The Impact of Video on Social Finance

The Impact of Video on Social Finance - See What We Mean ?!?

Social Finance always seems so cutting edge to me. The newest technologies and gadgets appear in everyone's hands, on their blogs and in their business. No surprise that social finance has embraced the use of video to further our work and that knowledge is now being shared at lightning speed.

The interesting thing about using a tool like video is that when it is done well, the learnings are immediate. They tend to be brief, on-point and illustrative. There also appears to be a narrative quality that convinces you of the authenticity. People are talking about learning from experience and watching a short 5 min video can give you as much business smarts as a couple of months in an MBA. For pointers, I suggest the new Social Innovation Generation series on Social Finance : Best and Worst Practises. In one night, 9 speakers covered their own social finance organizations with examples of best and worst decisions, learnings and illuminations. If you want a crash course in the ups and downs of social finance, go here.

Organizations on their own are using video as a main source of delivering their goals and objectives. An excellent example is Small Change Fund. They have created a market for micro financing in Canada. Using video and photos supplied by organizations seeking small donations, they allow potential donors to immediately see and hear what the project is about, what the people involved in the project are like and what a donor's impact might be. A new kind of 'If you want to save a tree in the forest, don't get in your car and go there, send money to those who are already at work in the vicinity'.  Saves GHG's, saves time and ultimately saves money because people don't donate (or invest) in things they don't like or agree with. Tahdah! Instant donor gratification and immediate investor satisfaction.

Go online to So Fine Canada on Sunday Aug. 21st at 10 am pacific and 1 pm est to hear how one video journalist and a whole bunch of videos can teach you a helluva lot about social finance in about 5 min flat.

Worth the look. Worth the listen.

A First Nations Formula for Social Finance

 A First Nations Formula for 
Social Finance = Talent + Entertainment >  Community

I don't think that you could describe anything 'First Nations' as separate from community. While there are individuals (obviously), the main way of relating is to the 'community' and everything that is done is considered in that regard, along with the impact that actions will have on communities of the future - 7 generations into the future to be exact.


First Nations groups have long histories of commerce and trade and hence, social finance. Profit alone has never been the motive and so they truly represent the 'history' of social finance as we know it - what benefits one, should benefit all.


Presently the Aboriginal Tourism Association of BC has re-constructed an aboriginal village (Klahowya Village), a composite of 3 host nations: the Squamish, the Tsleil-Waututh and the Musqueam  who have inhabited the lands of the Lower Mainland of BC for centuries. They are committed to growing and promoting a sustainable, culturally rich Aboriginal tourism industry and they do this through  training, information resources, networking opportunities and co-operative marketing programs; multiple benefits, solid business strategies and an excellent 'product' - themselves.  They mentor, they create and they provide cultural awareness and they are thriving in the arena of cultural attractions - 162,000 visitors in 2010 and an expected 200,000 in 2011. Those metrics are not hard to follow.


There are many other aboriginal people with long histories of entertainment and talent helping their communities and needing to make a living to do so. While speaking with Murray Porter, blues pianist with a 35 year musical history, he mentioned that aboriginal musicians have been showcased on community radio, more than 50 stations in BC alone, to allow people in rural communities the chance to hear stories, share histories and engage in the movement to honour oneself and one's community through music. People putting their talent to use to entertain, to engage, and to connect through the music business and best of all, loving what they do.


It is absolutely fascinating to think of the 'long' history of social finance in the context of Aboriginal nations. While it seems new and inventive to me, it is actually thought of as 'traditional' for First Nations people. 'Make money, Do Good' is our short form but for First Nations, I believe the sentiment is 'Make Money, Do Good, Help your people'.


It's never changed in thousands of years. Now THAT'S history.