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Ashoka Changemaker mapping identified Finnish changemakers and put them on the map, found connections between them and evaluated trends.
What is it about?
In the Finnish Changemaker map survey, we identified Finnish changemaker and charted their connections with each other and the organisations that support them. The goal is to understand the needs of changemakers in Finland, the trends amongst changemakers and how various parties can support changemakers to further increase their impact on society.
Take a look at the results of the Finnish Changemaker mapping:
Finnish Changemaker Maps (Graph Commons)
Health check of the Finnish changemaker landscape -report (pdf)
The changemaker mapping process was carried out by Ashoka Nordic. Established in 1980, Ashoka is the world’s largest network of social entrepreneurs and changemakers. Find out more about the project and the mapping method on AshokaNordic.org.
In this mapping process:
A changemaker is an individual or project that has identified a social challenge, developed a solution and put a group together to solve the problem in practice.
In the survey, we looked for:
- Social entrepreneurs and changemakers. A social entrepreneur or changemaker is someone who has started a company or organisation that aims to find an innovative and entrepreneurial solution to a social problem. A social entrepreneur or changemaker also inspires and links other people to the change that is being pursued.
- Young changemakers. A young changemaker aged 16–25 has, in spite of their young age, recognised a social challenge and taken action. A young changemaker’s enthusiasm engages the commitment of other members of the community to participate in the change.
- Changemaker initiatives or networks. An initiative or network can be a collaborative project between two or more organisations with societal and social influence as its primary goal.
How can I get involved?
The survey is now finished. It used a snowball method, in which people who participated in the questionnaire and interview provided a referral for the next participant. Ashoka applied pre-defined criteria in inviting changemakers to participate in the mapping process. You could also nominate a Finnish changemaker on social media by using the hashtags #ChangemakerMap #FinnishChangemakers or send an e-mail (in Finnish, Swedish or English) to nordic@ashoka.org.
The changemaker mapping process starts with a questionnaire aimed at identifying changemakers and the links between them. The questionnaire also addresses current trends and topics of interest. The respondents will be selected using the snowball method, with the participating changemakers referring further participants. This way, the survey will reflect the actual state of the ecosystem and real connections in the network.
Approximately 50 of the questionnaire participants will be invited to more in-depth interviews. In the interviews, we will build a more detailed picture of the prevailing trends and potential directions of development. We will also address the challenges of the ecosystem.
Based on the questionnaire and interviews, we will publish a digital map that brings together Finnish changemakers, organisations that pursue social change and the connections between them. At the same time, we will publish the trends identified during the survey as well as recommendations on how to strengthen the field.
In spring 2021, we will organise discussion events to facilitate more in-depth analysis of the survey results and recommendations.
Who is involved?
Finnish Changemaker mapping is a joint project by Ashoka and Sitra, with support from the Louise and Göran Ehrnrooth Foundation.
Established in 1980, Ashoka is the world’s largest network of social entrepreneurs and changemakers. To date, Ashoka has supported more than 3,500 social innovations in 93 countries. Ashoka seeks changemakers who permanently change the systems of society and connects these changemakers with experts and funding partners through the Ashoka Fellowship network.
For its network, Ashoka selects changemakers who aim to achieve systemic change. Rather than building a new school or hospital, Ashoka Fellows want to change the entire system of education or healthcare. For example, Ashoka Fellow Kailash Satyarthi has protected the rights of more than 83,000 children in 144 countries. It was largely due to Satyarthi’s activism that the International Labour Organization ILO signed Convention 182 on the prohibition of the worst forms of child labour, which now guides the actions of governments around the world. Satyarthi won the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize for his work.
Ashoka also has a strong focus on supporting the changemakers of tomorrow. Ashoka has already supported more than 40,000 Ashoka Young Changemakers around the world. The Ashoka Changemaker Schools network includes more than 1,100 schools, from primary schools to upper secondary schools, that incorporate empathy, co-operation, teamwork, values-based leadership and problem-solving into their approach to teaching and learning.
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