ALC works with the program COPOLAD in the design of its innovation laboratories for drug policy in Latin America
ALC begins to support the design, implementation, and evaluation of an Innovation Laboratory for the COPOLAD III program.
ALC is currently working on adapting an approach to integrate social innovation skills and tools into the daily work of the program at two different levels of action: regionally, with the creation of a network of laboratories or platforms in different Latin American countries and the Caribbean and a learning community about the process; and locally, in three countries of the region in which the approach would be applied with specific support from the Agirre Lehendakaria Center team (Chile being the first country to participate). The general aim of incorporating innovation tools in COPOLAD III is to support the development of innovative interventions and new solutions to effectively address specific drug-related problems in Latin American and Caribbean countries. These innovation tools will make it possible to explore new spaces in a search for effective, sustainable and people-powered solutions to drug-related problems, in the convergence of drug policy and sustainable development.
In January, and together with the program team, a workshop was held at FIIAPP (Madrid) on social innovation laboratories, and the value of listening processes to improve drug policies in Latin America and the Caribbean.
The program's technical team participated in the workshop along with expert personnel hired by the program to support various thematic axes.
There were three sessions that delved into the ALCk approach and methodology: based on practical examples of Listening and systemic mapping, collective interpretation, co-creation and portfolio design.
The sessions allowed the team to reflect on the possible application of the approach to adapt the tools presented to the case of COPOLAD III and thus project the possibilities of collaboration.
During 2023, ALCk will work together with the COPOLAD III program teams at two levels of work:
(1) by country, for which the case of Chile has been selected as a model to be adapted, creating a specific space for experimentation that will cross-connect different initiatives with a permanent listening system, and (2) the network of laboratories or learning community with the aim of providing the COPOLAD III team with a series of tools so that its strategy deepens the understanding of changing social dynamics and thus amplifies its impact.