Local organizations invited to Georgian, YMCA of Simcoe/Muskoka info sessions for Community Innovation Network
May 9, 2024
Community organizations are invited to share their ideas and feedback about the future of the YMCA of Simcoe/Muskoka at two information sessions hosted this month by the YMCA and Georgian College.
“Through working together across social and cultural communities, we have an incredible opportunity to explore what a future-ready, inclusive landscape might look like,” said Nicole Norris, Director, Social Innovation, Georgian College. “At these sessions, we’ll focus on how to make the landscape strongly sustainable through an innovation ecosystem that applies the social factors of health as its measures of flourishing.”
The two upcoming sessions – May 22 and May 28 – aim to engage and involve community organizations in the Future of Belonging initiative.
The sessions follow a recent announcement by the YMCA of Simcoe/Muskoka and Georgian at the college’s Research, Innovation, Scholarship and Entrepreneurship (RISE) Symposium.
The YMCA of Simcoe/Muskoka and Georgian’s Social Innovation unit are taking steps forward with the launch of a Community Innovation Network, a first-of-its-kind initiative in the region that will explore how various community services can maintain relevancy into the future, as well as how they can collaborate to cause change and bring agency to underrepresented groups.
“Our collaboration with Georgian College is about harnessing the strength of our community to co-create innovative solutions that truly meet the needs of our diverse population. We invite community organizations to join us in shaping the future of community-driven innovation together,” said Pamela Marck, Vice President of the YMCA of Simcoe/Muskoka.
Next steps: Information sessions
As part of this initiative, Georgian College and the YMCA of Simcoe/Muskoka will be hosting two informational sessions:
Session No. 1:
- Date: Wednesday, May 22.
- Time: 1 to 2:30 p.m.
- Location: Sandbox Centre, 24 Maple Ave., 2nd floor, Barrie, ON.
- Register online to attend in person or virtually.
Session No. 2:
- Date: Tuesday, May 28.
- Time: 9:30 to 11 a.m.
- Location: Sandbox Centre, 24 Maple Ave., 2nd floor, Barrie, ON.
- Register online to attend in person only.
These sessions will serve as platforms for a project overview, dialogue, and the presentation of opportunities for how to get involved in this project and redefine community-driven innovation in the region.
Together, Georgian and the YMCA of Simcoe/Muskoka are committed to co-creating a new standard for collaboration, inclusivity and community innovation within our communities.