IDEATECA, the repository for ideas of the Spanish Red Cross

IDEATECA empowers online / offline innovation ecosystems with highly motivated people from the Spanish Red Cross in order to develop consciously the collective intelligence at the service of new social challenges. The result of the initiative is an innovation network with a collaborative methodology that encourages the exchange of challenges and ideas, to prototype, test and those with the greatest potential.

The current context of accelerated changes is causing many social and environmental challenges to solve. The different circumstances, needs and problems of vulnerable groups pose great challenges that the Spanish Red Cross will have to face in the coming years. Red Cross is committed to innovation as part of the organization’s culture, its work processes and its intervention models.

The Red Cross has a long history accompanying people in vulnerable situations. However, it does not innovate to the same degree and following the same method in all areas. The day-to-day emergencies do not facilitate the reflection and the creation, arresting the dynamics of the innovative potential of the Organization.

Aware that the volunteers and the staff of the Red Cross have many skills and knowledge that is not always well connected or taken advantage of, the IDEATECA (in Spanish “idea” + “library”) initiative was launched.

IDEATECA is a tool located on the digital Intranet of the Spanish Red Cross. Participatory and gamified, it connects people and allows them to register ideas and launch challenges for those seeking innovative solutions to improve the responses offered by the Spanish Red Cross.

• • IDEATECA offers the possibility of having fun while innovating and promotes open new creative spaces.
  • The local branches that have challenges or need to innovate, will be able to make them public and receive a multitude of ideas and proposals.
  • The IDEATECA users will have the possibility of publishing their ideas, with the aim of making them come true.
  • Regardless of where they are geographically, they will be able to connect, review the ideas that other people proposed, vote and comment on them.
  • The volunteers will be able to participate in innovation workshops, learn creative techniques and learn how to develop their ideas.
  • The ultimate value will be generated by the social benefit of the well-being of the people served by the Red Cross.

Channels

• Virtual, through the Spanish Red Cross Intranet. 
• Face-to-face or virtual: webinars, innovation events and workshops.

Although IDEATECA is a live space, the launch of annual editions of participation are the ones that promote the activity of each cycle. The activities of each edition involve the following steps:

• Communication and dissemination of the Online Platform on which IDEATECA is based.
• Dynamisation of the launch of Challenges and reception of Ideas.
• Creation of the Ideas Selection Committee.
• Workshop on the selected ideas.
• Prototype and development: from idea to project.
• The best ideas are prototyped and tested.

In the first edition, during the First Semester of 2020, 68 participation proposals were collected, with 11 finalist projects and 3 winners. 

In the long term, we want to influence the following sections: 

• Creative methodologies to formulate ideas are applied systematically.
• User groups participate in the entire idea development process.
• The organisation has a strategy for innovation and for the dissemination and transfer of knowledge.
• There is a network of people interested in innovation and connected through IDEATECA, or other innovation initiatives.

Budget

Cost Structure : 79,000 euros.

• The main costs are associated with the management staff of the platform. 
• Computer developments necessary for the operation of the platform. 
• Event and workshop costs. 
• Financing of 3 winning projects.