Citizen Action Lab
Collective of citizen action lab explorers generating new citizenship and community connection possibilities
The Citizen Action Lab evolved into MyCompass Planning Labs
Skills Society is continuously finding ways to foster relevant creativity in our day-to-day work in order to achieve better quality outcomes for the individuals we serve. Developed over 10 years into its current form, the Citizen Action Lab is a think tank for discovering innovative ways to connect people with disabilities to meaningful citizenship roles and employment opportunities in community. The Citizen Action Lab is a process that helps unlock creativity in Community Support Workers so they can strengthen their approaches to supporting people with disabilities to uncover and connect with all the things that make life great.
Using disciplined creative processes of social innovation labs such as Human Centered Design Thinking, 8 trained stewards can go into community with their mobile pop up lab kits or use the Action Lab space, to help foster ideas and action that lead to better quality of life for people with disabilities. Through this process Skills Society helps foster a culture of creativity, and helps people we serve strengthen a sense of belonging and find new ways to contribute their unique abilities in community.
Achievements
Researched and Developed a collaborative creative process, made an instructional video, toolkit and built a team of citizen action lab stewards who can facilitate Citizen Action Labs for people and teams that need some help thinking out side the box.
Our Social Innovation Lab process and results in inclusive Citizenship experiences was featured in the Stanford Social Innovation Review magazine for being an exemplary social innovation that is improving the lives of people with disabilities
Many of the citizenship stories featured on the Project Citizenship website emerged from Citizen Action Lab think tanks
The Citizen Action Lab guide book for facilitators published on the Apple iBooks store – and in Action Lab Guide Book in PDF format
Resources
Project Objectives
Determine better ways to support people with disabilities as full citizens in community
Help people with disabilities offer their interests and gifts in the community
Uncover opportunities for people with disabilities to develop small businesses
Connect people with disabilities to employment opportunities
Host a 40 small and large Citizen Action Labs annually, helping support workers “think outside the box” and develop creative ways to support the people they serve
Impact
People with disabilities are experiencing participatory citizenship, improved quality of life and enhanced community involvement
People with disabilities are adding their unique gifts to the fabric of our community
Skills Society staff are finding new and innovative ways to support the people they work with in a person-centered context, making that support much more meaningful
Many of the citizenship stories featured on the Project Citizenship website emerged from Citizen Action Lab think tanks
Over 4 years (2011-2015) 55 people with disabilities in Edmonton have experienced new jobs or meaningful engaged citizenship opportunities or have developed small businesses
Evolved into MyCompass Planning Labs which is now integrated in Skills Society planning practices and has been taught to other organizations across Canada.
Leadership
