Imagine a world without technology, where those who are helpless in society cannot seek help. Imagine a world where there is no internet, and underprivileged children are unable to learn. Imagine a world where a woman who is a victim of domestic abuse has to walk miles to seek help.
Now, imagine a world where there is technology and people can seek help. Imagine a world where underprivileged children have access to the internet and can learn online. Imagine a world where an abused can call for help and help would arrive in minutes. This is the power of technology.
The use of technology in facilitating social work is done to find solutions to social problems. It is entirely focused on helping social workers do their jobs efficiently. It is not only about using advanced technology, but also about using technology to help those in need. Social technology uses a unique approach to provide innovative solutions to different issues. That is, you can use social technology to provide jobs, help in the adoption process, and improve the economy. Social technology experts try as much as possible to meet societal needs.
Brief Explanation of Social Technology Entrepreneurship
Social technology entrepreneurship is the process whereby social technology experts establish businesses that cater to society. Social technology entrepreneurs integrate technology with core human values to better people’s lives. They strive to change people’s traditional outlook on how technology impacts lives.
However, it is sad to note that there is little support for social technology entrepreneurs. According to Hershey Rosen, some entrepreneurs lack the funds and amenities to establish a social technology firm. Hershey Rosen has more than 18 years of experience in the field of technology entrepreneurship. He is the founder of many successful startup firms.
How Technology Can Solve Societal Needs
A decade ago, educational institutions and business owners were eager to know the latest trend in technology. They wanted to see the changes new technology will bring. This is because they know that technology will break through many different barriers in society. Doctors will be able to save more lives with new technology, education will become more accessible, and so on.
However, back then, technology was not as advanced as it is now. Therefore, their expectations were not properly met.
In the past, many problems could have been resolved easily with technology. For example, women who are going through domestic abuse couldn’t get access to fast internet to seek help. Children who were abandoned by their parents went missing because there was no electronic record. Ladies who were victims of trafficking were helpless because they couldn’t communicate with the outside world. Children staying in underdeveloped areas couldn’t have access to education because online classes were not in existence then. Social workers had more work to do, but fewer tools to work with.
This is why the 20th century brought a new era where anything is possible with technology. Social workers can help victims of domestic abuse by going through their cases files which are available anytime. The social workers don’t have to worry about losing the paper records because they can access the electronic records.
This and many more are the ways technology has been helping social workers and society.
Similarly, social technology entrepreneurs create businesses that use technology to provide various services. They develop apps, websites, and digital tools to help society. For example, some apps are used for searching for information about adoptions. Users can search for reputable adoption agencies on the apps. It makes things easier and faster for those looking to adopt. They don’t need to physically visit one agency to another to find out about their adoption process. The apps are automated to bring out lists of good adoption agencies with their licenses.
To buttress the importance of social technology, the recent pandemic came to mind. During the pandemic, schools, businesses, hospitals, restaurants, and many more were closed down. Without technology, the world wouldn’t have survived. Things would have been worse than expected. Social technology entrepreneurs used technology to create apps to monitor areas that have a high number of infected people. Educational institutions developed online learning by using digital tools. The health care sector developed websites for virtual health consultations. People were able to get back on their feet thanks to the existence of social technology entrepreneurs.
What to do to improve social technology
Many people have innovative ideas but lack the funds to make them a reality. Some lack the manpower and the required skills to build a social technology business. A social-tech entrepreneur has the fund, skills, and infrastructure to develop social technology. These things will ensure that the technology developed will be of high quality.
Similarly, some social-tech entrepreneurs have the funds, and skills but don’t want to use them to solve societal problems. They only care about making a profit, but not about making an impact on society.
Therefore, there is a need to create awareness of how to use technology to help those in need. The government should also provide funds for social entrepreneurs who want to improve the nation’s economy and society.
Furthermore, social technology entrepreneurs should ensure that their technologies are not used to destroy lives.
Hershey Rose believes that social-tech entrepreneurs are morally obligated to change lives with their technologies. This will make the world a better place.
