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Vol. 25 (2024): Digital Empowerment: Transforming Community Growth, Health, Economic Development, and Conservation through Innovative Technologies
					View Vol. 25 (2024): Digital Empowerment: Transforming Community Growth, Health, Economic Development, and Conservation through Innovative Technologies

Dear Reader,

The Social Innovations Journal (SIJ) set itself apart from traditional academic journals by being a journal written by and for practitioners. The journal was inspired by two Eisenhower Fellows who realized there needed to be a publication where practitioners could tell their stories and more importantly, share their social sector models for adoption and implementation in other ecosystems. To meet traditional academic standards, SIJ has adapted to become peer reviewed and is in the process to be indexed. However, SIJ will remain committed to practitioners and changemakers who promote innovative ideas, incubate social innovations, and spark a culture of innovation.

SIJ is proud to bring you this edition titled, 'Digital Empowerment:  Transforming Community Growth, Health, Economic Development, and Conservation through Innovative Technologies.' This edition was curated by Atmashakti Trust who, in order to bring you these narratives, asked changemakers across the globe to articulate their stories. This edition provides you access to the stories of real people, real challenges, and real triumphs reflecting the resilience, creativity, and dedication of individuals and communities making meaningful impact.

As we embark on this journey together, we are thrilled to share with you the stories and innovations that have emerged from the very heart of our communities. These narratives are not just about technological advancements or academic achievements—they are about real people.

In curating this publication, we faced the challenge of reaching out to practitioners and grassroots organizations deeply immersed in their vital work. We understood the difficulty of asking busy individuals to step away from their endeavors to articulate their stories. Moreover, there is often a perception that academic journals are solely for scholarly pursuits, making it daunting for those not familiar with academic writing standards. However, we saw an opportunity to bridge this gap by embracing the authenticity and richness of their experiences.

Atmashaki Trust’s expertise in the field helped navigate these complexities with empathy and insight. We worked tirelessly to encourage and support practitioners in crafting their narratives, ensuring their voices were heard and their achievements celebrated. This approach not only honours their work but also enriches our understanding of how digital tools, health interventions, socio-economic initiatives, and conservation efforts are reshaping our communities.

Each narrative in this publication—from empowering village voices through digital platforms to leveraging technology for grassroots empowerment and sustainable development—reflects the resilience, creativity, and dedication of individuals and communities striving to make a meaningful impact. These stories illuminate the pathways to empowerment and inspire us to continue fostering innovation and collaboration.

We invite you to immerse yourself in these narratives, to reflect on the challenges and triumphs shared within these pages, and to join us in celebrating the transformative power of grassroots initiatives. Together, let us embrace the potential of digital empowerment and forge a future where every community thrives.

 

Ruchi Kashyap                                                                Nicholas Torres

Executive Trustee, Atmashaki Trust                        Co-Founder/Publisher, Social Innovations Journal

 

 

 

Published: 2024-06-26
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We accept article submissions in Education, Human Services, Social Mobility, and Health.  We encourage article submissions to include components of Social Enterprise, System Change, Policy, and  Collaborations. 

Article Guidelines

  • Please include a title for your article exactly as you would like them to appear once published.
  • Please include the author(s) and affiliations immediately following the title
  • Please include keywords (metadata) for searching purposes.
  • Please include an abstract of your article and submit it along with your article.
  • Font should be 12-point for the body of article and Times Roman style.
  • Please remember to cite all sources for your article. We do NOT publish footnotes.  We publish endnotes. 
  • For all graphics as well as charts, tables, and figures please embed them within the article exactly how you want them to appear. Please submit only high-resolution images for publishing.  For all photos and images include a suggested caption and photo credit information (if required).
  • We recommend articles being 1,000 – 1,500 words.  Research articles are recommended to be between 4,000 – 6,000 words.
  • Please define acronyms the first time they appear.  Define trade or sector-specific terminology to ensure that your article is reader friendly.  Keep in mind that you are writing to a broad audience that includes international readers.

Outline/Components 

  • Frame the issue and define the social problem and context clearly. What local context or circumstances gave rise to this particular problem?
  • Offer the innovative solution and explain how your idea/model works.  Include narrative regarding how you will know you have achieved success (outcome and/or impact measures).
  • Differentiate your idea/model from current models. How is the solution distinct from current models?
  • Provide insight into how the model is financed.
  • Discuss scaling, scaling impact, and social and policy implications.

Tone and audience

  • Bottom line writing: Begin with a concise executive summary (about 10% of total word count) that gives the gist of the article. Follow this with a narrative that is guided by the outline above.
  • Academic framework: Place the social innovation within the context of best practice research. However, minimize use of citations and footnotes.
  • Audience: Write for social investors, government, not-for-profits, academia and the private sector who have a vested interest in increasing their regional impact through high-impact social innovation. 

Format

  • Submit the article text as a Word file. Make sure figures/tables are fully editable (NOT LINKED).
  • Provide references. References should be included at the end of the article.  Please do not use FOOTNOTES or ENDNOTES.
  • SIJ uses The Chicago Manual of Style (www.chicagomanualofstyle.org).