Hey everyone!

I’m super excited to welcome you to our very first Collective System Innovation (CSI) event! Whether you’ve attended one of our past events or are new to MINDS, we’re thrilled to have you join us. Our focus for the August event is: ‘Lack of Service Coordination and System Navigation’ in London-Middlesex. This blog is your go-to guide for everything you need to know about our two-day adventure. 

Sound like something you’d like to attend?
Register here!

Day 1 | August 23 | Doors open at 11:30 | 12pm – 5pm

We’ll kick things off with a warm welcome and a land acknowledgment. After lunch and a quick registration, we’ll dive right into what this event is all about. Expect a mix of meditation, introductions, and a deep dive into the mental health and addiction landscape. We’ll discuss social innovation, its importance, and how the CSI event fits into the bigger picture. We have three planned breaks. 

This includes: 

• Mindfulness Session: We’ll start with the TUZA technique to set a positive tone.
• Meet & Greet: Get to know your fellow participants through a fun activity and share what skills and experiences you’re bringing to the table.
• System Overview: Learn about the current state of mental health services and how MINDS is making a difference (with you at the reins).
• Expert Panel: Hear from experts in the field and learn more about this complex challenge. After the panel, we’ll have a Q&A session.
• Reflection Circle: Share your insights and think about how you’ll take care of yourself tonight.

Day 2 | August 24 | Doors open at 11:30 | 12pm – 5pm

On Day 2, we’ll build on what we learned and start working on real solutions. We’ll dive right into ideation with your working group, identifying problems and brainstorming potential solutions. We have two planned breaks. 

This includes: 

• Morning Meditation: Start the day with a mindfulness session and reflect on the previous day.
• Story of Change: Share your experiences of positive change and what you’ve learned from them.
• Group Work: Break into small groups to identify specific aspects of the complex challenge and brainstorm solutions. We’ll help you refine your ideas and prepare your pitch.
• Pitch Presentations: Present your ideas to the group, and get feedback to refine your approach. This is your chance to shine and showcase your innovative solutions!

Important Info and Reminders

• Location: Goodwill, 255 Horton St E, London, ON (Community Hall)
• Lunch and Registration: Doors open at 11:30am each day. Grab your lunch, check in, and pick up your honorarium ($125/day) for your time and contributions.
• Virtual Attendance: If you can attend in person (especially for day two) this is ideal. That said, if your health would prevent you from attending, we will have options for you to join virtually! We aim to have all our events have virtual options moving forward, but this first one might have some technical issues (we’re learning too).

What’s Next?

After the event, we’ll keep the momentum going! Think of this event as a sprint to quickly generate and refine innovative ideas. Most of the work will be done over the next four months (September-December) as you and your working group bring your ideas to life.

Here are a few things to look forward to:

• Working Groups: Any project is selected during the pitch event will receive both financial support and organizational help from MINDS. This will be crucial in turning your ideas into reality. After the event, you’ll be able to join multiple working groups based on the pitches you’re interested in. These groups will be your team for developing and implementing your ideas. Each working group member will receive up to 24 hours of honorariums for meetings and project work over four months. You’ll decide as a group when and how often to meet to push your project forward.

• Discord Server: We’re setting up a dedicated Discord server for youth who are working on interventions with MINDS. This will be your central space for communication, collaboration, and support. You’ll use it to stay connected with your working group, share updates, and get feedback.

• Monthly Socials: We’ll host monthly socials on the first Friday of each month (Sept 6, Oct 4, Nov 1, Dec 6) from 6-9pm. These gatherings are a great opportunity to catch up with fellow participants, discuss your projects, and enjoy some casual networking. Enjoy pizza and drinks on us while you connect and collaborate. While there won’t be honorariums for these events, our staff will be there to support your work and answer any questions.

Looking forward to seeing you soon and kicking off this amazing journey together! If you have any questions or need more information, feel free to reach out to me at melissa.taylor-gates@sjhc.london.on.ca.

Let’s make this a memorable and productive experience together!

Sound like something you’d like to attend?
Register here!