Mount Royal University Institute for Community Prosperity presents the inaugural Banff Systems Summit aimed at addressing the need for a systems-driven approach to tackling global challenges. The summit brings systems thinking to the forefront of how we approach global challenges like healthcare, housing, climate change, food security, racial justice, and political polarization, among many, many issues. As some of our CACC team members prepare for the summit, it got us thinking about systems thinking. Some obvious questions popped up. For starters: What is systems thinking? Why have we chosen systems thinking as an approach to address social issues? How can systems thinking help our organization achieve greater impact?
Systems thinking is not only relevant in the context of social issues, but also in fields such as engineering, business, and policy-development. Peter M. Senge, in his book titled “The Fifth Discipline: The Art & Practice of The Learning Organization”, primes the reader to view systems change as a “shift in mindset: seeing interrelationships rather than linear cause-effect chains, and seeking processes of change rather than snapshots.” The application of systems thinking enables us to view problems in their entirety instead of hyper focusing on the independent components of a problem. To demonstrate this application, let us consider a social issue such as housing affordability in Calgary using the iceberg model of systems thinking. To aid our demonstration, we draw from Dr. Vivienne O’Connor’s article, Complexity and Systems Thinking in Practice: The Inquiry Phase.
At the surface, we can clearly see the ‘Events’ that are occurring, e.g. prolonged and increased homelessness, tighter household budget constraints, and exponential housing price increases. The information we assess at this level is similar to reading a newspaper headline such as “‘A housing crisis’: 1 in 5 Calgary households couldn’t afford costs, city says”. With a complex issue such as housing which requires coordinated efforts amongst multiple levels of government, private investors, and households, further investigation is required to both understand the issue and its intersectionalities before pouncing at solutions. This brings us to level two: ‘Patterns and Trends‘. Here we can delve into the history of housing affordability in Calgary, perform comparative analyses across Canada, and use data to help us understand the problem better. Through historical reviews, we can learn of how a similar issue was handled in the past or if it is a novel occurrence.
Information about Affordable Housing in the City of Calgary
At the third level of the iceberg, we analyze the ‘Structures‘ that allow the pattern to persist uninterrupted. We want to know the “purpose” of the system by observing behaviours beyond what is explicitly stated. In our housing affordability example, analysis of the structures may reveal that the demand for affordable housing greatly surpasses the supply. Additionally, household incomes have not increased at a rate fast enough to keep up with increasing housing prices. Although the City of Calgary has developed a housing strategy to address the issue, constituent support of the strategy has not been unanimous, thus creating and obstacle that may have delayed the implementation of solutions.
When exploring “Structure,” we are also looking at priorities and values of the system in practice; habits and loyalties of the actors in the system; resource constraints that are contributing to the problem (e.g. financial, equipment); the capacity of individuals involved (e.g., education, skills); organizational structures, policies or roles that are contributing to the problem; the power structure of the organization; and any laws, policies and procedures that apply, as well as informal rules or ways of doing things. – Dr. Vivienne O’Connor, PhD, Complexity and Systems Thinking in Practice: The Inquiry Phase (Part 2/4).
We find ‘Mental Models’ at the final level of the iceberg. “Mental models are images, assumptions and stories that we carry in our minds about ourselves, other people, institutions and every aspect of the world”. These exist for the individual and influence how each person sees the world and perceives reality – and these mental models often play out in our subconscious. Similar to level three, we want to understand what holds the system in place, but for an individual instead of an organization. We examine our beliefs, assumptions, perceptions, feelings, and values to understand what it is about our thinking that perpetuates the system.
While we may believe that there is one objective reality and that we are seeing the same world as others; in fact, we are seeing it and the people we interact with through the lens of our own mental models… Differences between mental models explain why two people can observe the same event and describe it differently. – Dr. Vivienne O’Connor, PhD, Complexity and Systems Thinking in Practice: The Inquiry Phase (Part 2/4).
Systems thinking is a promising approach in the social impact realm that our organization continues to explore in its various applications to understanding inequalities and bringing about meaningful, sustainable systems change. We do so by collaborating with experienced organizations across Canada including the Network for the Advancement of Black Communities, and with the support of innovative funders like Calgary Foundation and United Way of Calgary and Area.
Community Involvement
Looking to improve work experience during the summer, check out this Youth Canada Summer Jobs listing!
- Vibrant Communities Calgary is looking for people with lived experience to inform E4A on the experience of poverty in Calgary. If you know individuals who want to share their voice, insights, and expertise in future opportunities like a community conversation, please invite them to connect by signing up here.
- The Stars of Alberta Volunteer Awards, recognizing extraordinary Albertans whose formal volunteer efforts have contributed to the well-being of their community and fellow community members, are accepting nominations until June 30th. You can submit nominations for multiple categories including youth, adult senior and breaking barriers. Visit the website to download the nomination package.
- The City of Calgary is still accepting feedback for the Food Resilience Plan. The plan, which is currently in the strategy development phase, aims to support the creation of a resilient food system for Calgarians, where food is reliably available, accessible, appropriate and environmentally sustainable. Community engagement is necessary to ensure that the plan includes diverse voices and benefits all Calgarians. Visit the webpage and scroll down to the bottom right to add your opinion.
Events
Neighbour Day is Calgary’s celebration of community connection, and a step toward creating welcoming and inclusive communities where neighbours connect and belong every day of the year. Social connection with neighbours reduces loneliness and isolation and builds strong communities where people feel they belong. Join or organize with your neighbours on June 15 and get involved in Neighbour Day 2024!
Join in some family friendly fun at the Mirror Mirror art installation located at Chinook Centre. The experience created and presented by Moment Factory is an immersive journey through a chromatic world of light and sound. The installation closes on May 26th so get your tickets soon.
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