Mapping Our Region of Changemakers
Friday, February 21, 1:00-3:30 PM
Nearly 100 changemakers, thought leaders, and community champions from across the Southern Georgian Bay region came together throughout the afternoon for a transformative day of collaboration, innovation, and visioning at The Community Impact Lab at Georgian College.
This event, co-hosted by The Institute of Southern Georgian Bay, Georgian College’s Change the Now (#CTN) program, and The Academy of South Georgian Bay, explored how we might reimagine collaboration across sectors to build more sustainable, equitable, and resilient communities.
The session included:
✅ The official ribbon-cutting ceremony of Georgian College’s newest Community Impact Lab at the South Georgian Bay campus
✅ An interactive workshop mapping our region’s changemaking ecosystem
✅ Cross-sector discussions on bold pathways for impact
✅ Creative problem-solving exercises designed to unlock the Art of What’s Possible
✅ A visioning session that challenged participants to reimagine collaboration and take action
Breaking Out of the Box: The Art of What’s Possible
We know that solving complex challenges requires creative thinking. To tap into outside-the-box innovation, we started the session by inviting attendees to actively engage in thinking about systems differently, and playfully.
🍞 How Do You Make Toast? Process Mapping for Systems Thinking
Participants were asked to map out the process of making toast. A seemingly simple task… but then, we introduced the real challenge:
➡️ How can you improve this process?
Some groups considered the entire supply chain, tracing the journey back to soil health, wheat production, and farmers. Others integrated green technologies to create a more sustainable toasting process.
💡 The takeaway?
By expanding our perspective, we can uncover new opportunities for collaboration, innovation, and impact. This exercise gave us permission to take this creative, systems-level thinking into the rest of the workshop.
Understanding the Current System: Mapping Our Region’s Changemakers
After priming our minds for big-picture thinking, participants were divided into cross-sector, industry-specific groups (e.g., housing, environment, business & economic development, health, and arts).
Each group worked on Rich Context Maps—a method of systems mapping that goes beyond identifying problems to explore:
🔍 WHY these problems exist
🔍 The hidden forces and external influences at play
🔍 Existing programs and emerging niche initiatives already making an impact
This approach allowed us to not only map challenges but also document and celebrate the incredible work already being done by our region of changemakers.
💡 For many, this exercise uncovered projects and initiatives they weren’t even aware of—leading to new connections and opportunities for collaboration!
💡 See the visual Rich Context Maps from the session on MURAL here
Reimagining the Future: Building Bold, Cross-Sector Collaborations
Once participants had explored and shared insights of the existing system, we mixed things up!
Participants traveled to new tables with a completely different industry focus (e.g., business & economic development leaders moved to an arts table, while climate advocates joined a housing group).
The challenge:
➡️ How can your sector support an initiative in an industry you don’t usually work in?
➡️ What does a sustainable, thriving future look like when we break down silos?
Then, we took things one step further…
🎨 Crafting the Art of What’s Possible
With craft bins (think pipecleaners, tinfoil, toilet paper rolls) and a spirit of playful innovation, each table was challenged to:
✔️ Choose one emerging initiative from their Rich Context Maps
✔️ Develop a collaborative solution by integrating new partnerships across industries
✔️ Use visual storytelling to illustrate the impact of this new collaboration
For example, could an arts organization partner with an environmental group to create public art that raises awareness about climate action? Could a business invest in a workforce housing initiative that simultaneously supports the local economy?
Each group presented their ideas, painting a picture of what’s possible when we think differently about collaboration.
Key Takeaways & Next Steps
The energy in the room was electric—and this is just the beginning!
What We Learned:
- Collaboration is key to tackling regional challenges—solutions don’t exist in isolation!
- Creativity unlocks new possibilities—when we allow ourselves to think beyond traditional structures, fresh solutions emerge.
- Cross-sector partnerships have untapped potential—we need to keep building bridges across industries and sectors.
- We need great ideas, and financial support. There is a tremendous role for philanthropy, as well as public-private partnerships to step up and support innovative ideas, take risks, and offer organizational support to make things move.
- Permission and Possibility create the opportunities for people to come together. Explore the possibilities, and remind people that they have permission to dream of something better
So What?
This event was just the beginning of an ongoing movement toward collaboration, innovation, and impact. With a full house of changemakers from across industries and communities, we saw firsthand the power of bringing diverse voices together—but the work doesn’t stop here.
To truly create lasting change, we must:
- Keep Connecting & Learning – There is an abundance of talent, experience, and wisdom in our region. By taking the time to connect and share knowledge, we strengthen our collective capacity to drive meaningful progress.
- Invest in a Better Future – Change requires commitment. We must be willing to invest our time, our resources, and ourselves in building solutions that serve our communities for generations to come.
- Create More Spaces for Collaboration – Sustainable impact doesn’t happen in isolation. We need dedicated places and processes that facilitate ongoing dialogue, problem-solving, and action.
- Take Action—Today – Follow up on new connections, engage in deeper conversations, and spend more time in community. Take the calls, listen to new perspectives, and be intentional about finding ways to work together.
The energy in the room on February 21st proved that collaboration is our region’s greatest strength. Now, it’s up to all of us to continue the work, amplify the impact, and build a stronger, more connected changemaking ecosystem.
How We Can Keep the Momentum Going:
✅ Follow up on new connections! For those who were in the room with us on February 21, if you met someone who could be a potential collaborator and haven’t yet, reach out this week.
✅ Explore The Academy of South Georgian Bay! Whether through:
- Supporting our 2026 Full-Time Learning Program
- Encouraging youth participation in the Spring After-School Changemakers Pilot
- Becoming a Start-Up Sponsor
✅ Register for Georgian College’s RISE Day on April 2nd—featuring the Uncommon Collaborations Conference! Register here.
✅ Learn more about The Future of Belonging—a community initiative aimed at boosting community wellness and delving deeper into the future of connectedness within our communities. The Future of Belonging initiative has been actively demonstrating the usefulness of the Community Impact Lab spaces.
📩 Stay connected! Subscribe to The Institute’s newsletter for upcoming community events and conversations: www.tisgb.com
Final Thoughts: The Power of Collective Leadership
This event proved that when we bring diverse voices together, we can create transformative change.
In times of political, socio-economic, and environmental turbulence, our region is proving that collaboration is our greatest strength.
We are more connected than ever, and the impact we can create together is limitless.
We believe that Southern Georgian Bay can meet today’s needs of the planet, its people, and economic vitality…without compromising the needs of future generations.
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