At ABSI Connect, we have been thinking lots about these two things:

How different sectors may use social innovation language (whether sympathetically or directly or not at all).
How we can better use the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) language and explanations to frame our thinking around how we ‘categorize’ the social innovations in Alberta for the purpose of ecosystem mapping and storytelling.

This spurred two collaborations with two different social innovation classes taught at Mount Royal University by Katharine McGowan this past semester (Sept. - Dec. 2019).

The first class was tasked with analyzing a sector of their choosing, for example construction or education, and find out if that sector uses any social innovation language or concepts directly or sympathetically. Upon performing a deep-dive environmental scan they compiled their findings into a report and a visual poster. Below are a few of the posters from this class.

Emergencies and Disasters

Analysis of the Emergency Management systems in the face of external threats such as natural disaster. The systems map highlights how the fire department, police services, emergency medical services, and emergency management and response use sympathetic and direct social innovation language.

Alberta Health Services and Social Innovation

A journey through AHS’s past, current, and future use of social innovation terms and concepts.

Education - Social Innovation Language Analyzed

This diagram shows the terms that five Alberta learning centres use related to social innovation, how they use them, as well as gaps and barriers in these systems.

The second class was tasked with choosing one of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals and researching how Albertans have addressed the concerns within that SDG over the last 150 years. Once completing a written report, they were tasked with creating a video that relates their chosen SDG to local problems in Alberta. Here are a few of the videos produced during this class:

SDG Goal 13: Climate Action

The Fight for Climate Change in an Economy Driven Province

Created by Katerina Bravo, Danika Dinko, Olivia Harrison, Jasmin Capitan and Maya Pajevic

SDG Goal 15: Life on Land

We’re inspired by many of these thoughtful projects and can’t wait to continue working with students at MRU and elsewhere to explore what social innovation looks like in Alberta. Do you have an idea for a student project at your institution? Get in touch!