Hilary Cottam
Social Innovator | Transforming Communities with Technology
About
Hilary Cottam is a social entrepreneur who has pioneered new approaches to some of society's biggest challenges. Through her work at the Participle innovation lab, she has designed and implemented transformative social programs that leverage digital tools to empower marginalized communities.
Cottam's TED talks have reached millions, showcasing how technology can be a catalyst for positive change. Her keynotes inspire audiences to rethink social services, offering practical frameworks for creating human-centered solutions that address complex systemic issues.
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Social services are broken. How we can fix them
When a family falls into crisis -- and it sometimes happens, thanks to unemployment, drugs, bad relationships and bad luck -- the social services system is supposed to step in and help them get back on track. As Hilary Cottam shows, in the UK a typical family in crisis can be eligible for services from more than 70 different agencies, but it's unlikely that any one of them can really make a difference. Cottam, a social entrepreneur herself, asks us to think about the ways we solve deep and complex social problems. How can we build supportive, enthusiastic relationships between those in need and those that provide help?
Hilary Cottam at Hay Festival 2019
Hilary Cottam at Hay Festival 2018
Hilary Cottam at Design Indaba 2016
| Event | Year | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Hay Festival×2 | 2019, 2018 | |
| Design Indaba | 2016 | 🇿🇦Cape Town, South Africa |
| TED 2015 | 2015 | 🇨🇦Vancouver, Canada |
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