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Palgrave Macmillan

Data for Social Good

Non-Profit Sector Data Projects

  • Book
  • Open Access
  • © 2023

You have full access to this open access Book

Overview

  • Provides examples from real-life data projects involving a range of community organisations

  • Offers new evidence about transforming raw data into value and actionable insights with open data sources

  • Combines ‘how-to’ advice and guidance with cutting-edge research perspectives

  • This book is open access, which means that you have free and unlimited access.

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Table of contents (4 chapters)

Keywords

About this book

This open access book provides practical guidance for non-profits and community sector organisations about how to get started with data analytics projects using their own organisations’ datasets and open public data. The book shares best practices on collaborative social data projects and methodology. For researchers, the work offers a playbook for partnering with community organisations in data projects for public good and gives worked examples of projects of various sizes and complexity.

Reviews

“Data For Social Good is a timely release given the latest spate of cybersecurity attacks and data breaches which targeted the non-profit sector emphasising the importance of digital upskilling and resourcing. … Data For Social Good combines real-life case studies involving community organisations, non-profits and government agencies with hands-on advice and guidance. The book has been designed for leaders and board members who are interested in becoming capable with data and how to get started … on data projects for public good.” (Ruby Kraner-Tucci, PRObono, brobonoaustralia.com.au, January 11, 2023)

"Data collaboration is critical to closing today's societal gaps in data access and related capabilities. Ironically, there is little data available about data collaboratives, including what makes them successful and impactful. This is especially true for non-profit initiatives, making increased data use by the sector particularly challenging. In this book, Farmer, McCosker, Albury, and Aryani fill that void by providing a unique understanding of the variables that matter. Anyone interested in using data for social good should read this book."

—Stefaan Verhulst, Co-Founder of The Govlab and Editor-in-Chief of Data & Policy

“The non-profit needs to build data capability so it continues to develop innovative services and report on high impact outcomes. Through practical examples and advice from data projects, this open access book will help make this happen.”

—Dr Catherine Brown OAM, CEO, Lord Mayors Charitable Foundation, Melbourne, Australia

 “In the 21st century successful public and private sector organisations capture customer / client data and tailor their services and products to match. The capacity to utilise multiple and complex data sources will dramatically change the way organizations evolve in the future. This novel and innovative book, the first of its kind, sets out how non-profits can become skilled in using different sources of data to better meet their social missions. The authors introduce the concept of data capability – deepening knowledge and expertise in connecting the mission of a non-profit with data. This concept is brought to life via vivid case studies of collaborative data action research conducted with non-profits to enhance their data capability. The book is essential reading for non-profit managers and researchers seeking to better understand, and develop, the relationship between data and social good.”

—Professor Simon Teasdale, Vice Principal, Social Innovation Yunus Centre, Glasgow Caledonian University, Scotland

Authors and Affiliations

  • Social Innovation Research Institute, Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, Australia

    Jane Farmer, Anthony McCosker

  • Swinburne University of Technology, School of Social Sciences, Media, Film & Education, Melbourne, Australia

    Kath Albury

  • Social Data Analytics Lab, Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, Australia

    Amir Aryani

About the authors

Jane Farmer is Director of the Social Innovation Research Institute at Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne.

Anthony McCosker is Deputy Director of the Social Innovation Research Institute at Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne.

Kath Albury is co-Leader of the Digital Inclusion Program at Swinburne University of Technology Social Innovation Research Institute.

Amir Aryani leads the Social Data Analytics Lab at Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne.

Bibliographic Information

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