Stay Updated on the Initiative

Future of Belonging 2SLGBTQIA+ Workshop Report

The Community Impact Lab facilitated the third in a series of community conversations on belonging on June 18, 2024, at the Barrie Public Library, and on August 13 2024, at Georgian College Barrie Campus. Both engagements were specific to 2SLGBTQIA+ community members, family members of those identifying as part of the community, or people who work with the community. *Community Impact Labs allow diverse community actors to tackle complex socio-economic challenges through community-based participatory research to co-design, test, and launch future-ready equity-first or justice-first based solutions

The first of the community workshops, held on December 8, 2023, explored well-being/belonging partnerships and networks from the lens of community and social service agencies. The insights and report from that first conversation are available at futureofbelonging.ca. The second conversation was much more targeted and provided explicitly for the equity-deserving demographic of newcomers and those with lived experience of immigration and studying internationally. Guided by the unique perspectives of those identifying as part of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, these last two events aimed to continue mapping community actors and gathering data regarding regional capitals related to community health, well-being, and belonging. Participants identified and categorized actors and their capitals during the sessions using a collaborative mapping tool and canvas.

Grand Opening of the Community Impact Lab

Georgian College and the YMCA of Simcoe/Muskoka hosted the official launch of a new Community Impact Lab space at the Barrie Public Library’s Downtown Branch on September 17th, 2024. This collaborative effort aims to create a dedicated space for community members to come together, innovate and build sustainable ideas that enhance community well-being and foster a sense of belonging.

The Community Impact Lab is part of The Future of Belonging project, a visionary initiative between Georgian and the YMCA of Simcoe/Muskoka. The lab will focus on promoting community engagement, supporting local innovations, and boosting the overall well-being of community members. Georgian and the YMCA of Simcoe/Muskoka also released The Future of Belonging’s first Insights Report at this launch.

Future of Belonging for Newcomers and International Students Workshop Resources

The Community Conversation hosted by the Community Belonging Community Impact Lab at Georgian College successfully engaged newcomers and international students in mapping the diverse actors within the Simcoe/Muskoka region. This workshop highlighted the effective use of the Community Capitals Framework to identify and leverage local resources for community-led innovation. Four teams identified over 250 actors using a community-based participatory method, enriching our understanding of the regional community capitals and their interconnections. The data gathered offers valuable insights into the potential for forming innovation networks that harness diverse strengths across various levels of influence and knowledge.

This community participatory workshop is part of a workshop series for the Community Impact Lab exploring a Future of Community Belonging, a collaborative community initiative initiated by the YMCA of Simcoe/Muskoka and Georgian College’s Social Innovation Department.

Community Impact Lab exploring a Future of Community Belonging Workshop Resources

The community belonging workshop demonstrated the value of the Community Capitals Framework in understanding and leveraging diverse community resources. By mapping out various actors and their connections to different types of capital, participants gained insights into potential collaborations and innovation networks. The exercise highlighted the importance of including a wide range of actors, especially those connected to natural capitals and grassroots movements, to address community issues more effectively. The findings suggest a need for greater inclusion of underrepresented groups and a focus on leveraging all types of community capitals for holistic and sustainable community development. The December 8, 2023 workshop was the beginning of a series of workshops and analysis to map actors to the regional community capitals, and develop a better understanding of stocks and flows. The information gathered through future workshops will help lay the foundation for system change to support community innovation across our region.

This community participatory workshop is part of a workshop series for the Community Impact Lab exploring a Future of Community Belonging, a collaborative community initiative initiated by the YMCA of Simcoe/Muskoka and Georgian College’s Social Innovation Department.

Stay Updated: Find out what's happening with our projects.

Join the conversation: YMCA of Simcoe/Muskoka and Georgian College invite community to identify future trends

Simcoe County, ON – Wednesday, May 15 | Community members and local organizations are invited to participate in The Future Includes… Scan Club, a new initiative by the YMCA of Simcoe/Muskoka and Georgian College to identify trends, challenges, and opportunities for our communities’ future.

Click here to read more


Building Together: Georgian College and the YMCA of Simcoe/Muskoka Host Informational Sessions for Community Innovation Network  

Simcoe County, ON – Thursday, May 9| Together, Georgian College and the YMCA of Simcoe/Muskoka are committed to co-creating a new standard for collaboration, inclusivity and community innovation within our communities. As part of this initiative, Georgian College and the YMCA of Simcoe/Muskoka will be hosting two informational sessions and invite community organizations to learn more about how to participate. 

Click here to read more


Forward Together: Georgian College and the YMCA of Simcoe/Muskoka Aim to Redefine the Landscape of CommunityDriven Innovation  

Simcoe County, ON – Wednesday, April 3 | Georgian College and the YMCA of Simcoe/Muskoka made waves at the Research, Innovation, Scholarship and Entrepreneurship Symposium at Georgian today with an announcement aimed at reshaping community engagement and innovation. The two organizations revealed plans to co-create a Community Innovation Network – a first-of-its-kind initiative in the region. 

Click here to read more


Forward Together: Georgian College and YMCA of Simcoe/Muskoka Drive Progress in Future of Belonging Project

Simcoe County, ON – March 18, 2024 | Georgian College and the YMCA of Simcoe/Muskoka are pleased to provide an update on the ongoing collaborative initiative, the Future of Belonging project. Spearheaded by the Social Innovation Team at Georgian College and the YMCA, this project aims to explore and enhance community belonging in the region through innovative approaches and community engagement.

Click here to read more


YMCA, Georgian College create community-focused partnership

Two local organizations are putting their heads together to find ways of making for a better community. The YMCA of Simcoe/Muskoka and Georgian College have announced a collaborative effort aimed at exploring how local organizations can innovate together to create a greater sense of belonging within the community.

Click here to read to read more


Future of Belonging project to be showcased at upcoming RISE event

Georgian College and the YMCA of Simcoe/Muskoka are pleased to provide an update on the ongoing collaborative initiative, the Future of Belonging project. Spearheaded by the Social Innovation Team at Georgian College and the YMCA, this project aims to explore and enhance community belonging in the region through innovative approaches and community engagement.

Click here to read more

 

Stay Updated on the Initiative

Future of Belonging 2SLGBTQIA+ Workshop Report

The Community Impact Lab facilitated the third in a series of community conversations on belonging on June 18, 2024, at the Barrie Public Library, and on August 13 2024, at Georgian College Barrie Campus. Both engagements were specific to 2SLGBTQIA+ community members, family members of those identifying as part of the community, or people who work with the community. *Community Impact Labs allow diverse community actors to tackle complex socio-economic challenges through community-based participatory research to co-design, test, and launch future-ready equity-first or justice-first based solutions

The first of the community workshops, held on December 8, 2023, explored well-being/belonging partnerships and networks from the lens of community and social service agencies. The insights and report from that first conversation are available at futureofbelonging.ca. The second conversation was much more targeted and provided explicitly for the equity-deserving demographic of newcomers and those with lived experience of immigration and studying internationally. Guided by the unique perspectives of those identifying as part of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, these last two events aimed to continue mapping community actors and gathering data regarding regional capitals related to community health, well-being, and belonging. Participants identified and categorized actors and their capitals during the sessions using a collaborative mapping tool and canvas.

Grand Opening of the Community Impact Lab

Georgian College and the YMCA of Simcoe/Muskoka hosted the official launch of a new Community Impact Lab space at the Barrie Public Library’s Downtown Branch on September 17th, 2024. This collaborative effort aims to create a dedicated space for community members to come together, innovate and build sustainable ideas that enhance community well-being and foster a sense of belonging.

The Community Impact Lab is part of The Future of Belonging project, a visionary initiative between Georgian and the YMCA of Simcoe/Muskoka. The lab will focus on promoting community engagement, supporting local innovations, and boosting the overall well-being of community members. Georgian and the YMCA of Simcoe/Muskoka also released The Future of Belonging’s first Insights Report at this launch.

Future of Belonging for Newcomers and International Students Workshop Resources

The Community Conversation hosted by the Community Belonging Community Impact Lab at Georgian College successfully engaged newcomers and international students in mapping the diverse actors within the Simcoe/Muskoka region. This workshop highlighted the effective use of the Community Capitals Framework to identify and leverage local resources for community-led innovation. Four teams identified over 250 actors using a community-based participatory method, enriching our understanding of the regional community capitals and their interconnections. The data gathered offers valuable insights into the potential for forming innovation networks that harness diverse strengths across various levels of influence and knowledge.

This community participatory workshop is part of a workshop series for the Community Impact Lab exploring a Future of Community Belonging, a collaborative community initiative initiated by the YMCA of Simcoe/Muskoka and Georgian College’s Social Innovation Department.

Community Impact Lab exploring a Future of Community Belonging Workshop Resources

The community belonging workshop demonstrated the value of the Community Capitals Framework in understanding and leveraging diverse community resources. By mapping out various actors and their connections to different types of capital, participants gained insights into potential collaborations and innovation networks. The exercise highlighted the importance of including a wide range of actors, especially those connected to natural capitals and grassroots movements, to address community issues more effectively. The findings suggest a need for greater inclusion of underrepresented groups and a focus on leveraging all types of community capitals for holistic and sustainable community development. The December 8, 2023 workshop was the beginning of a series of workshops and analysis to map actors to the regional community capitals, and develop a better understanding of stocks and flows. The information gathered through future workshops will help lay the foundation for system change to support community innovation across our region.

This community participatory workshop is part of a workshop series for the Community Impact Lab exploring a Future of Community Belonging, a collaborative community initiative initiated by the YMCA of Simcoe/Muskoka and Georgian College’s Social Innovation Department.

Stay Updated: Find out what's happening with our projects.

Join the conversation: YMCA of Simcoe/Muskoka and Georgian College invite community to identify future trends

Simcoe County, ON – Wednesday, May 15 | Community members and local organizations are invited to participate in The Future Includes… Scan Club, a new initiative by the YMCA of Simcoe/Muskoka and Georgian College to identify trends, challenges, and opportunities for our communities’ future.

Click here to read more


Building Together: Georgian College and the YMCA of Simcoe/Muskoka Host Informational Sessions for Community Innovation Network  

Simcoe County, ON – Thursday, May 9| Together, Georgian College and the YMCA of Simcoe/Muskoka are committed to co-creating a new standard for collaboration, inclusivity and community innovation within our communities. As part of this initiative, Georgian College and the YMCA of Simcoe/Muskoka will be hosting two informational sessions and invite community organizations to learn more about how to participate. 

Click here to read more


Forward Together: Georgian College and the YMCA of Simcoe/Muskoka Aim to Redefine the Landscape of CommunityDriven Innovation  

Simcoe County, ON – Wednesday, April 3 | Georgian College and the YMCA of Simcoe/Muskoka made waves at the Research, Innovation, Scholarship and Entrepreneurship Symposium at Georgian today with an announcement aimed at reshaping community engagement and innovation. The two organizations revealed plans to co-create a Community Innovation Network – a first-of-its-kind initiative in the region. 

Click here to read more


Forward Together: Georgian College and YMCA of Simcoe/Muskoka Drive Progress in Future of Belonging Project

Simcoe County, ON – March 18, 2024 | Georgian College and the YMCA of Simcoe/Muskoka are pleased to provide an update on the ongoing collaborative initiative, the Future of Belonging project. Spearheaded by the Social Innovation Team at Georgian College and the YMCA, this project aims to explore and enhance community belonging in the region through innovative approaches and community engagement.

Click here to read more


YMCA, Georgian College create community-focused partnership

Two local organizations are putting their heads together to find ways of making for a better community. The YMCA of Simcoe/Muskoka and Georgian College have announced a collaborative effort aimed at exploring how local organizations can innovate together to create a greater sense of belonging within the community.

Click here to read to read more


Future of Belonging project to be showcased at upcoming RISE event

Georgian College and the YMCA of Simcoe/Muskoka are pleased to provide an update on the ongoing collaborative initiative, the Future of Belonging project. Spearheaded by the Social Innovation Team at Georgian College and the YMCA, this project aims to explore and enhance community belonging in the region through innovative approaches and community engagement.

Click here to read more