The Good People: Designing for Social Impact

Skills of the Modern Age invite you to join the The Good People: an immersive 5-week online program for designers and innovators who want to make a difference. With weekly interactive workshops and a range of challenging, hands-on projects and activities, this is the perfect introduction to the world of social innovation and impact. We'll explore the key ideas and frameworks you need to know, and you'll leave with a range of new changemaking skills and tools at your disposal.

Big, pressing social issues aren't hard to find in today's world. From the looming problems of climate change and growing inequality to more immediate crises in areas such as mental health, homelessness and race relations, the need for action to instigate positive change in our society is clear. By building your skillset as a designer and innovator, you can learn to better understand complex problems and to collaborate with others to make meaningful progress on issues that matter.

The Good People covers the core skills, tools and mindsets you need to design powerful interventions for complex social issues. You're invited to join an interactive, fast-paced 90-minute workshop each week for 5 weeks, with up to 90 minutes of in-depth independent and collaborative tasks to complete between sessions to put your new skills and knowledge into practice.

The total time commitment for the program is 3 hours per week for 5 weeks.

🔎 Week 1: Insights into Social Change

Workshop: Thurs 16th July, 2020

4pm - 5:30pm AWST / 6pm - 7:30pm AEST

We’ll explore some of the key concepts in social change work, and you'll be invited to investigate how your skills can help you to make a difference in a meaningful and sustainable way.

❤️ Week 2: Understanding Wicked Problems

Workshop: Thurs 23rd July, 2020

4pm - 5:30pm AWST / 6pm - 7:30pm AEST

You’ll select a wicked problem you'd like to tackle, and learn techniques for rapid research and empathy to gain a deeper understanding of how people really experience that problem.

🌿 Week 3: Changing Systems

Workshop: Thurs 30th July, 2020

4pm - 5:30pm AWST / 6pm - 7:30pm AEST

We’ll introduce you to systems thinking, and invite you to map the deeper system of structures, stakeholders and feedback that holds your problem in place.

🛠 Week 4: Making Progress

Workshop: Thurs 6th August, 2020

4pm - 5:30pm AWST / 6pm - 7:30pm AEST

This session will address some of the myths around how social change happens, and will introduce you to a range of strategies changemakers can employ to make progress on issues that matter.

🧭 Week 5: An Impactful Life

Workshop: Thurs 13th August, 2020

4pm - 5:30pm AWST / 6pm - 7:30pm AEST

Reflecting on your key insights from the program, you’ll be invited to think about how you can apply the design methodology to your own career in order to craft yourself a life with greater impact.

 
"Engaging, informative and thought-provoking - I've been energised and excited to share new tools and frameworks with my colleagues."

-Asha, Relationship Manager 

"Nate and Matt produce consistently high-quality content and deliver it with a friendly, natural style backed with a treasure trove of interesting real life experience."

-Mars, Principal Consultant
 

"At SOMA events I learn so much in a collaborative and friendly space and get to connect with other professionals in a similar context."

-Rebecca, Chief Ecosystem Officer

Here are just a few of the key ideas and frameworks we'll draw upon across the program: 

• Design Thinking. Discovering and defining a problem first, then experimenting to learn what works.
• Doughnut Economics. A framework for thinking about how we can provide for the needs of all within the means of the planet.
• Ikigai. A Japanese concept adapted for career planning that matches your skills and passions with what's needed in the world.
• Humility in Design. Seeking to deeply understand a problem and its implication before moving to solutions.
• Co-design. Inviting the people experiencing the problem on the ground into the design process.
• Reframing. If we can define a problem differently, we can make a new set of solutions possible.
• Systems Thinking. Seeing individual problems as part of broader structures that reinforce one another.
• Prototyping. Developing a bias towards action and learning by making ideas real and seeking feedback.
• Life Design. Applying the design process to your own career to discover how you can make a greater impact.

If you have any questions about the program before you're ready to sign up, we'd be more than happy to chat one on one! You can give Matt a call on 0411 868 925, or get in touch by email at matt@soma.academy 👌

Nate Sturcke is passionate educator and supporter of the local Perth innovation ecosystem. Over the last 5 years Nate has worked with over 4,000 entrepreneurs through a variety of programs, including the Silicon-Valley based Founder Institute accelerator; Google-backed Startup Weekend; and RAC SeedSpark seed fund. In both 2017 and 2018, Nate was awarded the WA Startup Community award for his role in promoting early stage entrepreneurship throughout the state.

Matt Norman is a learning designer and facilitator working to transform education and training, starting in WA. He has over 5 years of experience running workshops with everyone from corporate innovators to social impact professionals to at-risk youth, and has worked in advocacy and recruitment for the innovative Teach For Australia program. A graduate of both the Presencing Foundation Program on systems change, and the Kaospilot Masterclass in Learning Design, Matt’s passion is creating experiences that bring out the best in people.