Cause announcement
Social Problem:Plan your low cost gap yearHow to volunteer or travel cheaply, why is a gap year good for you etc, how to save, cheap ways to travel and cheap places.
You have to choose and research a social problem (cause), the solution to which demands social innovation. You will also design a strategy for a social media campaign
that will engage certain public in this innovation.

Research brief and strategy
Assignment consists of three parts: research, listening and strategy.
The first two, research and listening, form the research brief. The format here is close to what communication practitioners do in strategic planning. They present it
to business directors, heads of department and prospective clients.
You have to research the problem and design a simple strategy.

Structure of the assignment text [a template]

Please use the following sub-headings in your text.
1. Outline [In short: What is your social innovation cause about: problem, objective and strategy for the solution.] (50 words)
2. Research (800 words)
a. Define the social problem. [Various definitions are possible. What is your definition? Why?] Draw a social map of the problem. Which groups (stakeholders) are
involved?b. Why is the problem not solved yet? [Define it as one of the six social innovation steps. Why do you choose this step?]Six social innovation steps:      1. Prompts          Need for innovation          Diagnose and definition of the problem; framing the problem- roots/ causes      2. Proposals          Generation of ideas          User- led design      3. Prototypes and Pilots          Ideas tested in practice          Measures of success      4. Sustaining          When the idea becomes everyday practice          Income streams and long term financial sustainability      5. Scaling and diffusion          Strategies of growing and spreading          Licensing and franchising      6. Systematic Change          Ultimate goal of social innovation          Change of whole areas of societyFactors and Solutions
c. Critical factors (at least three) [Conditions, causes, values, attitudes and actions that contribute to the problem. Single out the most significant ones.]d. Alternative solutions (at least three) [Possible and/or tried solutions.]
e. Your preferable solution [Which of them do you prefer? Explain. Justify your preference by comparing your solution with the other alternative solutions. Starts
with comparison and then relating. How does this solution involve social innovation? Finish with a reality check: How can a social media campaign contribute to the
desired innovation?]
3. Strategy (600 words)

a. What is your objective? [A single objective would suffice. Please formulate it as one of the tree types of objectives (awareness/attitudinal/behavioral).] Why?
Define it by including three elements: change, audience and time frame [latter is the end of the semester]. For example: “I want to [type of objective] among [concrete
social media audience] by the end of the semester”. Then elaborate. Research the audiences. For example, what are their demographics? What are the differences between
the groups involved in the problem and social media audiences you would like to engage? What media do the latter use? Why is the social innovation critical to
(changing) their perspectives and/or behaviour?
b. What is your strategy? [Objective means what; strategy means how.] Define a strategy using the following elements: (1) media strategy; (2) message strategy;
(3) calendar strategy (only if relevant, linked to pertinent events in the calendar); and
(4) your role as net-worker and agent of innovation. Then briefly discuss those five elements of strategy:

i. Media strategy: Obviously, you will use a WordPress blog, a cause Facebook page and a Twitter account
ii. Message strategy [Start from the title of your campaign. Give it a snappy and memorable name. Think of a message that moves and sticks.]
iii. Calendar strategy [Any dates, celebrations and planned events that you may use to leverage your message?]
4. Conclusions [In short: the true results you hope to achieve] (50 words)
References(Please make sure there’s at least one reference from the docs that I uploaded) [ At least five academic and non-academic references. As a researcher, you
must always use references (to data, facts, debates and primary research) to prove each of your claims. ]
Important

We want you to come up with fresh and unorthodox ideas. When assessing your idea, your tutor will value its creativity and realism. Does your idea make sense? Is it
inventive? Is it going to work? Is it coherent? Does research evidence back it? Do you provide evidence (mostly in the form of references) for any claim you make (for
example, in relation to each factor and each solution)? Do you have sufficient knowledge about the cause, so that you can engage audiences in sensible conversation
about it?

Format of the text and Assessment criteria Fonts: Times New Roman, 12pt Text structure with title and
 Spacing: 1.5 subheadings (like in the template above)
Criterion
Creativity and realism of your ideas – can you think outside the square and, at the same time, use common sense and formulate solution, objective and strategies that
are achievable within the weeks of your campaign
Evidence-based analysis – analytical rather than only descriptive; evidence (facts, data, other research) to support each statement; compelling message; qualitative
and relevant references
Style & grammar – good punctuation; clarity and cohesiveness; proper Harvard citation style; text layout and format

Cause announcement
Social Problem:Plan your low cost gap yearHow to volunteer or travel cheaply, why is a gap year good for you etc, how to save, cheap ways to travel and cheap places.
You have to choose and research a social problem (cause), the solution to which demands social innovation. You will also design a strategy for a social media campaign
that will engage certain public in this innovation.

Research brief and strategy
Assignment consists of three parts: research, listening and strategy.
The first two, research and listening, form the research brief. The format here is close to what communication practitioners do in strategic planning. They present it
to business directors, heads of department and prospective clients.
You have to research the problem and design a simple strategy.

Structure of the assignment text [a template]

Please use the following sub-headings in your text.
1. Outline [In short: What is your social innovation cause about: problem, objective and strategy for the solution.] (50 words)
2. Research (800 words)
a. Define the social problem. [Various definitions are possible. What is your definition? Why?] Draw a social map of the problem. Which groups (stakeholders) are
involved?b. Why is the problem not solved yet? [Define it as one of the six social innovation steps. Why do you choose this step?]Six social innovation steps:      1. Prompts          Need for innovation          Diagnose and definition of the problem; framing the problem- roots/ causes      2. Proposals          Generation of ideas          User- led design      3. Prototypes and Pilots          Ideas tested in practice          Measures of success      4. Sustaining          When the idea becomes everyday practice          Income streams and long term financial sustainability      5. Scaling and diffusion          Strategies of growing and spreading          Licensing and franchising      6. Systematic Change          Ultimate goal of social innovation          Change of whole areas of societyFactors and Solutions
c. Critical factors (at least three) [Conditions, causes, values, attitudes and actions that contribute to the problem. Single out the most significant ones.]d. Alternative solutions (at least three) [Possible and/or tried solutions.]
e. Your preferable solution [Which of them do you prefer? Explain. Justify your preference by comparing your solution with the other alternative solutions. Starts
with comparison and then relating. How does this solution involve social innovation? Finish with a reality check: How can a social media campaign contribute to the
desired innovation?]
3. Strategy (600 words)

a. What is your objective? [A single objective would suffice. Please formulate it as one of the tree types of objectives (awareness/attitudinal/behavioral).] Why?
Define it by including three elements: change, audience and time frame [latter is the end of the semester]. For example: “I want to [type of objective] among [concrete
social media audience] by the end of the semester”. Then elaborate. Research the audiences. For example, what are their demographics? What are the differences between
the groups involved in the problem and social media audiences you would like to engage? What media do the latter use? Why is the social innovation critical to
(changing) their perspectives and/or behaviour?
b. What is your strategy? [Objective means what; strategy means how.] Define a strategy using the following elements: (1) media strategy; (2) message strategy;
(3) calendar strategy (only if relevant, linked to pertinent events in the calendar); and
(4) your role as net-worker and agent of innovation. Then briefly discuss those five elements of strategy:

i. Media strategy: Obviously, you will use a WordPress blog, a cause Facebook page and a Twitter account
ii. Message strategy [Start from the title of your campaign. Give it a snappy and memorable name. Think of a message that moves and sticks.]
iii. Calendar strategy [Any dates, celebrations and planned events that you may use to leverage your message?]
4. Conclusions [In short: the true results you hope to achieve] (50 words)
References(Please make sure there’s at least one reference from the docs that I uploaded) [ At least five academic and non-academic references. As a researcher, you
must always use references (to data, facts, debates and primary research) to prove each of your claims. ]
Important

We want you to come up with fresh and unorthodox ideas. When assessing your idea, your tutor will value its creativity and realism. Does your idea make sense? Is it
inventive? Is it going to work? Is it coherent? Does research evidence back it? Do you provide evidence (mostly in the form of references) for any claim you make (for
example, in relation to each factor and each solution)? Do you have sufficient knowledge about the cause, so that you can engage audiences in sensible conversation
about it?

Format of the text and Assessment criteria Fonts: Times New Roman, 12pt Text structure with title and
 Spacing: 1.5 subheadings (like in the template above)
Criterion
Creativity and realism of your ideas – can you think outside the square and, at the same time, use common sense and formulate solution, objective and strategies that
are achievable within the weeks of your campaign
Evidence-based analysis – analytical rather than only descriptive; evidence (facts, data, other research) to support each statement; compelling message; qualitative
and relevant references
Style & grammar – good punctuation; clarity and cohesiveness; proper Harvard citation style; text layout and format