What are Social Innovation Labs?
In a nutshell, Labs hold space for diverse change makers to sense make, generate, develop, and test a portfolio of promising solutions to address complex societal challenges in a way that is collaborative, experimental, iterative, and systemic. To learn more about what we mean when we say “Lab” checkout Stream One of Inquiry here.
Examples of Labs in Action
Below we’ve pulled three videos that showcase what a Lab can look like in action. They are a small sample size of what Labs can be, but give anyone new to the space, a tangible example of what the work can look like. If you have a video on a Lab that you’d like to see profiled here reach out at actionlab@skillssociety.ca.
This 10 minute mini documentary showcases the Future of Home: Inclusive Housing Solutions Lab that focussed on co-creating accessible, affordable, and inclusive housing and support models with people with intellectual disabilities, their allies, and system stakeholders. You can learn more about the project here.
A quick 2 minute video created by Social Innovation Generation Canada (SiG) that outlines a social innovation approach - what it is and how its impactful.
This 10 minute, mini documentary highlights Design by Doing 2.0, a social innovation process that explored barriers to employment for Bhutanese newcomers in Edmonton. You can learn more about the project here.
Labs Around the World
The Labs Community
Ever wondered who else is doing Lab or “Lab-Like” work? Here we’ve created a compilation of Labs doing work we admire in Canada and beyond. Do you have a lab you’d like to submit? Submissions will be reviewed for approval by the Future of Labs team. Submit a lab >
Reconciliation in Post-Secondary Education Social Innovation Lab
Coeuraj, McConnell Foundation
www.coeuraj.com/work/reconciliationlab
The first round of this lab took place in 2021 and engaged two post secondary institutions in its exploration of how to incorporate the TRC Calls to Action into their work. A second round, starting in 2023 is engaged two more post secondaries in this work. As part of the lab, post secondary institutions are supported to form and facilitate their own lab teams with peer learning, coaching, and other resources provided.
CityStudio Vancouver
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
citystudiovancouver.com/
An innovation hub that brings city staff, students, faculty, and community to co-create experimental projects that make Vancouver more sustainable, equitable, joyful, and
inclusive.The hub aims to build capacity amongst everyday citizens to innovate and change make. Projects are on a wide range of topics including: climate emergency, democracy, reconciliation, equity and inclusion, or health and well being.
The Institutional Architecture Lab
Uniquely focused on institutional innovation, TIAL was formed in 2023 to help the institutional design community coalesce, learn together, and grow. Their approach links practical work - specific projects aimed at significantly updating old institutions and creating new designs - with reflection, synthesis, and accumulation of knowledge in its field building.