With a particular focus on Turkey, this study explores the situation of social innovation concept as new ways to solve social problems in terms of social policy and social welfare. In this context, the development of social policy and the emergence of social innovation were discussed. Along with that, best practices of social innovation in different sectors were addressed. The importance of the concept in terms of social policy is examined as social innovation is seen as an a crucial instrument of innovative social policy practices. In addition, a number of social innovation examples which are carried out and supported by the public institutions in the context of social policies in Turkey have been revealed throught semi-structured interviews. Thus, these practices, which may contribute to developing new perspectives to the field of social policy are discussed for the first time within the framework of social innovation concept.

A redirection towards wellbeing with a view to produce lasting social and economic vitality for the global civilization necessitates moving from conventional economic methods towards innovative solutions, which are necessary to face challenges of today and the future to foster sustainable growth. Social innovation and its agents can be considered as a toolbox which may facilitate a transition by positively influencing wellbeing, developing ways of integrating it into policy, and promoting it as an alternative measure of progress. Social innovation may increase the role of civil society in solving social problems, while sustaining and improving people's wellbeing beyond increasing their welfare in monetary term. By providing up-to-date solutions to challenges ranging from global warming to fair income distribution, and from social innovative entrepreneurs to grass-rooted innovation, social innovation seems to be capable of transforming the society in a way to tackle with a new kind of societal problems, and of exploring new ways to create added value for the economy.

Combating poverty and sustaining development is one of the most significant challenges humanity needs to overcome. Governments, local institutions, non-profit organizations, academia, and companies are making great efforts to alleviate poverty and ensure sustainable development. However, these efforts cannot be reached the desired level in changing and transforming the world. Therefore, these problems, which were addressed in conventional ways, must be considered and resolved through “innovative approaches”. The aim of this study is to address the concept of social innovation, which can be used as a solution to social problems in general, and as a tool in combating poverty and regional development in particular, with examples of successful applications. In this sense, firstly, the concept of social innovation is discussed in the context of poverty alleviation and sustainable development through qualitative research. This study also evaluates the role of social innovation practices and solutions in poverty reduction and sustainable rural development by analyzing two cases such as the KIVA microcredit system and community-supported agriculture. These cases have been examined in terms of innovativeness, sustainability, social impact, target audience, and institutional structure. As a result, it revealed that the cases mentioned above contribute to poverty reduction and regional development in terms of innovation, target audience, sustainability and social impact.

A redirection towards well-being with a view to produce lasting social and economic vitality for the global civilization necessitates moving from conventional economic methods towards innovative solutions, which are necessary to face challenges of the future to foster sustainable growth. Social innovation and its agents can be considered as a toolbox which may facilitate a transition by positively influencing well-being, developing ways of integrating it into policy, and promoting it as an alternative measure of progress. Social innovation may increase the role of civil society in solving social problems, while sustaining and improving people's well-being beyond increasing their welfare in monetary term. By providing up-to-date solutions to challenges ranging from global warming to fair income distribution, and from social innovative entrepreneurs to grass-rooted innovation, social innovation seems to be capable of transforming the society in a way to tackle with a new kind of societal problems, and of exploring new ways to create added value for the economy.

By aiming at improving social welfare and well-being, social policies, social innovation, and smart territories are closely related to each other. Local authorities are in direct contact with citizens and regional needs, which makes them an important actor in overcoming challenges ranging from housing, spare-time activities to education to improving democratic standards. There are many successful examples of social innovations, including FixMyStreet.com, participatory budgeting, and Open Government Vienna, which are supported by local governments that can contribute to the formation of smart cities and territories. By elaborating related examples from various perspectives, this chapter highlights the relation between social policy, social innovation, and smart cities.