Social Innovation: its meaning and applications. Round table with: Paola Di Nicola, Mauro Moruzzi, Stefano Tommeleri, Simon Gottshalk

From an analysis of the active citizenship’s practices introduced by Tuscany Region, this paper aims to examine the path of involvement for people with disabilities, their families and associations, in the elaboration of the Social Plan for Disability by the SdS North-West Florence. By choosing this case we aim to analyse the innovative and integrated use of the opportunities provided by the regional normative, which gave rise to a process of participation where the local community has been able to find shared answers to deal with some issues remained, for a long time, unresolved. The analysis shows how a conscious use of the possibilities provided by the institutional system may help to trigger collaborative and cooperative relationship among the different actors in the field (public institutions and private companies, third sector and citizens). However, during the analysis, the same institutional context (i.e. Tuscany Region) has taken shape as the main obstacle to the possibility that these paths may contribute to overcome the traditional approach to the health policy, which is sectorial and directive, in order to assign a leading role to the local community. .