Shift Lab 1.0 Collective
Responding to the work of EndPovertyEdmonton, the Edmonton Community Foundation and the Skills Society Action Lab partnered for 5 years (2015-2020) to develop Edmonton Shift Lab 1.0 and 2.0.
Understanding the value of grassroots approaches to social change, the initial partners began laying the foundation for growing the four key groups stewarding the work of Shift Lab 1.0.
Lab Advisory
A diverse group of 8-10 leaders who have lived experience with the challenges we are addressing, are champions for creative processes that spark critical change, and/or are leaders within key systems that can influence change.
This group will support the lab by providing input when critical questions arise in the lab process and act as key levers supporting the public presence of the Shift Lab.
Community Voice
An ever growing collective of organizations and people that are interested in or already working on addressing racism and poverty in Edmonton.
This group will act as a bridge connecting community experiences to the lab process. This will support sense-making around racism, poverty, and systems and provide a link to people to co-design solutions with community.
lab backbone stewardship
A group of 5 people that represent diverse ethnocultural community perspectives and have knowledge and know-how around the coordination of human-centered design thinking and change labs.
This group will steward the design of the lab, research and gather data to ensure the lab is rooted in sound principles, coordinate and organize the logistics of the lab, and help co-facilitate lab sessions.
core lab team
A diverse group of 7-9 people with backgrounds in human rights activism, design thinking, systems thinking, anthropology, service innovation, community building and human services.
This team will undertake on the ground research with community to first explore assumptions, ideas, and realities around racism and poverty in Edmonton and then co-design and test solutions with people.
what is a lab?
To aid the move from roundtable talks to action, a promising approach is emerging in the social innovation ecosystem. Often called a social innovation lab, the approach draws on the strengths, empathy, creativity, and wisdom of a collective to explore new ways of making progress on a complex challenge. These labs are guided by convening diverse perspectives on an issue, gaining insight from people with lived experience of a challenge, facilitated ideation, building prototypes of solutions, and testing them to see how they work on the ground with people. A lab creates a safe zone for a collective to explore, question assumptions, be bold, be agile enough to adapt as learning emerges and experiment with solutions. As evidence emerges of what prototyped solutions are working, solutions can be scaled and spread to impact systemic change. To help scale solutions systemically, key champions are needed who can open doors, steward policy shifts and build capacity for embracing change.
a lab exploration is
about the journey
and the goal
The Edmonton Shift Lab 1.0 was about exploring the intersections between racism and poverty. While its goal was to develop innovative prototypes to help address the issues and needs of our communities, the journey towards this goal was equally important. The collective learning that emerged from the lab was a vital part of the process. As we moved forward together, we were diligent about documenting the learning of what’s working and what wasn’t so that the journey was as transparent as possible and designed to build and share knowledge.
“A two way process to learn about each other’s culture, ‘interculturalism’, will lead to stronger sharing.”
Shift Lab 1.0 Advisory
This group of community leaders and champions acted as key levers supporting the public presence of the lab. 2016-2017.
Mark is President of the consulting company From Here to There
and an Associate of Tamarack– An Institute for Community Engagement.
While studying the Solidarity movement in Krakow, Poland, in mid-1989, Mark experienced a variety of tumultuous events that signalled the end of communism in Eastern Europe – including walking on the Berlin Wall with a million people the week it came down in November 1989. He then rolled up sleeves and worked as an Investment Advisor in Poland’s Foreign Investment Agency, the Foreign Assistance Coordinator for Grants in the new Ministry of Privatization, and the Mission Coordinator for the creation of the United Nations Development Program’s first regional economic development initiative in Eastern Europe.
Mark’s current focus is on developing practical ways to understand, plan and evaluate efforts to address complex issues. This includes challenges such as neighborhood renewal, poverty and homelessness, community safety, educational achievement and health. He is particularly involved in developing and promoting developmental evaluation, a new approach to assessment which emphasizes real time feedback and learning in emerging, messy and sometimes fast-moving environments.
Guidance with stewarding social innovation labs
A communicator by profession, Bin is a long-time public servant and joined Mayor Don Iveson’s team on his election as Edmonton’s 35th mayor. Prior to that, he worked at Edmonton Economic Development, Government of Alberta and the Saskatchewan Workers’ Compensation Board. As a community member, he has served on non-profit association boards and is an active volunteer at North America’s largest and longest-running fringe theatre festival. Bin has a Bachelor’s degree in economics and a Master’s degree in Southeast Asian studies.
Champion and enable the Edmonton Shift Lab’s success in addressing the intersection of racism and poverty
Help innovate, consider and tap into new opportunities as we enhance our understanding of poverty and racism
David Shepherd is a first-generation Canadian and life-long resident of Edmonton. His mother arrived from the Netherlands in 1948 and his father from Trinidad in 1967.
Prior to being elected as member for Edmonton-Centre, he held positions in municipal, provincial and the federal public service, most recently serving with the City of Edmonton Transit department as a communications officer.
MLA Shepherd’s first love was music and he spent many years as a professional musician and studio engineer. He holds diplomas in music performance and studio recording from MacEwan University and a BA in professional communications from Royal Rhodes University.
In addition to his work as MLA for Edmonton-Centre he chairs the Standing Committee on Legislative Offices and is a member of the Standing Committee on Families and Communities. He is also supporting Minister Phillips in the implementation of the Climate Leadership Plan.
It may be no surprise to you that David Shepherd is a champion of Edmonton’s arts scene but you may not know that he is also an avid cyclist, a passionate advocate for active transportation, a proponent for housing that is both inclusive and affordable, and continues to engage with the North Edge Business Association, Downtown Business Association, Edmonton Chamber of Commerce and the Downtown Vibrancy Task Force.
Through all of his work, David has developed a reputation as a powerful communicator, thoughtful analyst of public policy, with a keen sense of humour – skills he is putting to good use in his role as the MLA for Edmonton-Centre.
Giri Puligandla is Director of Planning and Research with Homeward Trust Edmonton. Responsible for stewarding public investment towards ending homelessness in Edmonton, Homeward Trust has been recognized nationally and internationally for facilitating the largest decrease in homelessness of any large city in Canada. Giri’s areas of responsibility at Homeward Trust include service systems planning, stakeholder engagement, program design and evaluation, data management and analysis, and research. Prior to joining Homeward Trust in 2011, Giri held leadership and executive roles in several Edmonton-based non-profit organizations working in the areas of mental health, housing and homelessness, family caregiving, and community development. Giri’s career has centred on connecting community and government services to bridge and fix gaps that have left too many Albertans vulnerable, especially those with the greatest needs and fewest supports. He believes strongly that the lived experience of vulnerable and marginalized people needs to drive policy and program re-design in order to transform complex social systems and make them more effective.
Engage people who have never engaged in design discussions
Learn and share new ways of thinking, collaborating, doing, and solving
Gurvinder Bhatia left a career practising law to pursue his passion for wine and food. He is the wine editor for Quench (Canada’s most widely distributed wine and food publication), wine columnist for the Edmonton Journal and Global TV Edmonton, an international wine judge and the head wine buyer and Director of Wine, Business Development & Education for the UnWined wine boutiques. Gurvinder was the owner of Vinomania wine boutique (opened in 1995) for over 20 years, named one of the 20 best wine stores in Canada. In addition, Gurvinder was the wine columnist for CBC Radio for 11 years. Gurvinder is also the founder and director of Northern Lands, our country’s largest all-Canadian wine and culinary festival, and is certified by VinItaly International Academy as an Italian Wine Expert. In addition to possessing a law degree (JD) from Washington University in St. Louis, Gurvinder earned his Masters Degree in Business Administration (MBA) with honours from Bradley University in Illinois. In 2015, Gurvinder was named by Alberta Venture Magazine as one of Alberta’s 50 Most Influential People. Gurvinder believes that wine and food get their context from the people, place, culture and history of their home and focusses on sharing these stories of sense of place through his writing and commentaries. Gurvinder is frequently asked to speak at events and conferences locally, nationally and internationally. Gurvinder is actively involved in the community and donates his time and resources to numerous charitable causes including currently sitting as a Board member of the Edmonton Community Foundation.
Helping to create awareness
Being realistic, hopeful and determined for change
Kaitlin is a passionate systems-thinker and anti-racism educator. She has worked for the non-profit, the Centre for Race and Culture, since 2012 in different roles, starting as a practicum student while completing her Master’s degree in Public Health in the area of social inequities. Her research looked at strategies for exploring and acknowledging institutional racism in schools and the connection between racism and education and health outcomes. Kaitlin has experience not only in academic research, but also in on-the-ground facilitation and program development with community grassroots organizations. Kaitlin has been a facilitator of anti-racism, cultural competency, bias, diversity and inclusion training to hundreds of adults and youth in organization across Alberta.
Help drive systems-level change
Encourage all people to see a shared responsibility in addressing racism
Kim has received her Honours Bachelor of Arts in Political Studies and her Bachelor of Laws. She has also completed the Police Management Certificate.
She spent nine years working with the Edmonton Police Service, first as a Legal Advisor and then as Manager in charge of the Professional Standards Branch.
Since October 2006, Kim has held the following Government of Alberta positions:
- Executive Director, Law Enforcement and Oversight Branch, Alberta Solicitor General;
- Assistant Deputy Minister, Justice Services Division, Alberta Justice;
- Deputy Clerk of Executive Council and Deputy Secretary to Cabinet;
- Deputy Attorney General;
- Acting Deputy Minister, Alberta Justice and Solicitor General; and
- currently, Deputy Minister, Status of Women.
Learn from others as to what is possible
Rachael Putt is Policy Advisor & Community Liaison to Ward 6 Councillor Scott McKeen. Previously, Rachael worked in fund development and public education at Bissell Centre, an organization that helps people transition out of poverty and homelessness in Edmonton. She has presented on the correlation between relationship building and community impact in several forums, including the Parliament of the World’s Religions in Salt Lake City, 2015. She holds a Master of Science in Security Studies from University College London, where she focused on conflict transformation, peacebuilding, and reconciliation in Northern Ireland.
Rachael manages several intersecting files in the Ward 6 office, including End Poverty Edmonton, Indigenous Relations, and Mental Health & Urban Isolation. She is especially passionate about ending Edmonton’s housing crisis.
Encourage and be encouraged by fellow participants to lean in to discomfort when confronting what we don’t know
Bridge communications between the lab and municipal governance
“Racism and stereotypes are major issues. People have stereotypes about me too, as a new Iraq Canadian.”
Community Voice
This group acts as a bridge connecting community experiences to the lab process. Contact us if you, your neighbourhood, or an organization would like to be featured here to share your knowledge, connect the shift lab with your community or host a learning session at one of the Shift Lab Campfire events
Through the process, we identified a common agenda of six pathways forward that could help Alberta move towards a bold, inclusive and radically fruitful social innovation ecosystem. We are now in Phase 2, with a new operating model, and have set our minds, hearts and actions on the next set of questions: How do we put what we have learned into action and in service to the ecosystem as a whole? How do we support the move from common agenda to common action?
That same Fellows is actioning the pathways of deep collaboration, fostering the move from strategic planning to adaptive planning, and developing the craft of social innovation for Alberta, with a focus on Edmonton.
Revenue from the Action Lab supports the employment of people with disabilities, innovative social change initiatives of Skills Society and subsidizes community groups who can’t afford the full fee.
Check out Articles in the News and Videos of the Keynote Speeches at the launch of Action Lab with Mayor Iveson and MLA David Shepherd, Tim Draimin, Mark Cabaj and Guests
Bridge the work of the YegShiftLab and EndPovertyEdmonton to find more opportunities to incorporate social labs in the work to end poverty
Attend at least one social lab and share the experience with others
At Volunteer Alberta, Annand is known for having a ‘gift’ for dad jokes, being excessively optimistic, and always having something to say. He volunteers with the Edmonton Folk Fest, the Edmonton Community Foundation and the University of Alberta Alumni Council.
When he’s not at work, Annand is learning the latest dance moves from his two incredible daughters and honoring and supporting his wife in her career as an educator.
“Ending racism means making ‘the other’ less intimidating – having fun, sharing culture and stories. Why do we always make it boring and dull? It should be about empowerment, joy and celebration.”
Lab Backbone Stewardship
This group stewards the lab design and process, coordinates activities, and organizes the logistics of the lab.
Support prototypes as they emerge
Amplify the hard work already happening in Edmonton around racism and poverty
Support the stewards in guiding the shift lab process
Help create meaningful prototypes with community
Develop new ‘cultural design’ frameworks
Challenge (and be challenged) on how we derive the concepts of racism and poverty in Edmonton today.
Support the design and implementation of solutions alongside community
Learn in action and enhance the learning of all
Help design and steward the shift lab process
Be a bridge between groups making up the shift lab collective
“Ending racism means making ‘the other’ less intimidating – having fun, sharing culture and stories. Why do we always make it boring and dull? It should be about empowerment, joy and celebration.”
Core Lab Team
The heart of the lab, this group will explore assumptions, ideas, and realities around racism and poverty in Edmonton and co-design prototypes. The Core Lab team will be announced in September 2016
Keren’s own journey to here is richly characterized by unexpected twists and turns. Emigrating from El Salvador, she was encouraged to follow her dreams, eventually going on to obtain three academic degrees in Classical Studies, Comparative Literature and Cultural Studies, with a focus on the politics of identity. She has since bridged this creative foundation into a career helping the public sector reboot policy development and planning across a broad range of areas, from energy futures and sustainability, to Indigenous programs and policies, to grassroots transition initiatives for rural communities. Keren would say her super power is helping individuals come together and to take the creative leap.
When I’m not working, you can find me somewhere downtown Edmonton enjoying the city. I spend time volunteering on the steering committee of YEG Youth Connect, which is an annual event that supports youth experiencing housing insecurity and homelessness in Edmonton and enjoy the multitude of things to do in this city. I’m really happy to call Edmonton home, and really happy to work with others to make it even better!
Pieter has a PhD in Anthropology from the University of Alberta as well as a MSc in Public Health. His research focuses on using narrative and visual methods to explore community understandings of home and belonging in an informal settlement in South Africa.
Over the past several years, Pieter has enriched his practice by using documentary photography (www.pieterdevos.ca), digital storytelling, and arts-based methods to enhance dialogue and collaboration. He has facilitated workshops using these methods in Kenya, Sweden, Tanzania, Pakistan, Haiti, and the USA. These community-based projects have animated the dialogue on poverty and homelessness, HIV/AIDS, childhood injury, and gender relations.
Soni has held various positions in management, organizational development, policy research, teaching, facilitation, and communications. She is a results oriented person with professional experience in academic, non-profit, philanthropic and government sectors. She is an innovative leader who has developed an inclusive and collaborative working style. She has built her career focusing in areas of immigration, social determinants of health, mental health, early childhood development, youth employment, youth engagement/participation, education, arts and culture, gender equity, community development, organizational development/governance, strategic planning, social justice, advocacy, human rights, child welfare, poverty reduction, anti-racism and working with Indigenous communities.
A mother of three also a lover of dance Soni enjoys watching and engaging in performing arts, and inspiring her children and husband to dance their worries away.
During her graduate studies, Sheida has touched upon several social policy related issues and became extremely interested in social innovation and entrepreneurship. She completed her master thesis on microfinance and women empowerment in Middle East, a subject closer to home.
Sheida watches documentaries and tennis matches thoroughly. She also takes pride in her pancake-making skills and her appreciation for a good brunch.
