Replicating your solution within your network: a way of innovating and putting collective intelligence at work for social impact

When an organisation undertakes a replication of its own model, the network head is usually responsible for  sharing and duplicating the initial model to other geographies. 

In some networks, movements or federations, especially those with a large number of members and/or branches, it is not uncommon to see a replication dynamic being set in motion between the existing structures of these networks.

Why launch this type of initiative, how to set it up, what are the conditions for a successful outcome? These are all questions that arise when you replicate “from within”.

There are several reasons for replication within a network. One of them is that more and more networks are seeking to promote the scaling of solutions designed by one member to other network members. This allows the replication process to be carried out by members instead of having the head of the network managing it centrally. Thanks to methodological, human and sometimes even financial support, members of the network can take ownership of the replication process and lead it. The main purpose in this case, is to make it easier for any member of the network to replicate and take ownership of some projects or initiatives: This can be seen as a replication by “capillarity”, or a support to the members so that they contribute directly to the expansion of the network and thus create new entities.

To understand the motivations behind replication within a network and get a better sense of its implementation  and how it works, we have asked organisations that went through this process -and that we recently worked with- to share their insights: 

• Unapei, an organisation committed to building a supportive and inclusive society that respects the differences and the free will of people with intellectual disabilities, autism, multiple disabilities and mental illness.
• The Mouvement Emmaüs (Emmaus Movement, a secular and solidarity-based movement that fights against exclusion).
• The Réseau HAPA (HAPA Network) whose ambition is to bring together all kinds of housing actors (project leaders, funders, beneficiaries, public authorities, etc.) to enable the development of shared and supported housing.

Why launch this type of initiative?

The primary objective behind replication within the network is to quickly and efficiently increase the social impact of the organisation. Indeed, once the social innovation has been proven in one initial territory, the organisation replicates the winning formula through its members in other regions and reaches  new beneficiaries in new territories, thus increasing its impact.

However, this approach also responds to other challenges for the organisations that decide to implement it.

“Fostering networking”

These approaches are an opportunity to concretely leverage the potential  of the network, but also to inspire the members while developing collective intelligence on a larger scale for some movements and federations with hundreds of local entities in France. Through its Générateur de Solidarité (Solidarity Generator), Unapei promotes remarkable initiatives implemented by local organisations on the field, and makes them easily available to the other organisations of volunteers in the network through the transfer of the model and operating modes of these mechanisms. 

Presentation of the Solidarity Generator at the UNAPEI Summer Universities (Sept 2022)

“10 professional and volunteer representatives from our various bodies (on a local, regional and national levels) are actively mobilised within a steering committee to set up the Solidarity Generator. This is an opportunity for us to highlight actions undertaken at a national scale and to create a snowball effect. It also gives a chance to develop a collaborative dynamic, to create links, to share and to develop exchange practices between the member organisations of the network.” Johanna Courtoy, Unapei

“Encouraging innovation”

Replicating within the network is also a good way to encourage organisations on the field so they can grow and renew their practices without reinventing the wheel, especially for those with limited resources to develop new projects. For example, through the “clé en main” (turnkey) scheme offered by the Emmaus Movement’s innovation department, local groups can benefit from an opus operandi, human methodological support and a grant to replicate a project under the aegis of another sponsoring group (e.g. setting up an air-gumming cabin, switching to online sales, setting up a local producers’ market, etc.).

“This scheme is intended for organisations that seek to take inspiration from proven innovations developed by their peers. It enables them to share a common innovation culture and increase the social impact of their organisations. It is perfectly in line with Emmaus’ DNA, as it promotes innovation on the ground. It gives the opportunity to replicate an innovation, while giving room for adaptation to the local context: Based  on the teams, the existing partnerships and the needs of the territory, the innovations will take on a particular colour each time. It also allows for the pooling of resources and mutual support within the network.” Laure Vicard, Emmaüs Innove.

“Supporting the development of the network members”

It can furthermore help members of the network develop more quickly and thus increase their impact. The HAPA network was created by a group of project leaders who wanted to encourage mutual peer-to-peer support for the deployment of shared and supported habitats on a national scale. The HAPA network set up three support programmes for its members, one of which combines methodological support, feedback and financial support specifically dedicated to those who are in the process of territorial replication.

“The sector is in full development, the need for support has exploded; the complexity of setting up these projects remains high (i.e. projects of shared and supported housing) and implies a massive effort when it comes to transfer of experience so that project leaders can overcome the pitfalls and gather the key success factors(…). The pedagogy is based on the sharing of peer-to-peer experience and empowerment methods that develop the autonomy of project leaders after the course.
The increasing demands of the network members have also highlighted the need for support at different stages of development.” Chrystel Mouysset, Network Coordinator.

“Changing practices”

In some cases, promoting practices that are related to the strategic challenges for the future of the organisation can help support internal change. The Emmaus Innove team is using this process in conjunction with its foresight activities to shape the evolution of the whole movement so it can be as close as possible to tomorrow’s social needs, by highlighting new welcoming practices as an example. As a matter of fact, the Solidarity Generator deliberately chose to focus its replication approach towards the support of family carers in order to align with Unapei’s strategic orientations.

What are the characteristics of these initiatives and what advice would you give for their implementation?

The distribution of roles and the support provided may vary, but these approaches have in common the fact that they put the members of the network first and mobilise them extensively. It is therefore necessary to correctly anticipate the amount of time that the field organisations will have to dedicate to the process while ensuring their ability to absorb the project within an appropriate time frame -knowing that organisations can get financial support ranging from 3,000 to 10,000 euros to support the replication process

It often works on a collective basis with editions of organisations receiving support to replicate the initiatives. This makes the initiative more efficient since the know-how is disseminated to several structures at once, while at the same time using collective intelligence to solve problems of each and everyone thanks to the experience of the group. A system of co-development can thus solve problems encountered during the replication process.

As for replication  projects within an existing network, it is preferable to start with projects that are relatively simple and inexpensive to set up. This will generate more enthusiasm within the network and ensure that everyone will do its best  go all the way  through the transfer and replication approach.

Implementing these initiatives means adding a “consultancy” and “innovation support” kind of job to the head of the network, if there is not one already. This job requires to adopt a specific posture, but also to think through the support formats, information channels and the necessary resources. Depending on the culture and specificities of the organisation, written and/or oral formats can work best. It is also important to ensure that the information is passed on both to local management/governments and to operational staff likely to replicate the initiative. Lastly, the issue of resources is essential to ensure that the organisations have the time and the funding necessary to implement this initiative. 

All in all, these replication initiatives within existing networks are a great opportunity to boost projects that work, to share them with others and to encourage collaborative initiatives: A fine example to follow!