Digital technology can be used to transform social challenges into solutions with social impact was the general conclusion of the Digital Social Innovation Workshop for CSOs held in Skopje on October 16, 2025. With this workshop, the Civic Resource Center (CRC) continues to strengthen organisations on topics related to digital transformation, which, when combined with social innovations, contribute to their efficient and effective action that serves the community.
At this workshop, participants gained a deeper understanding of what digital social innovations are and why they are important for CSOs and increased their knowledge and skills for developing innovative digital solutions that directly respond to real social problems and needs in the community in which they operate. Through guidance and inspiration, as well as sharing domestic and international examples of digital social innovations, organisations were given the space to turn their ideas into concrete concepts that can be developed into future projects.
The work was interactive, through team exercises, creative methods and practical tools. The participants followed and applied the framework of a specially developed methodological guide with 10 steps for digital social innovation: starting with thinking about the social problem they observe in their community; devising a solution for it, including the aspect of how digital technology could contribute to the easier realization of the solution; visualization of the digital solution; involving target groups and the community in general both in the phase of identifying the problem and in creating its solution; planning who, how and with what budget will make the tool; whether the solution is easy to use by the people who need it, preparing short and clear instructions for using the tool's functions; testing the idea and the tool with mandatory feedback for its improvement, promoting the solution in the community through local events, social media and other channels through which examples from the backstage will be shared where the solution has helped; ending with measuring success and impact: collecting feedback on how many people are using the solution, how it improves their lives, and how it can be improved.
After the workshop, participants expressed their satisfaction with the topics covered.
“Digital social innovations are a very interesting thing,” said Zoran Andonov from the Cerebral Palsy Association in Tetovo. “This training gave us the directions for successfully creating digital social innovations,” he added.
The topics were relevant, and the discussions were also useful for Goran Nestoroski from the Association of Parents of Children with Developmental Disabilities “NADEZH” from Kicevo: “Very useful training, exchange of ideas and opportunities for digital social innovations. The training provides guidelines and opportunities for the development and application of social innovations to solve some problems and needs of people with disabilities,” he said.
CSOs expressed their interest in strengthening capacities in this area through a public call, and participants had the opportunity to watch the online video posted on the GRC Academy on a general topic in the field of digital transformation: Training for Digital Transformation of Civil Society Organisations.
After the workshop, mentoring activities on this topic will be conducted with all interested civil society organisations.
The workshop was organised under the project "EU Support to the Civil Society Resource Centre - Phase 2", funded by the European Union, and implemented by the National Civil Society Development Foundation Civic Resource Centre, the Macedonian Center for International Cooperation (MCIC), Media Plus, Shtip and the Association for Democratic Initiatives - ADI, Gostivar.
