Social Innovation and Social Enterprises
Transform ideas into action. Shape the future of health and social services.
Social innovation is an emerging practice addressing evolving health and social services challenges. The HSM4005 Social Innovation and Social Enterprises course is designed to deepen students’ understanding of social innovation and equip them with the essential skills to develop impactful social entrepreneurship initiatives. Through this course, students will explore innovative ways to create new products or services that address pressing social issues, both locally and globally.
Why Choose This Course?
Real-World Problem Solving: Students critically examine current social issues and learn how social enterprises develop and implement solutions.
Experiential Learning: The course integrates hands-on experiences, including field visits and dialogues with social entrepreneurs, staff members, and service users.
- Creative Teaching Methods: Innovative activities foster design thinking, teamwork, and problem-solving skills.
Creative Teaching and Learning
The course features unique, engaging activities to inspire creativity and practical application. For example:
Wong Tai Sin Fire Response Challenge: Students work in small groups to design and construct temporary shelters for disaster victims using limited materials like toothpicks, paper, and pens. Within 40 minutes, they must empathize with victims’ needs, prototype solutions, and iterate their designs. This activity not only cultivates design thinking and innovation but also strengthens interdisciplinary collaboration and teamwork. At the end, awards like the "Best Shelter Award," "Best Innovator Award," and "Best Teamwork Award" recognize outstanding achievements.
Learn from Industry Experts
The course brings in leading social entrepreneurs to share their expertise and inspire students:
Ms Phoebe Wan – Programme Director of Wofoo Social Enterprises
With 13 years of experience, Ms. Wan taught students how to craft compelling fundraising proposals through interactive sessions. Her engaging teaching style, including the challenging "Elevator Pitch" simulation, showcased the power of participatory learning and left a lasting impact on students.
Ms Grace Cheng – Founder and CEO of AgeWhale
Ms Cheng shared her journey of founding AgeWhale, providing insights into B2B and B2C business models, data analysis, and strategies for stakeholder engagement. Her passion for supporting working caregivers and promoting corporate care initiatives inspired students and demonstrated how social enterprises can drive meaningful change.
Mr. Timothy MA – Founder and Former Executive Director of "24-hour Personal Emergency Link Service" / Founder and CEO of "Time to Gold."
With his wealth of experience and profound insights, Mr. Ma shared the key factors for successfully establishing and operating social enterprises, providing students with practical guidance and inspiration. Drawing from his experience in founding "24-hour Personal Emergency Link Service," he revealed how to integrate social missions with business models to create sustainable social impact. Additionally, by sharing his journey with "Time to Gold," Mr. Ma further demonstrated how to identify market and social needs, develop unique business strategies, and flexibly address various operational challenges. His innovative thinking and resilient spirit not only offered students valuable learning examples but also inspired them to explore and practice in the field of social entrepreneurship courageously.
Mr. Ian Yau / Managing Director of Lifedb
Ian Yau, Founder & CEO of LifeDB, and COO Lily share their entrepreneurial journey—from transitioning from the corporate world to social enterprise, the challenges they faced, their strategies for overcoming them, and their vision for the future.
What You’ll Gain
- Practical Skills: Learn to develop innovative solutions to social problems.
- In-Depth Knowledge: Understand the theories and practices of social enterprises.
- Networking Opportunities: Connect with industry leaders and like-minded peers.
- Inspiration: Be motivated by real-world examples of social innovation and entrepreneurship.