WHO & WHY?
A group of diverse leaders across the philanthropic, community development and private sectors with low ego came together to learn and innovate. This work was supported with backbone support from the Community Foundations of Canada and subsequently SETSI to develop, cultivate and steward this community of practice dedicated to systems transformation which involves tackling our most wicked challenges, pressing problems and leveraging previously unimagined possibilities.
This includes:
Transitioning the state of a system by changing its underlying patterns, narratives, relationships, value flows, and norms.
Shifting mindsets and paradigms that address the intersectionality, power structures and inequities of these deep systems.
A holistic and interconnected process of intentional change. This goes beyond addressing a single mission or issue area but transforms multiple aspects of a given system for better futures.
WHAT?
An inclusive and generative space for active consideration of societal transition.
Reimagining an equitable and integrated view of the infrastructures needed for long-term societal transition and for future generations to come
The group is committed to the following
- Sensemaking - strengthening our analysis of the context in which we are working
- Community - building trusting relationships and networks outside of the issue and organizational context we are working in
- Strategy - expanding our understanding of how-to best frame problems, opportunities and possible solutions by drawing on a wide range of perspectives
- Collaboration - exploring ways to develop shared activities advancing transition goals
- Action - playing a catalyst role to help diverse actors to coalesce and cohere around specific transition change goals
Transition Innovation Group raison d’être
Transition Innovation Group weekly notes
Bolder, faster, together: Perspectives on societal transition, coordinated by the Transition Innovation Group at Community Foundations of Canada, is a series on Canada’s National Observer that poses this question: How can we all take responsibility for the past, navigate a turbulent present and co-operate to protect future generations?
Sample government submission to federal governance for National Infrastructure Assessment -Equitable Infrastructure: A resource framing infrastructure types using an equitable placemaking lens
Evolution
Started during COVID as a response to consider how to accelerate the required societal transition to meet the moment by Community Foundations of Canada
Transitioned to SETSI as the new TIG Steward facilitating; speaker engagement, community outreach & engagement, ecosystem coordination, strategic communications, web development & hosting, as well as social media management.
How?
Developing proposals for policymakers
Shifting narratives through thought multifaceted leadership activities
Creating a platform for exploring and prototyping transition innovation
When ?
Monthly sessions
One hour session with flexibility for 45 minutes additional for further dialogue
Transition Innovation Group Schedule Q4 2024 & Q1 – Q4 2025
Marcelo Vieta, PhD
Department Chair, Department of Leadership, Higher and Adult Education - Ontario Institute for Studies in Education - University of Toronto
Melizia Mensah
Managing Director of Sisters in Solidarity
Wednesday, Jan 15th 2025
Wednesday, Feb 19th 2025
Wednesday, Mar 19th 2025
Ryan Oneil Knight
Executive Director, of ACBN, Founder of Detailing Knights, and Co-Owner of Just Like Family Midtwon East Toronto
Eric Agyemang
Founder & Managing Partner of Maple Bridge Ventures
Dr. Jennifer Boger
Chief Scientific Officer, ESG AI
Wednesday, Jul 23rd 2025
Wednesday, Aug 20th 2025
Wednesday, Sept 24th 2025
Wilfreda Edward
Executive Director, Canadian Centre for Nonprofit Digital Resilience (CCNDR)
Neil Price
Co-Founder and Executive Director of LogicalOutcomes
Michelle Baldwin
Systems Navigator and Co-Founder of the Transition Innovation Group
Wednesday, Oct 22nd 2025
Wednesday, Nov 19th 2025
Wednesday, Dec 3rd 2025
Shady Hafez
Director at NAFC – National Association of Friendship Centres
Aunnie Patton Power
Academic (Oxford, LSE), Author (Adventure Finance), Advisor (The ImPact, BEAM network, Jumo, Nyala Venture), Angel Investor (Dazzle), Founder (Impact Finance Pro)
Wednesday, Dec 17th 2025
Information for Speakers
Typically, sessions are an hour beginning with brief 10-minute introductions and any announcements from the facilitator. Then the presentation can run for 30 minutes or so, leaving 10-15 minutes for questions and discussion and encourage discourse and a peer input session. We then finish with a sort of “so what?” or some calls to action reflecting on the topic discussed and trying to conclude and consolidate. Usually, a small group of those available and interested stay longer than the allocated hour to continue the discussion though it’s not mandatory for you, the speaker(s), to remain for this.
For the presentation, slides are not mandatory but you can prepare them if they would be helpful. You can send along any information you’d like circulated ahead of the session such as a bio, resources about your work, a slide presentation, etc. Additionally, you can focus more on the presentation or pose questions to the group and have a more interactive session- the nature of the presentation is up to you!
What to Expect
Enthusiastic group looking to learn
Lots of questions and comments
Some nudging and constructive feedback
All speakers are welcome to join Transition Innovation Group sessions and continue to engage, send an email to Maat Re – Maat@setsi.ca
Transition Innovation Group
