We have many social problems. Of various kinds. Problems related to ageing (and there are so many), poverty, education, housing, obesity and nutrition, disease, civic participation, lack of community, diversity and inclusion, forest management and the environment, the response to disability, ... That's just to name a few, without being systematic and sticking to the big headlines.
These problems cross my path, they reinforce each other, they are complex.
And most of us are not doing enough. We often don't know enough about the problems themselves, nor do we know enough about alternative solutions. The problems are complex, we need to share a lot to understand them. Solutions are neither unique nor standardizable, they have to be experimented with and followed up with a strong focus on learning and adjusting along the way. We need to share solutions and learnings in order to design better, more effective and more efficient responses. We need to bring different voices together, to debate and come up with solutions together that are experimented with and improved. We need to share resources and skills. We need to invest in partnerships and networks. To go further, better.
That's why de-fora-fora was born.
A project that includes a collaborative editorial platform where anyone with some knowledge of the problems and solutions is invited to share. In writing, audio or video.
Those who have knowledge are those who deal with social challenges, whether it's from a more traditional or innovative social organization, a company that is well established in the community or is now exploring the S of ESG, or a local authority that knows or wants to know the social fabric and the social organizations in its area. Or a volunteer. Or an academic studying social problems. Everyone can make a valuable contribution to outreach.
If there's one thing the pandemic has taught us, it's that we're capable of joining forces at levels that were unthinkable before. If there's one thing the post-pandemic has taught us, it's that we're very quick to revert to "normal". Is the "new normal" just something in the realm of technology?
Why don't we discuss the "new normal" in terms of relationships, partnerships, networks and collaboration in general?
