areas we have recognised and are subsequently helping fill a gap in knowledge, services and solutions:
1. There are a lot of organisations that do not have significant expertise associating the correct technology to achieve their strategic objectives, be it computer network infrastructure, a brand and communications strategy, websites, digital media or business solutions.
2. Making software tools available to allow quantifiable and qualitative measurements in SROI (Social Return on Investment).
3. Using E-Learning as an efficient way of training social accounting principles and empowering the disadvantaged.
4. Smaller social enterprises and start-ups are requiring support with a branding and website/webmail packages with quick turn around and at low cost.
5. Provision of low cost, flexible and expandable office based computer network solutions.
6. Providing online business and community systems - effectively websites that take feedback from the user community and provide metrics to the organisation's stakeholders, leveraging the revenue and future funding capability. Typical functionality includes discussions and community collaboration, surveys, polls, event management, news publications, documentation sharing, courses/e-learning and online trading.
There are approximately 55,000 social enterprises[now inreased to 62,000, reported by Social Enterprise] within the UK with an estimated turnover of £27bn. 3,000 of these are in Scotland with an estimated turnover of £2bn. Innovation IT's vision is to contribute towards filling this gap by providing these much needed services and solutions.
Find out more at www.innovationit.com or email raj.mair@innovationit.com
Raj Mair spent his career in both the private and public sectors, using technology to enable business growth before transferring these skills into community-based projects with social and environmental aims that empower disadvantaged people with skills that would allow them to be employable or provide them with an opportunity to start their own business.
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