Categoría Knowledge
K-Tool: Digital Innovation to Address Complex Social Challenges
In an increasingly interconnected world full of global challenges, such as ecological, social and digital transition, traditional solutions are no longer enough. A more collaborative, adaptive and data-driven approach is needed. With this goal in mind, Agirre Lehendakaria Center has developed K-Tool, an advanced digital tool designed to transform the way we tackle the most pressing social problems.
K-Tool is a digital platform that allows to visualize, evaluate and manage in real time Social Innovation Platforms. Since its creation in 2021, ALC has worked in collaboration with Bestiario, the Directorate of Prospective of the Cabinet of the Presidency of the Generalitat de Catalunya and the Barcelona Supercomputing Center to develop this innovative digital infrastructure.
Key Functionalities
- Visualization:
It allows to visualize agents, existing initiatives, the different perceptual segments, the cross-referencing of perceptions with existing initiatives and collaboration spaces.
- Evaluation:
It allows a developmental evaluation to be carried out from the beginning, sustained over time, qualitative and with the possibility of introducing corrections and changes throughout the process.
- Management:
Real-time management, through an evaluation dashboard fed by various data insertion modules that allows several organizations to work simultaneously.
An adaptive and anticipatory governance system
K-Tool incorporates a governance system that promotes collaboration and anticipation, allowing:
- Mapping. Networks and relationships in complex ecosystems.
- Listening. Deepening democracy and the cultural dimension of social innovation.
- Co-creation. Risk Management & Experimentation Portfolio.
- Collective interpretation. Democratic deepening of the process in real time.
- People-centered Portfolio.
To learn more about K-Tool and explore its functionalities, visit: K-Tool - Agirre Center.
Neighbourhood identity, the key to tackling unwanted loneliness?
Zumarraga Town Council leads a process of community participation to revitalise the upper neighbourhoods of the town
In recent years, Zumarraga Town Council has worked to promote active ageing and tackle unwanted loneliness through programmes such as ELKARZAINDUZ or Tau-Taupadak. However, neighbourhood harmony, unwanted loneliness and the lack of community involvement in the neighbourhoods of the upper area continued to be a concern. Therefore, the City Council decided to activate a new process with a focus on social innovation and adaptive governance, in collaboration with ALC, to complement existing efforts. Within this framework, ALC and Zumarraga City Council, led by the social services and equality area, designed a participatory process that included a listening phase in the neighbourhoods and co-creation to develop new projects.
Challenges identified during the listening process
The listening process confirmed some of the perceptions held by the City Council: a significant part of the elderly population suffers situations of unwanted loneliness. In addition, the need to create new spaces for dialogue about the loss of loved ones was identified. One of the narratives most often repeated by people in the neighbourhood was the large number of deaths that have occurred in recent years (not only due to COVID). As one participant noted: ‘In a short time, many people have died in the square’. These losses have created new family realities, and unwanted loneliness is perceived as one of the biggest challenges in the area: "Last Wednesday we were in gymnastics. Out of 18 of us, there were nine of us, and it just so happened that all nine were widows. I saw that they needed to talk". Another important narrative that emerged during the process is related to neighbourhood identity. The upper neighbourhoods of Zumarraga were built in the second half of the 20th century, during the industrialisation of the municipality, thanks to migration, mainly from Spanish provinces. Many people interviewed recalled the old neighbourhood festivals, which used to be even more relevant than Zumarraga's main festivals, reflecting the active life of that time. Today, however, these celebrations have disappeared, and several people pointed out that they feel that the identity of the neighbourhood has been lost. This has led to a feeling of abandonment and disrepute for part of the population: ‘We started looking for a house and an opportunity came up to buy a flat in the Leturia square (...) It is true that our environment was a bit like <<Ups, how are you going to go up there>>’.
Zumarraga Town Council leads a process of community participation to revitalise the upper neighbourhoods of the town
Community sessions and co-creation
These perceptions, gathered during the listening process, were contrasted in various sessions open to the community. The aim of these sessions was to understand the different visions of the neighbourhoods and to explore possible responses to the challenges raised. Between 20 and 40 people from different backgrounds participated in each session: technicians and councillors from the City Council, users and managers of the senior citizens' centre, bar and shop owners, leisure and free time monitors, people linked to the church or the mosque, pharmacy staff, professionals from the Argixao senior citizens' centre, workers from the health centre and members of different associations. The community sessions discussed the findings of the listening process and underlined the importance of responding simultaneously to different needs, such as those of older people living alone and those of newly arrived families, or young people in the neighbourhood. Reflections such as these emerged during the sessions:
- It is true that there is a lack of prestige. This area used to be the Spanish-speaking area
but migration was not understood in a pejorative way. Now there is a feeling that migration
is understood as if they were second class".
- Children don't play together. There is division according to culture. - "This is an independent republic. We are quite neglected. The city council has to raise the road upstairs as well."
- We have to think about how to welcome people coming from outside. A popular meal could be an opportunity to do this".
- "We haven't had time to say goodbye to the people. It is necessary to recognise the people who have left and who built this neighbourhood. That mourning still has to be gone through."
- "I'd rather be signed up for everything than be alone. But I see a lot of people who are very lonely and don't want to leave."
In order to respond to the challenges mentioned above, two co-creation sessions were held. In these sessions, by decision of the participants in the process, three thematic areas were established: unwanted loneliness, grief and loss of the deceased, and new activities for the neighbourhood that build bridges. In each of these thematic areas different prototypes have been co-created and the aim will be to start developing them during 2025. To this end, a driving group has been created, made up of people from different associations or organisations, and its aim will be to give impetus to the portfolio of initiatives that has been proposed:
Unwanted loneliness; prototypes:
- Solidarity café for people who feel lonely.
- Story bank for people who want to share time with others.
- Chain of favours for people who live alone in their homes and have difficulties in carrying out tasks and meeting some of their day-to-day needs.
- Prototype to interconnect existing initiatives for people and organisations that promote and participate in activities in the neighbourhood.
- Mourning Café for the whole community who have had a bereavement through death.
- Memory tree for the whole neighbourhood, to bear witness and pay tribute to people who have died, responding to the narrative, ‘many new people are coming, but we haven't had time to say goodbye to our dead’.
- Multicultural talk on mourning and death for all ages.
New activities
- Pintxopote for people who live in the neighbourhood and also for the rest of the citizens.
- Popular/cultural meal for people who want to share time with other people and meet with neighbours.
- Portfolio of activities aimed at all residents and citizens.
Final learnings and conclusions
Throughout this process, the broad participation in the proposed community sessions has been remarkable. This reflects the need in society for spaces that allow for collective construction. Zumarraga Town Council promoted this process when it realised that previous programmes and projects were not achieving the desired impact, nor was it possible to find the key to addressing the challenges effectively. For example, some participants pointed out that one of the problems was the lack of knowledge of what was on offer: ‘we don't need new ideas, we need to reinforce what already exists and connect it better’. In this context, the implementation of an active listening process and openness towards co-creation, based on the neighbourhoods' own interests, has sparked a renewed interest in participating and activating the community.
A key learning from this process has to do with the role of the City Council, a scalable model for other public institutions seeking to generate community processes. On the one hand, there is the administrative, bureaucratic and organisational difficulty faced by public bodies in responding to complex challenges such as this. On the other hand, given the magnitude and complexity of the problems, the usual tendency is to fragment them into individual projects, with each one seeking to have its own impact and then trying to generate spaces for collaboration. However, this process demonstrates the need to address different issues simultaneously and in a connected way. What began as a conversation about unwanted loneliness ended up encompassing issues such as migration and neighbourhood identity.
All of these intersections make sense in a single context, and responses must be interconnected to bring about real change. It is important to recognise that this process, initiated in 2024, cannot immediately reverse the situation. However, it sets out a way forward that emphasises the need to create spaces for interconnectedness. Collaboration between different actors (organisations, communities, neighbours, etc.) does not arise spontaneously; it needs to be worked on and trained. On the other hand, this process also shows the complicated mission of maintaining the balance of responsibility for the process. It is very complicated to generate a community project from an institution, due to the very concept we have as a society of public institutions, and there are risks when it comes to understanding who this type of process depends on and what the role of each actor in the process is.
The listening process on the future of Busturialdea-Urdaibai has started!
The listening process has started by identifying the first key actors and collecting their narratives. We asked these first people to suggest other people to talk to. This is what we call ‘snowball sampling’. This approach allows us to ensure that all voices are heard, from citizens to social, public and private organisations.
The aim is to engage more than 1,000 people over the year 2025, which will allow us to get a broad and diverse view of the different views of the community. During this process, the opinions collected will be analysed in detail to identify patterns and nuances. The transcripts of these opinions will be made available online through our Ktool tool, but we will ensure that the identity of the participants will be kept anonymous at all times, respecting the privacy of each individual participant. In this way, the voices of the community can be heard and shared collectively, without compromising the confidentiality of individuals.
The listening process is composed of 5 main elements:
Mapping of actors: We have already started the work of identifying and connecting with the main agents that are driving sustainable human development in Busturialdea-Urdaibai.
Active listening: We continued to collect narratives through anonymous interviews with more than 1,000 people in the region.
Analysis: Patterns and nuances in participants' opinions will be identified.
Collective interpretation: The collected perceptions will be reinterpreted collaboratively with local actors.
Contributions: All suggestions and inputs from the process will be collected and shared in six-monthly reports.
Your participation is key to building a sustainable future for Busturialdea-Urdaibai!
Take part in urdaibai@agirrecenter.eus
ESG Report by ALC, Cotec and NTT DATA
The report analysing how Spanish companies are driving sustainability through innovation is now available. More than 90% of the IBEX 35 apply ESG criteria, but there is still some way to go to achieve the SDGs by 2030.
This report aims to make a concrete contribution to a more disruptive vision of ESG innovation in Spain. Thanks to the collaboration of some of the main companies leading these practices, we have been able to identify particularly relevant innovations that are leading the way towards a more sustainable model.
The document includes 10 inspiring cases of business transformation towards a fairer and more sustainable economy.
The report was presented last Monday, 7 April, at a breakfast organised by the Cotec Foundation at its headquarters in Madrid. The meeting was attended by Susana Mañueco, representing the Agirre Lehendakaria Center, highlighting the importance of systemic and collaborative approaches to move towards a more sustainable economic model.
A community approach to care in Galdakao
On 11 March, Agirre Lehendakaria Center was invited by Galdakao Town Council to facilitate a session focusing on care work in the town.
The event brought together various key actors, such as the health centre, Caritas, Zainduz, the senior citizens‘ centres, the pensioners’ platform and a retired doctor, among others, with the aim of exploring how to improve the health and welfare system through collaboration and social innovation.
Objectives of the meeting:
- Local context: To find out about the current situation of care work in Galdakao.
- ALC approach: To present the ALC model of social innovation, with the case of Getxo Zurekin as a reference.
- Local co-creation: To analyse how to adapt this approach to Galdakao, identifying resources and needs.
- Collaboration proposal: Generate ideas for joint collaboration.
During the day, participants worked collectively in dynamics to map key actors, share stories and prototype solutions to improve the care system in the community. At the end, next steps were defined to take this collaboration forward.
This meeting is a clear example of how a community approach, based on co-creation and collaboration, can be key to transform the care system in Galdakao. ALC will continue to work together with the municipality to further promote this process of social change.
Digital Collective Intelligence
Yesterday at La Casa Encendida we presented K-Tool, a tool developed together with Bestiario to introduce a systemic and collaborative approach to the measurement and management of social impact.
Yesterday at La Casa Encendida we presented the K-Tool, a tool developed together with Bestiario to introduce a systemic and collaborative approach to the measurement and management of social impact.
The event brought together specialists from different fields to discuss digital collective intelligence, the rise of artificial intelligence and the need to rethink social transformation from a diversity of perspectives.
The meeting began with an introduction by Gorka Espiau (ALC) on digital collective intelligence, followed by the presentation of the K-Tool by Itziar Moreno (ALC), Raimon Mirada and Daniele Pezzatini (Bestiario). Later, a discussion facilitated by Marcos García, Mónica Oviedo and Raúl Sánchez allowed for an in-depth analysis of how to apply this tool to the measurement of social impact.
The event ended with a networking space, where participants exchanged ideas on the design of digital solutions aligned with social needs.
Thank you to everyone who participated!
Lecciones aprendidas en COPOLAD III: nuevos enfoques para políticas públicas sobre drogas
En el marco de COPOLAD III, Agirre Lehendakaria Center ha impulsado una red de laboratorios de innovación social en América Latina para abordar las políticas de drogas desde nuevas perspectivas. Tras dos años de experimentación, hemos identificado aprendizajes clave sobre la necesidad de enfoques sistémicos, espacios seguros para la innovación y herramientas que conecten mejor las políticas con las realidades locales.
Esta infografía recoge las principales lecciones aprendidas y los retos pendientes para diseñar soluciones más efectivas y adaptadas a las realidades de cada comunidad.
NECR February Webinar: Peacebuilding and Social Innovation
Dr. Beth Fisher-Yoshida (Columbia University) and Itziar Moreno (Co-Director of the Agirre Lehendakaria Center) explored how social innovation contributes to peacebuilding. They shared real-world applications from the Basque social innovation experience in conflict areas like Southern Thailand, post-FARC Colombia, Syria, and Cyprus.
Developing the capacities for systemic change: a two-day workshop with Rethink Ireland
On February 26th and 27th, Agirre Lehendakaria Center (ALC) facilitated a two-day workshop on Systems Change, in partnership with Rethink Ireland and key stakeholders from the Irish mental health sector. Held at Fumbally Stables in Dublin, the event welcomed a network of practitioners dedicated to developing new models in addressing complex societal issues from a systems lense.
The first day focused on building internal capabilities within Rethink Ireland, helping the team develop the tools and mindset needed to bring a systems perspective into their work. Through open discussions and hands-on activities, we explored systems mapping, listening, sensemaking, and co-creation—not just as abstract concepts, but as practical ways to make a real impact.
On the second day, the conversation widened to include Rethink Ireland awardees and key mental health partners, designing a collective Community of Practice for the next two years.
A highlight of the workshop was exploring K Tool, a platform designed to capture and analyze narratives—helping organizations not just collect data, but truly understand the human stories behind it. Seeing how these tools can shape decision-making and drive meaningful change sparked some great conversations about how to apply these methods moving forward.
Social innovation laboratories for the design of drug policies that are more connected to social dynamics
Santiago de Chile on 2-3 April.
Within the framework of the COPOLAD III programme, ALC has promoted the implementation of a network of five social innovation laboratories in Chile, Colombia, Peru and Uruguay. Our work has focused on supporting innovation processes with local institutions and organisations, seeking to generate spaces for collaboration and experimentation in order to design public policies that are more connected to social dynamics.
After two years of experimentation, the event in Santiago de Chile aims to share the lessons learned and challenges of the social innovation approach applied to drug policies. This meeting will be an opportunity to reflect in depth on the challenges faced, the emerging opportunities and the connections with global trends in innovation and public policies.
The reflections and learning generated in this space will be fundamental to optimise the innovation strategy of the COPOLAD III programme. In addition, the main learnings and results will be collected in a publication that aims to be a reference for future initiatives in this field.