JuHu, designed to empower.: We are fighting stigmatization of disabled people by presenting their skills as craftsmen of high quality design objects.
Example: Walk us through a specific example(s) of how this solution makes a difference; include its primary activities.
Spread Strategies: Moving forward, what are the main strategies for scaling impact?
Marketplace: Who else is addressing the problem outlined here? How does the proposed project differ from these approaches?
Team
JuHu ethical
1
Charles
Bourrier
founder & member of the board
Latvia
2013
, RGR, Riga
We are currently in discussion stage with partners in Finland, interest has been shown to the project by one swiss institution
New products & services: Entries in this category develop and offer essentials product and services that address needs currently unmet, Job Creation: Entries in this category create new jobs for people away from the labor market, Other: If you feel that your entry does not fit any of the above categories, please suggest another category name..
Brigāde grant to support creative, sustainable entrepreneurship, based in art and culture, which deals with social issues.
JuHu ethical (LTD)
-Type of partner [business/social/public]
Social enterprise
-Short description sentence [Max 25 words/partner]
JuHu ethical is a social enterprise with the aim of fighting the stigmatization people with disabilities are victims of. JuHu is achieving it by presenting the persons with disabilities as craftsmen of high quality design objects.
-Key motivation to participate in the co-creation project [Max 35 words/partner]
We were looking for a partner to work with regarding our aim with JuHu, and through sharing our ideas we met one ergo therapist working in "Gaismas Stars" with whom we had a great contact, and started the adventure with.
-Key contributions in the co-creation project [Max 35 words/partner]
JuHu financed a full ceramic workshop to equip Gaismas stars, provided the design the necessary training to the therapist and clients, as well as the first batch of material for the teaching and beginning of production. Providing education about "what is design" to the clients.
-Partner 2
-Type of partners [business/social/public]
Gaismas Stars: Association financed by public funds
-Short description sentence [Max 25 words/partner]
Gaismas Stars is an association founded in 1997 with the aim of supporting those affected by mental illnesses (schizophrenia) and their families. Gaismas stars aim is to develop the abilities of their client and help them to be better included in the society.
-Key motivation to participate in the co-creation project [Max 35 words/partner]
Gaismas stars mission meets JuHu mission, it opens new possibilities for us with workshop equipment. We needed a way to bring recognition from the outside to our clients and working with JuHu allows us to do it in a proper way.
-Key contributions in the co-creation project [Max 35 words/partner]
Organization of workshops to test diverse methods we developed together, creating tools to be used in the collaboration with JuHu (such as work certificates).
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From the very beginning it has been a true collaboration, a process where we both learned from each-other and have been able to develop tools commonly by uniting our skills in different domains. We have observed interesting positive side effect in both organizations during the project.
The project is now running its proof of concept for 6 months.
The impact we have been able to observe so far is
For the direct impact we can measure with numbers:
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A lowering of medication dosage for some of the participants in the project.
An increase of earning by the clients (they are receiving less than the minimum income amount) leading to more independence.
Extra earnings for Gaismas stars, that will allow them in the future to make improvement in their premises.
For the impact we can not measure with numbers:
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The request from the clients to learn Latvian (they are mostly from the russian minority in Latvia)
We have heard from some families that they now need to spend less time taking care of the family member with a disability.
Higher recognition of Gaismas stars by the welfare department (leading to an increase in subsidies)
Individuals, Foundations, Businesses, Regional government, Customers.
According to our calculations, we will reach financial sustainability (with one full time employee) when we will be producing 5 different products.
We are currently working with one partner producing one product.
In the next 2 months, we will launch the 2nd product with the 2nd partner. (discussing now for a 3rd workshop and a 3rd product).
We have managed to gain access to the proper partners that can connect us and promote the project in the diverse care structures in Latvia, and we see ourselves reaching the financial sustainability within the 2014 year.
Some of our partners have money to invest to be part of JuHu, some do have very limited funds (as with G.S.), we do try to provide them with the workshop equipment through grant programs and public investments in our partners' premises.
We have also started to make valuable contacts in Finland to replicate the model.
As designers, we both at JuHu wanted to have a positive impact with the way the product was made, and how the object could bring something to the person manufacturing it.
At Gaismas Stars, they were producing objects, but had difficulties to sell them and had no access to "design" objects. Therefore making less attractive products that were bought for the big part by sympathy.
When we meet and exchanged our ideas, we realized that Gaismas Stars looking for a partner providing what JuHu aimed to do, and Gaismas Stars with their drive to experiment and test was the perfect partner to work with for JuHu.
From there on we worked together in identifying the needs, experimenting and testing different ways to operate, this has been possible through a grant allowance by the Latvian center for contemporary arts and the Soros foundation.
In a Latvian context where there is little knowledge of social entrepreneurship, dominated by the "export + maximum profitability" ideology. The first challenge has been to convince that the project is profitable, and generates a good ratio of social return on investment. We have been able to overcome this by lobbying the diverse institutions part of the financing process, in collaboration with NGO organizations and associations. On the legal aspects, the fact there is no legal status for social entrepreneurs combined to the fact it is difficult for an association to invoice a company brought some challenges too.
The other big challenge was to educate the clients to what is design and the expectations of a "design" products to ensure the quality. This has been overcome by common workshops to educate the clients to design. With as a result a quality above the expected standards.
We have a contractual relation, where Gaismas Stars produces objects, and JuHu is responsible to bring them to the market. We have applied for grants together. In the contract it is stipulated that the profit gained by G.S. by participating in the project can be used for :
• paying their clients
• paying the educational therapist in charge
• buying the material/tools needed for production (after the first batch of material is finished)
• improving the premises of G.S.
• if there is a wish to use the money otherwise, they shall ask for our approval
Since the economical crisis stroke, institutions in Latvia are experiencing difficulties regarding their funding. This allows both of us to experiment and develop a new model for a public-private partnership which is beneficial for all actors. We aimed to create guidelines leaving as much space for both partners while working in close collaboration.
This experience has lead both partners to gain new skills in sectors that are not mainly theirs.
• A better understanding of design and communication through stories, but also new management techniques for Gaismas Stars.
• A better understanding on the implications and issues faces within social structures, and inspiration regarding the way JuHu is managed, empowering employees and encouraging personal initiatives by allowing time for employees to develop new ideas and projects to support JuHu mission.
Through Ashoka facebook page.