Social innovation in action: equity and empowerment through enabling education

Social innovation (SI) is a response to societal challenges that aims to improve the welfare and well-being of individuals and communities. Whilst there is no consistent conceptual definition of SI due to its multidisciplinary nature, this paper defines SI as the interrelation of a socially constructed concept and an agentic mindset that empowers its actors to create positive social change . Through the lens of theory adaptation, this paper explores the interconnectedness of SI and the equity agenda in the Australian university sector. This paper presents the Social Innovation Change Model and argues in favour of three key notions: 1) enabling programmes are `incubators for change´, 2) enabling educators are `agents of change´, and 3) equity students have the potential to be `catalysts for change´. Firstly, this paper argues that enabling programmes serve as a form of SI in action, addressing the complex issue of inequality in higher education (HE). Secondly, educators within the enabling sector play a crucial role as agents of change, empowering students to cultivate a proactive and agentic mindset through transformative learning approaches. Finally, equity students, with their first-hand understanding of the challenges faced by their communities, possess a distinct advantage as social innovators to bring about societal change.