This century is definitely the one of horizontal collaboration. End of hierarchies, end of centralised productions, let’s go peer to peer cooperation. World is deeply changed by sharing economy.
The new application Entourage, developed by a French team, is bridging, for the first time to my knowledge, social work and sharing economy; it allows citizens, linked in social networks, to act in favour of homeless people, in addition to the professional social workers. This application is one of the very few using sharing concepts, that I have been able to identify so far.
Entourage raises peer to peer networks, of standard citizens, able to cooperate and help themselves. This is true innovation. Alone, you feel disarmed. Together, solutions appear. The support of a network of friend is key when trying to reintegrate; this adds to actions of social workers.
World is changing. Y (and soon Z) generation are not same as previous generations. They value decentralised action, relationships, meaningful acts. These are deep trends, enabled by technology, and transforming the way we live and work. With one keyword: TOGETHER.
