We’re all about making a difference for the better. Environmentally, socially, personally. Whatever you want to do, your impact will be greater if you’re informed, strategic and sustainable in the way you do it!

When I saw the poster for the Environmental Sciences program at the University of Guelph, I knew what I was going to study. Four years later I was planning to use my B.Sc(Env) towards cleaning up contaminated environments using microbes and plants. I have always had this closet-love of chemistry ~ I like getting right down to the basic matter of things (yes, science pun), and I want to do my bit to make the world a healthier environment. Then one afternoon as I was walking home, the thought struck me:  “I could spend my whole life cleaning up after industrial spills, and still the world might be worse than it is now”. I was stuck. I didn’t know what to do next; what would be the most impactful use of my training, passion, mind and resources? I wanted to make a difference upstream. But how?

I spent the next 10 years figuring this out.

Here are 6 ways to figure out how to make your difference:

1. Try doing things.

Thinking and learning needs to be balanced with doing. Go and DO some projects. Organize that poetry night, submit that article, get a community garden plot, start that soap business on the side. Meet people doing cool things and see if they need help. Actually doing things is what helps you test out the day-to-day of your passion.

2. Find your tribe.

We all need to belong and be part of a group of like-minded people. That doesn’t mean being closed-minded towards others. Find the people that energize and inspire you, and make you feel good about yourself. Do that for them too.

3. Follow excitement in your gut.

Here’s my favourite quote: "Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you alive, and then go and do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive." ~H Thurman.  Every time I follow my gut, even if it doesn’t play out the way I thought, I never regret it, because I know I’m on my path and I learned a lot. When my body feels resistant to something (which is different than feeling nervous or afraid), and I do it anyway, it usually doesn’t lead me in the right direction.

4. Go traveling. 

The best way to understand your city, country or culture is to leave it for a while. Get out of your fishbowl. You’ll see how things work here by seeing how things work differently somewhere else. Don’t go to resorts, go backpacking, go do an internship, go on an exchange; and do it with open curiosity and respect.

5. Understand the system you want to act on. 

Some people like to stay outside the box. Personally I’ve found that to change a system you have to be part of it. That means spending some time in the box in order to understand how it works and where the leverage points are. The system changes every time something within it changes.

6. Find your mentors.

Think you’ve got it all sorted out? Reality check: everyone needs mentorship. We need people to call and ask advice from, to bounce ideas around with, to help keep us on track. What we end up doing is up to us, but we need our elders to help us understand the work to be done.

After traveling extensively, doing several overseas internships, a masters degree in Strategic Leadership toward Sustainability in Sweden, and moving back to Ottawa, I feel empowered to work within my passion to make a difference.

DOING IT

Right now I’m part of the delivery team for two pretty amazing (in my opinion) learning programs in Ottawa; both aimed at helping participants make an impact in their world, one for student youth, and the other for professionals and entrepreneurs.

1. IMPACT! Sustainability Champions Training program PLUS.

The Natural Step Canada has teamed up with The Otesha Project, HUB Ottawa and the Centre for Innovative Social Enterprise Development (CISED) to put together an amped up IMPACT! Sustainability Champions program for students 19-25. 

Here's the basic outline; the program is highly subsidized, and for $50, you get:

• 3 day workshop in sustainability training and social enterprise (Oct 4-6 with The Natural Step Canada and CISED)
• 3 day bike tour of Ottawa's food system infrastructure (optional, with The Otesha Project, Sept 27-29)
• Coaching and mentoring on a community project or business startup of their choice (with CISED, the HUB community and also the The Natural Step Canada network)
• 4 month co-working membership at HUB Ottawa (25 hrs/month)
• Lunches, coffee/tea, snacks, a networking session for Ottawa

Check out some current IMPACT! alumni Stephanie Brown (SweetPeaEssentials.ca) and Laura Cicciarelli (innovationjeunes.ca) projects. 

To nominate someone you know or to apply yourself, click here. Bursary support is available.

2. IMPACT ACADEMY: Tools and Support To Change The World.

HUB Ottawa and the Centre for Innovative Social Enterprise Development (CISED) have launched IMPACT ACADEMY: a five-workshop series to help entrepreneurs, professionals and plain passionate people be more productive, innovative and effective in making social change happen.

The basic outline:

0. IMPACT CAFÉ
Get oriented, meet your classmates, and form a powerful peer group.

1. CLARIFY
Understand the big picture. Test your assumptions. Solidify, organize, and present your idea using industry leading tools like the Business Model Canvas.

2. NAVIGATE
Ensure your project is helping the world by understanding basic sustainability constraints, and the tools to help you align with them. Learn what data you need and how to conduct market research. Find your brand space and understand your customers.

3. FUND
Understand the basics about social financing models, sources, and requirements. Leave with skills to manage your finances effectively and prepare your project for the scrutiny of financial partners.

4. BOOST
Increase your productivity by learning smarter, faster, and cheaper ways to collaborate and get stuff done. Get tips on attracting and retaining customers, and how to be strategic with your social media.

5. AMPLIFY
Make yourself heard! Learn what goes into building a solid outreach platform and practice fine-tuning your pitch to different stakeholder groups.

6. IMPACT CAFÉ, REMIXED
This is your chance to apply everything you've learned and showcase your project and pitch your idea to a friendly audience of HUB & CISED community members. Celebrate all your hard work and take a step out into the world.

You can find more information here.

So, question: HOW DO YOU MAKE AN IMPACT? I want to hear your thoughts!