HumanIT Blog

Living in the technological age, we have already seen an amazingly quick transformation in the way technology has smoothly integrated into our everyday, how we now have a wealth of information at our fingertips, how it makes our lives easier (or harder – depending who you are) . However, technology as an enabler for social change is still in the infancy stages.  More high level Technology that goes beyond raising money, promoting a cause or sharing information. We are at the cusp of new era, where technology has the ability to make real, tangible social impact on local, national and global level. We look at 3 Australian Social Enterprises that using tech innovatively, intelligently and for good.
 
Access to information
 
Hitnet is a new exciting social enterprise that works with communities on the wrong side of the digital divide focusing on educating rural communities about physical and mental health issues. They use the term ‘evolving digital ecosystem’ and use a co-creation technique to source their content. Working with rural communities to better understand mental health and how to alleviate it from the areas.
 
The have ‘hubs’ which are like a tech kiosk, embedded wifi and access to resources in all types of multimedia that address mental health issues. There hubs are located in some of Australia's most remote areas and the content methodology maximises learning, retention and compliance through an audio-visual touch interface. This homegrown initiative is exciting and one that can be seen being implemented on a worldwide scale.
 

Creating communities
 
Hello Sunday Morning (HSM) is an innovative Not for Profit leading the conversation on Australian binge drinking culture. HSM created an app for community members to better interact with, creating a supportive and informative environment to those whose sign up for the challenge. Allowing for more progress, wider reach and essentially creating a progressive following around an issue that needs to be dealt with.
                                            
Applications are the new black, if it’s in a app it’s seen as cutting edge. However, HSM are using apps in a way that takes advantage of the 24/7 access. Because they portable and real time they have the ability to connect people at any time and therefore a great way to create and access communities. HSM has a cause that isn’t talked about on a mass level and therefore the importance of these niche communities to drive change is essential and an app is the best platform for this.
 

Reducing e-trash
 
Bright Sparks are on the other side of technology, the waste side. With  so many small electronic gadgets,“The average Melbourne household has 23 electrical and electronic items, not including white goods, and it’s more if you have kids. The national average is 22 items in the household.” - Pro Bono. The solution that Bright Sparks is implementing? Donate your broken electronics and Bright Sparks will repair it and sell it. It’s a method they label as ‘upcycling’ that reduces landfill and gets better milage from those items we take for granted.
 
At Human IT we pride ourselves on working with NFPs because we realise the back end IT work we do in NFP organisation can contribute significantly to the end game of social impact. Technology can be an enabler is many ways and it is time for NFPs to take reins and drive technology use towards social impact outcomes.