New Secret Find

Posted on by Jenn Chan

I really like going to museums and talking to the security guards. They have such unique experiences from watching and maintaining the museum floor or a specific exhibit. Often out of people watching or boredom, they have the funniest little tidbits of information.

Some good examples:

1. At the Canadian Centre  of Architecture, the security guard pointed out to me that a model that was illustrating light and circulation patterns was made up of 96 layers of plexi-glass, something you would certainly need time to notice.

2. At the New Museum, the security guard who seemed intent on staying very serious let down his tough exterior when I asked him which “I Wish” ribbon he liked best. Each “I Wish” ribbon had a unique statement that represented wishes that people had contributed to a participatory exhibit. He had to think hard about it, but he said that his favourite was “I wish to be a famous baseball player” which he took for his son, one of 5 children. He also took several for his other children and his wife. I told him about a few new ones and said he would have to check them out.

3. At the Art Gallery of Ontario, a security guard told me about how the artist had very specific requirements about keep the piece intact and maintaining the integrity of the piece. The security guard took it upon himself to protect the installation process. The artist arrives after the piece is installed perfectly and takes a walk around the installation, picks up a hammer and smashes a mirror. The security guard was not impressed.

I look forward to more discoveries.

Youth Environment Camp

Posted on by Jenn Chan

At the end of July, I had the privilege of spending 4 days with the Leaders in Training (LIT)  at the Albion Neighbourhood Services Boys and Girls Club Camp. I programmed a week of activities to discuss sustainable cities, environmental impacts and community engagement.

We covered the room in paper and drew sustainable cities. The blank canvas gave the youth an opportunity to create amazing landscapes  about recycling, transportation systems, free community centres to get fit at, buildings with green roofs and garbage free zones.

We worked on a Needs-Assets-Ideas map. We produced hundreds of ideas. And from that we pulled 10 ideas to turn into projects for the week.

Did you know that youth between 12 and 16 really like post-it notes? They hoard them by the bundles.

Teamwork was very important to getting the projects done, so we worked on collaboration, competitiveness and action.

The very popular marshmallow challenge inspired by Tom Wujec from Autodesk. This challenge promotes prototyping, idea generating and rapid building.

Working with 20 pieces of spaghetti, 4 marshmallows, masking tape and string.

This project had a slow start, there were lots of questions and doubt, but with a little encouragement and curiosity the teams started assembling tiny towers and through their competitive nature they continued building strong and taller towers. Eventually the winning tower was 15inches tall.

All teams were happy to eat marshmallows as prizes.

Outdoor scavenger hunt and marshmallow challenge both created an ambiance for teamwork and creative ideas flow.

The outdoor scavenger hunt was overwhelmingly successful.

Each team ran across the field collecting answers to clues and figuring out items that are recycled, well designed, playful, squeaky, bouncy to name a few.

We drew “I wish” statements in chalk outside. Each statement was made with the intention of coming true when the rain washed it away. This was a commitment to making action to making our dreams come true.

There was lots of learning and discovery between team mates and between all the LIT’s. They were growing more confident with their team work and collaboration skills. We began work on the ideas that had been chosen from the Needs-Assets-Ideas mapping exercise.

In teams, LIT’s worked on signage to help promote healthy living, recycling, and ultimately saving the earth. Additionally, two healthy living programs were implemented as well. Dancing and Basketball skills. We also spent a lot of time playing with clay and making recycled jewelery.

After all the LIT’s hard work, we talked about making commitments to making change in our communities. Respect goes a long way to keeping a community connected and maintained. Each person can make change in their community by simply making the decision to do so.

I had a great 4 days with the Albion Neighbourhood Services Boys and Girls Club LIT’s!!!!!

Thank you so much, I learned something from each and every one of you.

I am a Dimsum Timbit!

Posted on by Jenn Chan

Throughout the past few months, I have been participating in the Ripple Effect program. Together, with Johnny Leon Tong, I interviewed members of the Chinese Canadian community who are involved in politics, community and leadership about their views of Chinese Canadian youth, civic participation, political currency and personal motivation. We were lucky enough to be able to hear from Cathy Winters (Maytree Foundation), Karen Sun (Ward 19 city council candidate), Kristyn Wong-Tam (Ward 27 city council candidate), Godwin Chan (Ward 6 Richmond Hill city councillor), Tam Goosen (former school trustee), Ken Chan (Ward 27 city council candidate).

Here’s the video:

A moment captured in concrete

Posted on by Jenn Chan

This is the pinnacle memory I have that solidified my passion for community engagement. I remember specifically watching that one young gentleman scavenge the supplies to find the right pieces, taking extra care to make sure his tile was exactly the way he pictured it while ignoring his classmates as they made comments about how long his 1 tile was taking compared to their 2 or 3 tiles and instead spent all his time carefully creating this masterpiece. Thank you!

The “Power of One”

Posted on by Jenn Chan

DimSum Timbits is 2010’s Ripple Effect** project. DimSum Timbits represents our Chinese Canadian identity; it is our culture, our community, and our connection. We formed this project to “raise awareness of the past and present experiences in the Chinese Canadian Community and to create ongoing ‘ripples’ for a more equitable, inclusive and sustainable society.”

The “Power of One”

Each of us is responsible for our impacts and actions.  Through participation we build community.  Through community we build a voice.  Together, we are more powerful than we are alone.  It all starts with one.  You.

Submit your best artistic representation of dim sum and timbits together, whether it is a drawing, a doodle, a sculpture or a photograph.  Help us demonstrate how much we can accomplish together as Dim Sum Timbits.

Send to jennifer.chan@exhibit-change.com by July 30, and look out for the YouTube compilation to come.

**Ripple Effect is a 4-month leadership training program for Chinese youth between 18 – 30 years old residing in Toronto. It aims to nurture civic leadership within the Chinese community for the development of an inclusive and healthy Toronto.

CCNC Toronto Chapter is an organization of Chinese Canadians in the City of Toronto that promotes equity, social justice, inclusive civic participation, and respect for diversity.

Parkdale Garden Design Charrette

Posted on by Jenn Chan

This past weekend Exhibit Change hosted the Parkdale Garden Design Charrette in partnership with the Parkdale Village Business Improvement Area and Parkdale Liberty Economic Development Corporation. Both organizations are dedicated to the beautification and development of the Parkdale neighbourhood.  I planned an activity filled afternoon of design-driven community engagement for the community members of Parkdale.  The event hosted a diverse group of community members – youth, BIA board members and staff, community garden workers, residents, and a politician.

The icebreaker activity began the discussion of “What is Design Thinking and Playful Curiosity?” Participants learned that they already know about design thinking and playful curiosity. Design thinking is a process that is engrained in each of us; we all have our individual methods. Playful curiosity is the opportunity to remember that there are unlimited potentials and that true discovery happens when we don’t put any boundaries on our imagination. The participants demonstrated design thinking and playful curiosity by eating Oreo cookies and sharing their processes with each other. It was entertaining to watch all the different cookie eating techniques, one bite stuffers, multi-bite nibblers or split & lickers.

I asked the group to think about “What is a garden?” and to create a collage of images and words to show the collective expression of feelings and all the potential a garden has.  I was especially impressed with the youth’s mango and banana trees that they wanted in the gardens.  It was inspiring to see all the great ideas and the fun continued. Then we moved to 3D garden creations. The youth kept their fruit theme up with very realistic replica playdoh banana, strawberry and tomato. The others talked about big sunflowers, keeping the existing trees and  putting benches back into Parkdale among other great ideas.

Finally, we did an Action Mind Map which allowed everyone to talk about what the garden needs to survive and thrive. It was very touching that everyone wanted to contribute their time and do what they can for the future of the gardens.

The charrette was a public design workshop, which was held on May 15th, 2010 at the Masaryk Cowan community center at 1pm to 4pm, 13 people attended. The 13 participants were a diverse section of the community and represented many generations, ethnicities, genders, professions, commitment to the community and multi-disciplinary perspectives.

Finally, the participants all gathered for a group discussion “What does a garden need to thrive?”  Each participant had a stack of post-it notes and they started putting their suggestions up on the way, creating a mind map of action items that needed to happen for the gardens to make it. This collective effort showed that the gardens need a healthy dose of time, energy, resources – both financial and plant materials, people, love, sunshine, volunteers, ideas, spread the word, respect, it was certainly a great start to the conversation. Then each participant made a commitment in “How do you Exhibit Change?” by taking at least one action item off the board. This is the start to the community input.

Overall, I was certainly pleased with the imagination, design thinking and playful curiosity and the hot pink pipe cleaners were an added bonus.

YSEC Spotlight

Posted on by Jenn Chan

Young Social Entrepreneurs of Canada is a nonprofit, support youth organizers and youth-led groups in creating social enterprises.  They are a group of charismatic and energetic individuals who are making it easier to understand how to have a social missions as well as have business.

I was featured in their April Newsletter, which I thought would be a good idea to share:

1. What are you working on and why does it matter?

I am the founder of Exhibit Change. Exhibit Change is a social enterprise, encouraging impact through design thinking and playful curiosity. Exhibit Change designs programming to understand landscapes and culture by partnering with community organizations in design driven strategies and creative thinking facilitation. Exhibit Change is a catalyst for stronger communities, healthier neighbourhoods and empowered people. Through this work, all community members will learn the process of design thinking and playful curiosity to see how their actions make an impact on their community and ultimately on themselves.

2. What motivates you?

Motivation is part of our physical make-up; it is what makes us hungry – biologically and mentally. I am motivated by the sheer thrill of seeing people learn and discover new experiences. I love to watch people uncover autonomy to propel themselves forward. I get excited when someone tells me a story full of passion and engagement. I am motivated by people who want to learn.

3. What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned recently?

The biggest lesson I have learned is a lesson of perseverance. I am known for helping people to reach for their dreams, experience the moments and love what they do. And I have finally come to a place where I think I can do all those things through Exhibit Change, but I notice myself second guessing and making my own barriers. I have to get out of my own way!

4. If you could organize a dinner with five dinner guests, dead or alive, who would you invite and why?

After much thought I would invite, Daniel Pink, Maria Montessori, Sir Ken Robinson, Ole Kirk Christiansen, Bill Strickland. Each of these people have inspired me and I would love to bombard them with questions and for them to challenge each other in their own way. Daniel Pink promotes an emergence of the whole mind, Maria Montessori based learning on research and experience, Sir Ken Robinson talks of creativity in schools, Ole Kirk Christiansen and his son invented Lego, which is formed from the Danish words “LEgGOdt” (“play well”) and Bill Strickland inspires through creativity and genuine amazing spaces. I would cook lasagna and garlic bread and of course dessert. I would ask them all “How do you Exhibit Change?”

5. What the best resource out there that people don’t know about?

The best resource that people don’t know about or maybe they do; is community centers. Community Centers are local gems. I grew up spending Saturday afternoons swimming with my brother, going skating with my friends, trying to play tennis in the summers and more recently playing pick-up volleyball every week. It is a place to step away from your day, to focus on being part of a community and to chat about nothing if you want.

Activism vs. Slacktivism

Posted on by Jenn Chan

One day, I open up my email to find these 3 Questions:

1. Do you think that online activism is actually that, or is it just a passive action?

2. Do online resources for social engagement actually get people to go out and get involved or do they just satisfy a vague need?

3. Do you have anything else to say about internet activism?

So Miss Emily Carson, who is super amazing and inspiring through her work for Global Youth Coalition for HIV/AIDS and going to school at Guelph Humber all at the same time. Emily took my few comments and wrote this great article called Activism vs. Slacktivism

Here is an excerpt:

“I think any kind of activism, whether it be passive or aggressive, is activism,” says Jennifer Chan, of Toronto-based Exhibit Change…[] “Whatever way people want to participate in being more aware, expressing their feelings, researching, and getting involved at a level they are comfortable with is valid. Then if something sparks action, they are much closer to understanding viewpoints and perspectives.”