Naerum, Denmark – At the 2012 AAA conference in Boston, the Oticon Foundation and the nonprofit Ida Institute launched a worldwide open call for ideas for generating better understanding of hearing loss, changing public perception, and encouraging people to take action.
The campaign is called Ideas, Speak Up – Action and Awareness for Hearing Loss, and is an open innovation competition that is funded by the Oticon Foundation and facilitated by the Ida Institute.
Individuals and groups are invited to submit their original ideas online for awareness projects that have the potential to effect change locally and/or globally, are simple and cost-effective, and inspire people to action.
“The Ida Institute has consistently demonstrated that collaborating with others can lead to answers, solutions, and breakthroughs that result in positive change,” says Niels Boserup, chairman of the Oticon Foundation. “Ida Institute will apply its unique approach to innovation and collaboration to collect, process and evaluate ideas for future awareness-building projects that will benefit people with hearing loss.”
The idea-generating competition is hoping to enlist the creativity and experience of individuals in the private and public sector, as well as universities, associations, manufacturers, and people with hearing loss and their families.
“The collaborative process will enable us to engage the collective intelligence of our Ida network and the general public to build awareness of hearing loss and its impact,” states Ida Institute managing director Lise Lotte Bundesen. “Everybody is invited to share their best ideas through our online platform.”
The open call for ideas runs through September. During this time, ideas will be shared online at www.awarenessforhearingloss.com. Commenting and voting will take place from October through February 2013.
Implementation plans for the top-10 ideas will be developed. Finally, in February, an expert panel of judges, made up of thought leaders in a variety of hearing and health care, innovation, and communication disciplines, will select three winning ideas that will be announced at the 2013 AAA conference.
“If your idea is selected, you will have the satisfaction of seeing your idea turned into reality and possibly help change public perception of hearing loss and inspire people to take positive action to address hearing 
loss,” said Bundesen.
Participation in the online competition is free of charge and open to all. Visit www.awarenessforhearingloss.com to register.
SOURCE: Ida Institute
Photo: Ida Institute managing director Lise Lotte Bundesen joins Oticon Foundation chairman Niels Boserup for the launch of the Ideas, Speak Up – Action and Awareness for Hearing Loss competition at 2012 AAA show in Boston.
