Bright Ideas Spark Real Change
The needs of the social service sector are more diverse and complex than ever before. United Way Halton & Hamilton’s Social Innovation Lab helps non-profits rethink how to drive sustainable impact by bringing social service agencies together with corporate partners, topic experts, students and people with lived experience. Through collaboration, connection, capacity- building, and a design-thinking lens, we’re building an ecosystem of support and solutions to the most unignorable issues in our communities.
Want to learn more about Social Innovation Labs? Contact communityinvestment@uwhh.ca
We Need New Solutions
Poverty. Homelessness. Mental illness. Social isolation. These are just a few of the most pressing issues affecting too many people in Halton and Hamilton. Unpredictable funding and rising demands on social services are straining existing systems and resources. By leading with innovation, we’re helping non-profits stay agile in an ever-shifting landscape.
Become a Corporate Partner. Be the Change.
What if you could be a catalyst for change? Bring your expertise to the table and help solve the complicated, unignorable issues preventing far too many people in our community from getting ahead. UWHH’s Social Innovation Lab provides an immersive employee experience that builds teams, engages the community, and cultivates resilience in the non-profit sector.
Some of the world’s most successful companies use design thinking to thrive. (Studies have shown that integrating design thinking into the workplace resulted in a 300%+ ROI.) Our design teams will develop opportunities, test ideas, and scale solutions with potential to transform local lives.
Design thinking: A human-centered approach to problem solving, with five main stages: gaining empathy for the end user; (re)defining a problem; ideating solutions; prototyping; and testing ideas with end users for validation. Stages are not necessarily linear and often involve iteration.
Want to learn more about Social Innovation Labs?
Contact Vivien Underdown VUnderdown@uwhh.ca
Program Partners
