OUR WORK ON BELONGING SPANS THREE HORIZONS OF INNOVATION

As we think about future building and this year’s AGM theme, we’ve imagined how we might support deeper belonging through the Three Horizons of Innovation7. Horizon 1 and 2 innovations support people in the here and now by evolving and bending existing systems, while Horizon 3 innovations help ensure we don’t lose sight of our collective vision and keep us dreaming and imagining about what could be 8 Organizing our change projects in this way can help us:

• See and be explicit about the different types of change each project is contributing to (e.g. change in the here and now versus transformative change)

• Ensure all types of change efforts are valued

• Keep our expectations in check - ensuring we are using the right approach, have access to the necessary resources, and have the appropriate expectations for the type of change we are seeking to produce

In order to produce meaningful change and make progress towards a better future where every individual is valued and belongs, we believe it is important that our work span all three horizons of innovation.

• MyCompass Missions

• Leadership

• MyCompass Surveys and Stories

• MyCompass Planning Labs

• CommuniTEA Infusion

• Future of Home Inclusive Housing Solutions Lab and Edgemont Pilot

• MyCompass Planning App

• Supporting People with Complex Service Needs: A Capacity Building Strategy

• The Belonging Project

• Project Citizenship, a past project of Skills Society (www.projectcitizenship. com/)

• Action Lab

• Action Lab

• Action Lab actionlab.ca

Action Lab is a social enterprise of Skills Society. Profits from renting the space and stewarding various social innovation explorations come back to support our work at Skills Society. Did you know that Action Lab is also a think tank space for our work at Skills Society? It is the incubator for many of the social innovation projects shared here. You can learn more about and stay up to date on these projects on our website and social media.

@actionlabYEG

MyCompass Missions

The MyCompass Missions feature provides guided “choose your own adventures” for the people we serve to try new things as an engaged community member. Helping people to learn by doing, the Missions feature takes people stepby-step through different experiences to try new things, and reflect on whether they would like to explore something similar or incorporate that activity into their routine. The Horizon 2 challenge that the Missions feature is trying to innovate around, is that often if people have been supported in services for a long time, it can be really challenging to know oneself, and imagine new hobbies, connections and possibilities. The Missions feature makes it easier to try things, reflect, learn and then make new connections that could lead to things like a felt sense of belonging.

• Belonging is different than fitting in - belonging is being accepted for who you are. The Missions feature helps people to discover themselves, their gifts, their wishes - what makes them uniquely them! Creating space for self-discovery and exploration can be a launching point for creating opportunities for them to share their gifts with the community.

• By listening to people with disabilities, we know that relationships play an important role in experiences of belonging. The Missions feature is rooted in fostering relationships, intentionally designed to spark moments of connection and support people in reflecting on how they might connect with others in different spaces.

• Drawing on principles from behavior change science, MyCompass Missions can help support workers shake up assumptions (for example that people with disabilities can only go bowling or to the mall) and see different possibilities for the people they serve.

The Leadership Workbook helps staff grow their leadership practice and purpose, gain tools, and ultimately enhance their skills as allies to serve the people we support better. Currently in its pilot phase, the Workbook is soon to be rolled out to all Skills Society staff along with team meeting activities.

How it supports belonging and systems change

• People can’t simply be told to hold values of belonging or a collective vision and expect that it becomes action overnight. People have to take time to listen, probe assumptions, and think of their own ways of how to put values and vision into everyday practice. By offering tools and resources, and creating space for personal reflection and learning, the workbook strengthens staff skills to support deep belonging and helps us come up with tangible ways we might support people in building belonging in their lives.

The MyCompass Surveys and Stories are short surveys for the people we support to reflect on the past year and share feedback with leaders at Skills Society using words, stories, and photos.

How it supports belonging and systems change

• Belonging is a subjective experience, and is therefore best understood by the person experiencing it. As supports and allies, it is important that we truly listen to the people we serve in diverse and meaningful ways. Centering the voices of people served, these stories and insights help influence positive change towards supporting belonging, by helping Skills leaders to get a sense of what people really care about and what belonging looks like in their lives.

MyCompass Planning Lab is our 1.5 hour think tank process that helps supports, families, and allies break open creative thinking and generate creative ideas and action, alongside people served, to connect with all the things that make life great.

How it supports belonging and systems change

• Helps unlock creativity within supports, families and allies so they can strengthen their approach to supporting belonging.