Q. How are the ideas going to the camp going to be selected?
A. The ideas that will go to the camp will be selected by a panel of judges. The judges are selected based on their technical and/or social expertise. The judges will be looking for ideas that the most originals, that are likely to have the biggest impact and with people behind that are the most motivated. You can read what makes a good idea for more details.

Q. What happens during the weekend of the camp?
A. We will start on Friday evening with a reception that will be a chance for participants to find out more about the projects we’ll be working on, matching them up with a team and getting to know each other.

There will be some introductions and a light meal.

We will also introduce the camp and explain what will happen in the next two and a half days. This first evening, is just about having a nice time and getting to know people.

On the Saturday we will explain how the rest of the weekend is going to work over breakfast and the rest of the day will be for team work.

Sunday morning will be to finalise the work done during the weekend and we will finish with the presentations and a closing event in the afternoon. You can also read our more detailed program for the weekend.

Q. Where is the camp going to be hosted?
A. The camp will be hosted at the CBD campus of the University of New South Wales. This Venus received the NSW and National award for 2008 Meeting Venue of the Year. You can find more details of this venue on their homepage.

Q. I don't live in Sydney, can I still come to the camp?
A. Ideas and applicants to be at the back from all over the country are encouraged to apply. We will provide food for all the participants during the weekend. There is a limited budget to help the owners of the ideas selected with their travelling expenses. Participants of the camp from other cities will have to cover their travelling expenses.

Q. Do you provide copyright for my ideas?
A. Social Innovation Camp doesn't lay claim to any IP. We strongly believe in the value of an idea shared and a problem solved. We don't believe that intellectual property is the most important thing in getting an idea off the ground: many people can have the same idea; it's the execution that counts.

This is particularly true of the ideas that are right for Social Innovation Camp because they will be really, really early stage. You'll get more out of your idea by talking about it and sharing: you'll get nothing from jealously guarding it from the world. We always encourage people to share their ideas openly online when they submit them.

The experience of the Social Innovation Camp in the UK, they leave it up those who come to Social Innovation Camp to discuss who takes an idea on after the Camp. We will be on hand to answer questions and give support and advice, should that be necessary. In the UK they have never found this to be a problem, although it is occasionally something that gets asked.

Having said this, giving someone credit for doing something is really incredibly important - hence the reason we encourage people to post their ideas online with details about themselves. And we also like to record who contributed to a Social Innovation Camp team at a weekend.

It has been found that as soon as someone starts talking about IP, it becomes important in the minds of the participants when it really doesn't need to be. If people have a problem with this approach (and the vast majority don't) then they simply don't get involved. Which is fine; it's not for everybody.

Q. Do I need to stay for the whole weekend?
A. No, you don’t have to stay for the whole thing. There’llalways be a mix of people who come for every last minute and those who pop in for a few hours or half a day. Just make sure that you indicate this when you apply.

Q. If I come, do I have to participate?
A. Yes. Everyone who walks through the doors at a Social Innovation Camp has to get their hands dirty. Whether you’re just going from group to group to chat and offer advice for half an hour to helping make the coffee. It doesn’t matter how you get involved, just as long as you do. If you just want to watch, come along to the Show and Tell on the final afternoon where the teams demo what they’ve built.

If you have a questions that is not covered here send it to us using the contact form.