Company: Action Lab

Client: Canada Housing and Mortgage Corporation, Leston Holdings Ltd.

Country: Canada

The Future of Home project was a social innovation lab aimed at creating housing and support models that are affordable, accessible, and foster social inclusion for people with developmental disabilities. The project brought together a diverse group of stakeholders, including individuals with developmental disabilities, their families, service providers, funders, architects, advocates, and housing developers. It was a collaborative effort between Skills Society Action Lab, Inclusion Alberta, Civida, and Homeward Trust, funded by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation National Housing Strategy. The primary goal was to address the critical shortage of housing that meets the unique needs of people with developmental disabilities in Canada.

The project employed a human-centred design (HCD) process to empathize, define, ideate,
prototype, and test possible solutions. The initial research focused on two main components:
the physical space and the supports offered, including both natural, neighbourly support and paid support through the Persons with Developmental Disabilities (PDD) program. The project scoped two challenge areas:

1. Shared Community Model: Designing a shared community housing model that combines shared and private living spaces, is affordable, accessible, and fosters social inclusion and belonging.
2. Scattered Supportive Housing Model: Creating a housing and support model inspired by scattered site supportive housing to address the needs and interests of individuals with developmental disabilities and complex service needs.

Two Core Lab teams, each consisting of 7-8 participants including people with developmental disabilities and other stakeholders, conducted rapid research, prototyped solutions, and tested them through workshops. Prototypes included concepts like The Commons, an urban, mixed-use co-housing development designed to support social inclusion and independence, and the Community Animator service, which focuses on creating social interactions and building a sense of community. Feedback from stakeholders was gathered through interviews and surveys, which informed the final prototypes.

Next, a business case study of one prototype and a partnership developed with Leston Holdings Ltd. to pilot the innovative model in a new development in Edmonton. The Community Animator service, developed from the project, aims to foster a sense of community within multi-unit apartment buildings, utilizing Asset-Based Community Development principles to build relationships and enhance connectedness. This project also implemented an innovative support mode, pooling resources to provide around-the-clock support for residents with disabilities.

The Future of Home project offers a scalable solution addressing systemic pressures, enhancing community inclusion, and providing a template for similar initiatives. The anticipated outcomes include strengthened social connections, empowered residents, improved communication, and sustainable community building, marking a significant step forward in creating inclusive housing solutions.