Social impact for Kunlabora
At Kunlabora, we strive to embody the meaning of our name, which translates to "cooperation" in Esperanto. We take this commitment seriously by seeking out projects that allow us to make a meaningful contribution and give back to the world. In essence, we aim to achieve social impact through our daily operations.
To this end, we have partnered on numerous occasions with organizations in the social sector.
Social impact at Kunlabora
How do you achieve social impact? This is a question we have often explored, and we’ve arrived at our answer: by partnering with complementary organizations that share our values. Such collaborations are incredibly effective in producing meaningful results.
This principle guided our partnership with community center 't Lampeke. Their mission is to support and empower socially vulnerable individuals through the use of effective digital tools. We are excited to assist them in building the software they need, particularly when it contributes to societal well-being.
How do you strive for social impact?
Achieving social impact involves delivering projects that yield tangible results, yet measuring these results in the social sector can be challenging. For instance, assessing the effectiveness of pathway counseling or its impact requires careful consideration. This complexity was a key focus in our work on the Mezuri project together with 't Lampeke and must be factored into the digital tools we develop.
Moreover, developing sophisticated custom software often comes with significant costs, which can be a hurdle for social sector organizations with limited resources. To address this, we go beyond merely building software. When requested we assist social enterprises with grant applications to secure funding for their digital initiatives. Our technical expertise is invaluable in crafting compelling grant proposals, making it a crucial asset in our collaborative efforts.
What social projects have we worked on?
Our collaboration with 't Lampeke marked the beginning of our commitment to making a positive impact. We developed the Mezuri project together with 't Lampeke, which subsequently attracted the attention of the social organization Voices That Count. This led us to create Rakontado for them.
Moreover, our initial work with Mezuri continued to evolve, serving as the foundation for the development of a new app, Povigo. This ongoing momentum reflects our dedication to driving meaningful change through our projects.
Mezuri
Community organization 't Lampeke has been dedicated to supporting vulnerable populations since 1970, focusing on all those who are socially vulnerable. To enhance their operations, we developed the innovative software tool Mezuri.
Social work often involves results that are difficult to measure, as the paths to success are typically complex and non-linear. The pathways also tend to take a long time, so the impact often only becomes apparent over a longer period of time. At Kunlabora, we prioritized placing people and their rights at the core of Mezuri, setting it apart from traditional registration tools.
How does the Mezuri app work?
In Mezuri, bridge figures, often alongside the individuals they support, record events in a digital diary throughout their journey. The app offers several formats for documentation: free text, entries on achievements and challenges linked to social land rights, and photo stories that highlight both the strengths and obstacles faced by vulnerable individuals or families.
The tool presents all events during the counseling process on a timeline, enabling both counselors and clients to review their progress over time—whether it’s from a month ago, a year ago, or even longer.
Mezuri also incorporates Natural Language Processing (NLP) to analyze timeline entries. This feature identifies relevant partners, such as CAW, CLB, or VDAB, and their associated rights, making it easier to detect both successes and setbacks.
We also conduct sentiment analysis on the bridge figure's writing style to closely track the progression of the trajectory, determining whether it is positive or negative. Additionally, we generate a word cloud from the timeline, highlighting key terms that often serve as a solid foundation for facilitators to initiate meaningful conversations.
Facilitated by the City of Leuven
This project would not have been possible without the support of the City of Leuven, which, along with CAW Oost-Brabant, played a pivotal role. The project received the 'Slim in de Stad' prize, and the prize money was used to further develop Mezuri. The City of Leuven also coordinated the involvement of a dozen local organizations to help launch the Mezuri app. These collective efforts were instrumental in the application's success.
Povigo
The development of the Povigo application built on the success of Mezuri. Like Mezuri, Povigo centers on the needs of its users. This app provides support to individuals seeking to re-enter the job market after a prolonged absence, such as due to burnout or long-term illness.
Users of the Povigo app can document their thoughts and experiences during their job search. The app offers information, encouragement, and tips on enhancing soft skills, helping users make gradual progress towards rejoining the workforce.
Povigo also employs narrative visualizations and data science analysis to identify patterns and connections in the job search process. This functionality allows users and their job coaches to better understand and manage their career development, providing more targeted and effective support.
This project was funded by the European WSE, a European institution dedicated to supporting employment and helping Flemish citizens develop their talents both at work and beyond. The organization places particular emphasis on assisting vulnerable groups within society.
Rakontado
The Mezuri project led us to connect with Voices That Count, a collaborative network of practitioners and experts focused on developing narrative methodologies for governments, organizations, and companies. Their goal is to create a comprehensive picture of social change and its effects on citizens, employees, and target groups.
They aim to map and gain a deeper understanding of social change. Kunlabora facilitated this by developing a versatile digital tool that allows them to create customized dashboards for their clients or address specific queries. These adaptable dashboards enable the collection of feedback on overall well-being in a visual and interactive manner.
Rakontado was a specialized sub-project for Voices That Count, designed to assess mental well-being following the COVID-19 pandemic. It provided insights into the impact of transitioning from remote work to returning to the office and helped measure the effects of finding a new balance.
What are our social goals?
At Kunlabora, we take pride in contributing to impactful social projects within our area of expertise. Not only do we offer valuable support, but these projects also provide meaningful learning experiences for our team. Interested in learning more about our social objectives?
Explore Kunlabora's social goals
Inspired by this blog and eager to collaborate?
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