This is a CTP of initiative: Ashoka Poland
In the early stages, the AP and the surrounding social entrepreneurship movement in Poland was mostly characterized by being a “mob”, a “gathering of individuals”. Then the first challenge they experienced was “how to create a group out of a mob” by helping them to connect with each other, to create a common understanding and to develop shared goals. The main idea behind the approach was that “it’s OK that we are having so many individuals collected, but their power could be much higher if there would create a community and actually push their way through as a group” This bottom-up approach initiated by the first country representative in the early stages of the organization constitutes a CTP as it was a shift from the top-down approach that Ashoka Global had at the time. The process of community building meant developing a truly common approach with the Fellows, where they have “influence, co-responsibility” and “they identify themselves with the idea”, taking initiative without waiting for others to act. The approach became highly successful and the Fellows started various new initiatives that were born in the joyful and fun atmosphere of the informal meetings. In addition, the CTP proved the power of the network, that provided a “value added, which came on the top of individual achievements”.
The development of the CTP could not have occurred without the Fellows of AP. In addition, it was aided by the Social Innovators Association, a separate entity from Ashoka, where Fellows could register their new initiatives.
The CTP was characterized by the controversy between the interviewee, the country representative of Poland and Ashoka Global. While in the headquarters they were only doing official meetings, and working with official staff, the interviewee placed the highest emphasis on unofficial meetings and "off-record" activities. This approach of creating space for coming up with ideas in an informal setting went against the top-down approach of the organization at the time.
At the time of the CTP, the interviewee already thought that this new approach was important and the way to achieve higher impact. However, at the time it was more of a common sense understanding that developed later by gaining deeper knowledge regarding the advantages of horizontal networks.
The main learning point of the CTP for the interviewee was that “How the power of community that is completely horizontal, not top-down, how this power can result in something that is very tangible, very important”. The interviewee approached the community building activity by “giving space”, however, the Fellows “so strongly identified with the idea that it reversed”. "Instead of me helping them, they were helping me, organizing events, doing training and presentations." However, after around 2000, when he gave the position of country representative to somebody else, in parallel with the growing number of fellows and the new approach that came with Ashoka’s expansion to Western Europe the nature of the community has started to change. “Now it is more difficult, there are more fellows and [the community] is not as vibrant” as it used to be. Nevertheless, the CTP's influence can still be felt today. The alumni of the Academy for Social Innovators created and operated by the Fellows who were the motors of the community, are still in contact with each other. They have organized a 15 years anniversary and do follow-ups.
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