Innovation & Change Making

Supporting people to be valued citizens is at the heart of what we do

Skills Society’s social innovation projects focus on removing barriers, and shifting systems to be more empowering and equitable.

Through our independent projects and those with our community partners, Skills Society aims to test new ideas and challenge old assumptions — pioneering better ways to value and center marginalized community members. Our learning with community contributes to the growing body of knowledge around Social Innovation Research and Development within Canada.

The platform for our systems change work is stewarded through our Action Lab

Paige Reeves 2024-05-14 Paige Reeves 2024-05-14

The Belonging Project

A research partnership between Skills Society and the University of Alberta exploring the conditions, actions, and processes that support opportunities for belonging in the lives of people with intellectual disabilities.

Rebecca Rubuliak 2023-12-11 Rebecca Rubuliak 2023-12-11

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 step-by-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.

Tanya Camp 2022-06-21 Tanya Camp 2022-06-21

MyCompass Planning Labs

Evolving from the Citizen Action Lab, 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. These labs offer a fun and creative experience that encourages participants to explore new ways for a citizen with a disability to become more active and included in community life.

Skills Society 2022-05-30 Skills Society 2022-05-30

MyCompass Planning

MyCompass Planning is a social innovation that emerged from Skills Society, Southern Alberta Community Living Association, Lift Interactive and Ben Weinlick. It is now scaling across North America. In essence the aim is to make system change that ensures case management in social services doesn’t forget the human being at the centre of development, delivery and assessment of support services.

Skills Society 2022-05-20 Skills Society 2022-05-20

Edmonton Shift Lab

Collective Impact, Design Thinking to tackle a complex community challenge

Skills Society 2022-05-19 Skills Society 2022-05-19

SDX

SDX is an Edmonton-based community of practice that convenes individuals interested in learning about Systemic Design as a methodology for addressing complex, real world issues.

Skills Society 2022-05-18 Skills Society 2022-05-18

Project Citizenship

Overturning negative stereotypes about disability through the power of story