APPLICATION OF SOCIAL INNOVATIONS FOR IMROVEMENT OF SOCIAL SECURITY IN BULGARIA

Abstract

In nowadays complexity and uncertainty are the norm – they are the context, not just growing risks (OECD, 2017). The social innovation agenda is becoming more important for countries which high risks that lag behind with the modernization of social systems while facing limited public resources. The European commission identifies social innovation as a tool for an adequate and effective response to growing social risks.
The aim of this report is to outline growing social risks that require a new approach and that trigger the development of social innovations with a focus on increasing social security. The current report analyses the application of social innovations for improvement of social security in Bulgaria with a reflection on the specific social risks that trigger new approaches and practices. Nowadays, Bulgaria is experiencing accumulating crises and growing social risks that put more pressure on every individual and the social sector as a whole. In Bulgaria, this problem is of great importance due to the superimposing social risks associated with poverty and deepening inequalities, the aging of the population, as well as low trust in public institutions. What is obvious from the analyses of the social risks is that there are new growing risks to social security related with social exclusion and poverty, health and digital inequalities. In the context of an increased pressure for reforms in the social services and worsened demographic characteristics, it is becoming very important to develop and apply innovations that improve people’s lives.
The applied methodology of the study includes analyzing specific social risks in Bulgaria that pose threats to social security and at the same time revealing good examples of social innovations that can reduce social insecurity. For the purposes of defining social innovation practices with importance for improving social security the author identifies three key areas for the implementation of social innovation, such as the improvement and integration of social services, new social entrepreneurial initiatives and public innovations related to improving health, education and quality of life. Furthermore, the report looks into the human and institutional factors that support and challenge the development of social innovations while reviewing three examples of some practices of application of social vouchers, new organizational model for integrated and distance health services and GPS devices that improve the personal security of people with dementia.