On the surface, Social Impact Bonds appear to be revolutionary financial instruments for helping the less-advantage. But is there a downside to these new financial bonds?
What is an SIB?
An SIB or Social Impact Bond are relatively new financial instruments used by Governments around the world to raise money from investors to be used for social service initiatives . In summary, Governments leverage capital via contracts with say a Bank, Wall Street or private investors to implement programs they create social change. Should the program be successful, the investors money is returned + interest based upon the initiatives success.
The aim for governments is to save tax-payer dollars in the future, by solving problems of the day. SIBs are being used for homelessness, prison rehabilitation, children’s education, juvenile crime, poverty etc.
What could be the problem?
SIB’s are data driven and data is a valuable commodity within financial markets. The major concern is that when people are commoditised, basic human rights are exploited via goals that ‘look good on paper’ and reap brilliant financial returns, but do nothing for the creation of real & enduring social change.
Nadine Pequeneza is the director of The Invisible Heart, a documentary about Social Impact Bonds. Her research for the film led Nadine to believe that SIBs could be doing more harm that good.
Back in 2021, I shared a series of videos by Alison McDowell that comprehensively detailed the push to commoditise humans, harvest our data, and how the guise of a virus accommodates the greater agenda at play— The Great Reset & Transhumanism.
In the video below, Alison McDowell talks about predatory human capital markets, and how SIB’s or ‘Pay for Success’ or ‘Impact Investment’ undermines our Human Radiance.
Australia is not immune
Whilst the video above is more geared to the United states & Europe, Australia is certainly not immune to the emergence of SIBs. For instance our Victorian Government has initiated an SIB for Primary School Education called ‘Side by Side’. Side by Side is an intensive 12-month program designed to improve the engagement and learning outcomes of students in Years 1 to 4.
In the following video, Tashi Talks discusses Children Information Sharing Sharing schemes. Tashi talks about: What is ‘wellbeing’? Which information is being shared and why? Who decides your child’s ‘Wellbeing’ – the parent? or a government accredited ‘professional’? Is a child’s wellbeing a product for impact investors? And towards the end of the video Tashi directly talks about the Side by Side SIB.
What you can do?
Global Walkout is a series of STEPS to take that enable you to not only take back your data, but essentially remove yourself from systems that do not have your best interests at heart. Radiantly Human is about creating NEW Systems as the old systems crumble.
