Mayerthorpe Design Lab Champions Workshop
On November 27th, we hosted a Community Champions workshop, a full-day community co-design session focused on creating a more welcoming and inclusive town. This workshop marks the beginning of the Mayerthorpe Design Lab where we hope to bring members of the community together over the next year to design Mayerthorpe’s future together. The purpose of this one-day was to introduce the Social Impact Lab Alberta to the self-identified Mayerthorpe community champions. We also discussed what folks loved about their community and how we could work towards making Mayerthorpe more inclusive to both established residents, new residents, and potential newcomers.
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On November 27th, we hosted a Community Champions workshop, a full-day community co-design session focused on creating a more welcoming and inclusive town. This workshop marks the beginning of the Mayerthorpe Design Lab where we hope to bring members of the community together over the next year to design Mayerthorpe’s future together. The purpose of this one-day was to introduce the Social Impact Lab Alberta to the self-identified Mayerthorpe community champions. We also discussed what folks loved about their community and how we could work towards making Mayerthorpe more inclusive to both established residents, new residents, and potential newcomers.
The day started with an engaging icebreaker activity, where participants used LEGO to build structures representing what they love most about Mayerthorpe. This set the tone for a creative and collaborative atmosphere.
Highlights included:
World Café Discussions: Small group conversations explored what success in welcoming newcomers looks like, how to build on Mayerthorpe’s strengths, and the activities that already foster inclusion.
Vision Collage Activity: Participants worked in groups to create collages, illustrating their vision for an inclusive community. The gallery walk that followed allowed everyone to present their works of art.
Key Insights & Commitments: Together, we identified community strengths, challenges, and potential steps to move forward, creating shared norms to guide future efforts.
Thank you to everyone who attended and contributed their perspectives. Your input was invaluable in shaping a path forward for Mayerthorpe. Together, we’re building a stronger, more connected community.
If you're curious and want to learn how to build your own Community Champions workshop, check out the guide on our social innovation portal here.
Stay tuned for updates as we continue through the design thinking process in the Mayerthorpe Design Lab!
Explore epsiode transcripts
Land Acknowledgement
In the spirit of our journey to promote reconciliation, we would like to honour the truth of our shared history and acknowledge Treaty 7 territory and the traditional lands of the Blackfoot Confederacy, that includes the Kainai, Siksika, and Piikani First Nations.
We acknowledge the traditional lands of the Tsuut’ina First Nation, and the Stoney Nakoda, including the Chiniki, Bearspaw, and Wesley First Nations. We would also like to recognize the Métis people, and the Inuit people who have made their home here in Mohk’insstsis, also known as Calgary.
