Social Entrepreneurship to Spur Health (SESH)

Our mission is to design more effective, equitable, and creative health services using crowdsourcing contests.

The SESH (Social Entrepreneurship to Spur Health) project is a partnership joining individuals from the Southern Medical University Dermatology Hospital and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The main goal of SESH is to create more effective, equitable, and creative health services using crowdsourcing contests and other social entrepreneurship tools. Crowdsourcing is the process of having a group solve a problem and then sharing that solution widely with the public.

OUR FOCUS

The SESH team is excited about crowdsourcing challenges in which an open call is used to solicit innovative responses from local individuals. Our team conducts research, training, and services related to crowdsourcing challenges. The SESH team organized four randomized controlled trials evaluating crowdsourcing approaches to improve health outcomes in China (NCT02796963, NCT02248558, NCT02516930, NCT03482388). The team organizes an annual training workshop in Guangzhou focused on crowdsourcing and sexual health. Finally, the team leads and serves as a partner on many crowdsourcing challenge contests.

OUR ACTIVITIES

GO YOUTH! OPEN CALL 2022

We organised the global crowdsourcing open call, Go Youth! Global Open Call 2022, focused on youth social innovation using the TDR Practical Guide on Crowdsourcing in Health and Health Research in June 2022. The call successfully established a global and diverse steering committee with representatives worldwide, including youth innovators. One hundred fifty-six submissions in English, Arabic, Spanish, and French were received, mainly representing low-to-middle-income countries such as South Africa, Uganda, Laos, Nigeria, Philippines, India, Nepal, and many others.

PrEP Research Participants recruitment

SESH (North Carolina China Program Office), in collaboration with the University of Chicago, Gilead Sciences, and Guangzhou Eighth People’s Hospital, provide 12 months of PrEP (Pre-exposure Prophylaxis) and related medical follow-up services to key populations in Guangzhou and surrounding areas. The study is designed to meet the health needs, promote healthy development, reduce the risk of HIV infection, and increase knowledge of PrEP among at-risk youth in the Guangdong region. The information from this study will help us design and improve our current PrEP education and HIV/STI intervention tools. The project is currently recruiting eligible participants.

TDR Asian Regional contest promotion

SESH has been promoting the TDR Asia Mentorship Contest through social channels such as WeChat this quarter in anticipation of getting more people interested and participating in the contest. This will allow greater access to health and poverty-related researchers in low- and middle-income countries.

Gonorrhea and Chlamydia "Relay for Life" Co-creation Group

The aim of the study is to better understand the status of STI surveillance in Chinese men in anticipation of developing intervention strategies to promote comprehensive disease testing in Chinese men and improve community engagement. In addition, this initiative provides an innovative financial mechanism for sexual minorities in low- and middle-income countries to sustain STI screening. The study took place in Guangzhou and lasted between August and September. The project is run through Hackathons and involves Public STD clinics and Community groups.

Published paper on in Journal of Sexually Transmitted Disease

The paper title is ‘Obtaining data on gender identity and sex in diverse settings: findings from a WHO/HRP consultative process’. This paper was written by Joseph Tucker et al. The paper argues that participatory approaches such as crowdsourcing enable research teams to draw on a variety of perspectives and ideas, particularly from researchers familiar with local norms and gender research. These new survey projects may help pioneer more inclusive population-based sexual and reproductive health research in a variety of settings.

Summer Field Studies in Heyuan

SESH conducted this grassroots research on digital healthcare projects with 80 students from Jiaying Medical College and teachers from the Guangdong Institute of Artificial Intelligence. The research took place in Tai Po and Heyuan in Guangdong Province and lasted 17 days in total. The research enabled the medical students and SESH staff to familiarize themselves with the ongoing digital healthcare projects in Guangdong Province, to understand the healthcare situation in the rural area and to be able to apply what they had learnt in practice.

Photo call for entries: "Pass it on, so that 'AIDS' is not hidden"

This activity is based on the study “What are the experiences among MSM of HIVST uptake & secondary distribution in China?”, which aims to explore the use of HIV self-testing and the passing of self-testing reagents to others for use by the gay male population. The video campaign was organized to achieve community-level impact and empower participants. The campaign is an online video call for photos related to HIV and AIDS.

WHO/TDR SIHI practical guide

In 2017, we worked with the SIHI team to develop a practical guide on crowdsourcing challenges for health and health research. This guide was field tested in several countries and was launched at the 22nd International AIDS Conference in July 2018. Download the guide here.

Annual training workshop

Over the past five years, our team has organized an annual training course for those interested in STD research, especially junior investigators. During the past three years, this has training workshop has had a special focus on building capacity for crowdsourcing challenges.

TDR Global Mentorship Contest

The TDR Global Research Mentorship Challenge Contest aims to engage people in LMICs to generate particular ideas to improve research mentorship. The call for entries was launched at the end of October 2019 and submissions were accepted until 15 December 2019. We received 123 submissions from 47 countries.

The challenge has regional and global prizes. We had a final pitch on 29 June 2020 where every regional finalist prepared an English presentation, which included the following: background/rationale, problem, proposed plan, feasibility study, implementation plan, and preliminary data, if available. All exceptional contributions selected by our judging panel received a commendation from the TDR Global Challenge Steering Committee. In terms of the global prize, one individual will be selected from the regional finalists and supported to attend the the ASTMH 2020 meeting in November 2020.

Meet the finalists

Social Innovation in Health Evaluation Contest

Social innovation is a form of problem-solving solutions engaging communities that prioritise impact and sustainability, while aiming to create positive social change. Social innovation is increasingly used to solve important health issues. However, while there are many examples of social innovation, there is no standardised framework to measure the success of social innovation in health. Thus, to solicit creative ideas and tools on the development of a social innovation research checklist, as well as a monitoring and evaluation framework concept, SESH and SIHI held an open call to social innovation stakeholders (e.g., innovators, policymakers, community members, NGOs) and anyone interested in social innovation to transform healthcare delivery to participate in a workshop. This consensus-building workshop looked to integrate all the best aspects of the different submissions to develop a WHO/TDR/SIHI/SESH guide.

TDR Global Career Impact Contest

TDR Global, in partnership with SESH, organized an open call for stories about how TDR has influenced people as researchers, mentees or mentors. The contest aims to collect information to learn what can be improved, share success stories, and learn about TDR’s impact in different settings. Contributions were submitted until 1 May 2020. There were 28 participants from 14 countries, including 23 text submissions (20 in English and three in Spanish), six image submissions and one in video format. Each entry will be evaluated based on four criteria: relevance, content, narrative, and inclusiveness.

Generosity in the face of coronavirus: An Open Call

In light of the COVID-19 outbreak, SESH organized an open call for stories of generosity in the face of coronavirus. The open call was initiated for two reasons – to help curate and shine a light on the small acts of kindness that have not been recognised, and to provide clearer information on formal ways that organisations are helping people during this time. The call was launched on 5 March 2020 and ran for four weeks. We received 25 submissions from six countries. Contributions were submitted until 1 May 2020. There were 28 participants from 14 countries, including 23 text submissions (20 in English and three in Spanish), six image submissions and one in video format. Each entry will be evaluated based on four criteria: relevance, content, narrative, and inclusiveness.

Reboot Youth Health and Wellbeing Digital Awards

SESH’s Pay-it-Forward was selected as one of the two winners of the Reboot Health and Wellbeing Challenge. The announcement was made by WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on 7 July 2020. Launched in March 2020 by WHO, the Reboot Health Challenge aims to inspire young people from around the world to develop solutions to one of the most urgent health challenges in the next decade: keeping young people safe. Most young men who have sex with men (YMSM) have never been tested for gonorrhea (GC)/chlamydia (CT) due to financial barriers and lack of community support. To expand community engagement and eliminate testing fees, we proposed Pay-it-Forward (PIF), where one YMSM receives a free GC/CT test as a gift, then has an opportunity to contribute to the next YMSM’s free testing. Dr. Fan Yang pitched the idea on behalf of the PIF team to thousands of virtual attendees worldwide and engaged in an interesting Q&A session with Dr. Tedros and other event participants. The SESH PIF team is composed of Fan Yang, Dan Wu, Weiming Tang, and Tiange Philip Zhang.

Crowdsourcing Contest on Childhood Vaccine Programme

Through a national crowdsourcing contest, we aimed to develop an intervention package to rebuild caregiver trust in childhood vaccine programmes in China. A total of 305 submissions, including 204 texts, 90 images, and three videos were received. All eligible submissions were evaluated by crowd judge and expert judge panels based on pre-defined criteria (novelty, relevance, feasibility, and elaboration). Crowd judges were invited via social media platforms on a voluntary basis. Experts in public health research, health communication, vaccines, and infectious diseases were invited to the expert panel. Six finalists were selected among the submissions after undergoing a review process.

PARTNERSHIP BUILDING

We held the Social Innovation in Health Mid-Year Training Workshop from 4 June-23 July 2024. It was an event that proceeded from and involved the eight finalists from the global crowdsourcing open call. The workshop emphasized design thinking, implementation science, and scaling up of health innovations. With 100-200 participants per session, the workshop fostered collaboration and strengthened the global network of social innovation in health.

The DESIGNATHONS Practical Guide was published by WHO/TDR in 2024, fostering rapid innovation, user-centered solutions, and cross-disciplinary collaboration. We have been actively disseminating the guide through various collaborations and participatory events.

We partnered with LSHTM to conduct a designathon focused on sexual health research for older adults. Additionally, we organised participatory workshops at major conferences, including APACC in Asia, IAS in Germany, and IUSTI in Australia, to share the guide with diverse audiences.

In collaboration with the HOPE Network, we hosted the “Participatory Approaches in Sexual Health: A Participatory Workshop and Launch of the WHO/TDR Practical Guide.” This event emphasised the guide’s practical applications and its potential to drive innovation in sexual health research.

We are also working closely with SIHI-Sweden and Uppsala University to expand the use of participatory approaches in health research further.

Partnerships

We have partnered with several other organizations to collaboratively develop crowdsourcing challenge contests. This includes challenge contests on antimicrobial resistance, women’s leadership in global health, gay-friendly health services, and community engagement in research.

Summer Social Innovation Training Workshop

From July 5th to August 16th between 8am and 9am ET time, SESH, SIHI and UNC CFAR TechEngage organised a Social Innovation Summer Training Workshop. Watch the workshop presentation recordings.

Innovation Identification Call

In the first half of 2024 (1 Feb-1 April), we organized the Social Innovation in Health Learning Competencies Global Crowdsourcing Open Call in collaboration with SIHI, SIDA, and TDR. It aimed to identify effective practices and strategies for learning and teaching about social innovation in health, as well as key competencies for the design, implementation, and sustainable delivery of these innovations. The open call garnered 39 submissions from participants worldwide, ultimately recognizing eight finalists. This process facilitated the identification of innovative educational practices and contributed to the development of a finalized competency checklist through a rigorous Delphi process.

We also collaborated with UNICEF, UNAIDS, WHO, 4 Youth By Youth (4YBY), SIHI, and TDR to promote the “Blueprint open call: calling all change-makers!” This initiative targeted adolescents (10-19 years old) globally to devise innovative solutions for enhancing adolescent health and well-being in communities severely impacted by HIV. The call received 357 submissions from 37 countries, with 107 ideas deemed eligible. Majority of the participants (66%) were 20-30 years old, whereas 28% were 10-19 years old. We also collaborated with UNICEF, UNAIDS, and WHO to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis to further determine the effectiveness of HIV interventions among adolescents in high-burden HIV countries.

In early December 2024, we launched the Co-creation with Youth for Health Programs and Research Global Crowdsourcing Open Call. This initiative, in collaboration with SIHI, aims to gather experiences, good practices, and practical tips on co-creation with youth to inform the development of a practical guide for organising youth-inclusive co-creation programs and research.

We have formed an Organizing Committee with experts from diverse fields and countries (Nigeria, China, Zambia, USA, Ghana, Sweden, and Uganda) and a Steering Committee comprising 13 experts from various disciplines. The submission deadline is on 10 January 2025, at 11:59 PM (UK time). Judging and selection will be from February to March 2025.

Exceptional ideas will be recognised by the UNICEF/UNDP/World Bank/WHO TDR and included in the practical guide. Additionally, four selected finalists will receive support to participate in an in-person co-creation participatory workshop in Montreal, Canada, in 2025.

Simultaneously, we are conducting a systematic review and developing a conceptual framework on practical steps and methods for co-creation. These efforts will complement the findings of the open call, ensuring a comprehensive and robust guide for co-creation practices.

CASE STUDY RESEARCH

In the second half of 2024, the TDR Global team advanced the implementation of the Health Research Mentorship in Low and Middle-Income Countries (HERMES) practical guide, focusing on equity, inclusivity, and sustainability. A significant initiative was piloting Mutual Mentorship within the SESH network to address disparities in mentorship opportunities and foster collaboration and innovation.

This pilot introduced a reverse mentorship model where junior researchers contributed innovative ideas and technical skills, while senior researchers shared their extensive experience and best practices. The goal was to create a more inclusive mentorship dynamic that challenged traditional hierarchies and fostered equitable relationships.

The initiative involved participants from across the SESH network, enriching the mentorship process and demonstrating the adaptability of the model. The pilot was conducted from July to November 2024, with the results presented at the WHO/TDR meeting, “Lessons Learnt from Six HERMES Mentorship Pilots.” Key outcomes included improved collaboration, enhanced technical capacity for senior researchers, and leadership skill-building for junior researchers.

Currently, we are drafting a case study to summarize these findings for inclusion in the revised guide.

Event

SESH organized a global crowdsourcing open call (Go Youth!) focused on youth social innovation using the TDR “Practical Guide on Crowdsourcing in Health and Health Research”. The Go Youth! Global Open Call 2022 successfully established a global and diverse steering committee with representatives worldwide, including youth innovators. We received 156 submissions for the open call. Submissions have been made in English, Arabic, Spanish and French, mainly representing low-to-middle-income countries such as South Africa, Uganda, Laos, Nigeria, Philippines, India, Nepal, and many others. We conducted a practice pitch, facilitated by the SIHI Fellows on September 23rd 2022 for all 11 Go Youth finalists. This session was 2 hours and focused on providing mentorship and feedback both from peers as well as SIHI Fellows. We also invited all 11 finalists to attend a crowdfunding bootcamp on November 4th 2022 to provide training on crowdfunding. This was a flipped classroom-style lesson that involved the development of a basic crowdfunding plan. A Public Pitch event was held on November 23rd 2022, where the top 3 submissions were recognized. The evaluation was conducted through a panel of 4 independent judges. For the Go Youth! Open call, a manuscript describing the open call process will be co-written with top 3 finalists from the open call, and submitted to an international conference and journal for publication.

ABOUT US

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Joe is the study principal investigator on two United States National Institutes of Health R01 grants that evaluate crowdsourcing to enhance HIV services. He has implemented over 30 crowdsourcing challenge contests and has a special interest in collective intelligence and crowdsourcing. He has helped to organize crowdsourcing contests in China, Thailand, Vietnam, the United States, Australia, South Africa, and globally. He helped with the SIHI practical guide and the ongoing spurring social innovation through crowdsourcing projects from TDR global.

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Weiming currently leads one grant from the UNC Center for AIDS Research evaluating crowdsourcing approaches to HIV self-testing. He manages several large crowdsourcing projects in China now and has a special interest in epidemiology and evaluation. He serves as Assistant Director at UNC Project-China and mentors undergraduates, graduate students, and postdoctoral fellows interested in challenge contests.

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Shufang has extensive experience with social media and strategic communication. She helps to liaise with the local community and disseminate our findings widely through social media. She is helping to develop the ongoing spurring social innovation through crowdsourcing projects from TDR global.

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Larry helped to develop and evaluate one of the first crowdsourcing challenges that solicited videos promoting HIV testing in China. He has a special interest in statistics and finance. He led the development of the SIHI practical guide.