innovation snapshot: inspiring solutions to a healthier canada

I nno va tio n S na p s ho t | Play Exchange 1

I N N O V A T I O N S N A P S H O T

INSPIRING SOLUTIONS FOR A HEALTHIER CANADA

MAY 2014

Innovation Snapshot | Play Exchange 2

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. INTRODUCTION 3

2. OBSTACLES TO HEALTHY LIVING IN CANADA 4

4 5 5

UNHEALTHY EATING

PHYSICAL INACTIVITY

CHRONIC DISEASE

ADDICTION 6

3. INNOVATIONS IN THE FIELD 7

TREND #1: EDUCATE COMMUNITIES TO REVERSE NUTRITIONAL DISPARITIES 7 TREND #2: ENCOURAGE PLAY TO EMPOWER NEGLECTED YOUTH 8 TREND #3: DEVELOP SUPPORT NETWORKS TO BUILD ENGAGED COMMUNITIES 10 TREND #4: MAKE HEALTHY FOOD ENVIRONMENTS AVAILABLE TO ALL 11 TREND #5: BUILD ACTIVE SPACES IN MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES 12

4. APPENDIX: THE INNOVATORS 13

APPENDIX A: ADDITIONAL ASHOKA FELLOWS 13 APPENDIX B: PLAY EXCHANGE FELLOWS 15 APPENDIX C: INDEX OF SOLUTIONS – PAST ASHOKA CHANGEMAKERS HEALTH COMPETITIONS 16


1. INTRODUCTION

Social entrepreneurs come from all walks of life. Some are doctors, others are public servants, yet all are advocates for social change. Though their backgrounds are diverse, they are united by their creative problem-solving and innovative solutions.

But what is innovation?

Ashoka believes innovative solutions are those that demonstrate a substantial difference from other initiatives in the field. Innovation does not necessarily involve inventing something entirely new. It may comprise new products or processes, but it could also be hybrid combinations of existing tools. An innovation may even be a recycled idea, innovative purely for how it is adapted and applied within a new context.

Recognizing the nuances of innovation, Ashoka’s Innovation Snapshot offers examples of social innovations from the Ashoka network of social entrepreneurs. It begins with an overview of the obstacles these innovations are trying to address; every effective social innovation understands its local context. It then describes innovation trends that represent the leading ideas in the field. And lastly, it spotlights the social innovators - each of whom has been elected as an Ashoka Fellow - who are implementing the most original strategies on the ground and illustrates these obstacles and innovation trends.

Whether you’re a Play Exchange challenge entrant, social change enthusiast, or aspiring entrepreneur, we hope that that the Innovation Snapshot: Inspiring Solutions for a Healthier Canada provides some insight into innovations in the field of healthy living.


2. OBSTACLES TO HEALTHY LIVING IN CANADA

Canada is facing a health crisis. With an increasingly inactive population, over 50% of Canadians are overweight. Among children this number skyrockets, with 32% overweight or obese and only x% getting the recommended amount of physical activity. Such unhealthy lifestyle habits put Canadians at greater risk of chronic diseases, the frequency of type II diabetes, some cancers, and hypertension all steadily increasing, as well. The following are key aspects of the problem upon which social entrepreneurs within the Ashoka network are choosing to focus their solutions. It’s time to change these trends and get Canada on the path to healthy living.

Unhealthy Eating

Throughout the country, Canadians are overweight and obese. According to the Public Health Agency of Canada, over half of Canadians are overweight, especially among men and middle-aged populations. Besides physical inactivity, diet is a main contributing factor to unhealthy eating. Obesity particularly plagues low-income communities, where access to nutritional food is limited. In such flourishing food deserts, Ashoka Fellow Jean-Francois Archambault says “Low-income families [often] purchase unhealthy processed foods and develop nutritional deficiencies and other health related complications. [Without] the time to cook and prepare healthy meals, therefore, young people may not have role models to teach them easy, healthy cooking skills, perpetuating this problem generationally.” In this way, obesity is not just a health challenge; socio-economic disparities must also be addressed to solve this problem.

“Low-income families [often] purchase unhealthy processed foods and develop nutritional deficiencies and other health

related complications. [Without] the time to cook and prepare healthy meals,

therefore, young people may not have role models to teach them easy, healthy

cooking skills, perpetuating this problem generationally.”

Jean-Francois Archambault, Band of Chefs


Physical Inactivity

One of the largest drivers of unhealthy habits is a lack of regular physical activity. According to the Canadian Government, about half of the Canadian population is moderately active, but this is far from ideal. In particular, physical activity among youth is low, especially among young girls who are less likely to participate in sports than their male peers. As Ashoka Fellow, Claudine Labelle and her organization, FitSpirit, describe, “When it comes to physical activity, teenage girls meet a lot of gender-specific challenges. In particular, many of them associate physical activity with childhood, so oftentimes stop playing in an attempt to act like adults. With such cultural norms, limited self-confidence, and gender stereotypes, girls in our society face many obstacles to being active.” Between inequitable gender norms, decreased physical education in school, and limited access to active programs, it is no wonder that Canada’s youth are struggling to find ways to and be healthy.

“Many [teenage girls] associate physical activity with childhood, so oftentimes stop playing in an attempt to act like adults. With such cultural norms, limited self-confidence, and gender stereotypes, girls face many obstacles to being active.”

Claudine Labelle, FitSpirit

Chronic Disease

With physical inactivity on the rise, Canadians are facing higher rates and risks of chronic diseases, including diabetes, and heart disease. Rates of cancer are also increasing. Over the past few decades, these threatening diseases have increased substantially: cancer rates have risen by 3%, hypertension has become 7% more prevalent, and diabetes in Canada has increased by 70% since the late 1990s. Such staggering statistics are even more dire among Canada’s aboriginal populations, who are three to five times more likely to have diabetes than other Canadians. As Right to Play founder, Johann Olav Koss, says, “The living conditions and quality of life for Canadian First Nations is similar to that of many developing countries. [As such,] health


challenges [like] obesity, diabetes, tuberculosis, and HIV/AIDS mean that First Nations Peoples face a shorter lifespan than other Canadians.” These increasing levels of chronic disease emphasize Canada’s need to get moving on the road to better health.

“The living conditions and quality of life for Canadian First

Nations is similar to that of many developing countries. [As such,] health challenges [like] obesity,

diabetes, tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS mean that First

Nations Peoples face a shorter lifespan than other Canadians.”

Johann Olav Koss, Right to Play

Addiction

In recent years, Canada’s prevalence of tobacco and drug addiction has significantly decreased, with fewer teenagers smoking, drinking, and consuming illicit drugs. While statistics have decreased, the dangers of addiction still remain, particularly in First Nation and Inuit communities where the ongoing effects of residential schools, family violence, depression, and teen parenthood often fail to prevent battles with addiction. As BluePrintForLife founder and Ashoka Fellow, Steve Leafloor, describes, “There is often a loss of identity, community pride, and hope among many First Nations and Inuit youth. This gets manifested through addictions, unhealthy lifestyles, violence, abuse, and suicide.” With a health challenge disproportionately affecting aboriginal populations, it is imperative that Canada work to reduce such unhealthy habits.

“There is often a loss of identity, community pride, and hope among many First Nations and Inuit youth. This gets manifested through addictions, unhealthy lifestyles, violence, abuse, and suicide.”

Steve Leafloor, BluePrintForLife


Underserved Kids Learn Nutrit ious Cooking

3. Innovations in the Field

Canadian Innovations To combat the leading causes of obesity and chronic disease, many organizations across the country have launched programs and invented systems of promoting healthy living. The following are some of Canada’s leading solutions, from Ashoka Fellows who are focusing on Canadians’ knowledge and ability to live active, healthy lives. Moreover, these social innovators are using healthy habits to empower people - school administrators, parents, and youth - to lead their communities in healthy change. By addressing the growing health challenge of chronic disease with nutritional education, games and support networks, social innovators are building the leaders of tomorrow. Trend #1: Educate Communities to Reverse Nutrit ional Disparities New and innovative ventures are tackling unhealthy eating habits in low-income communities by raising awareness through nutrition education.

BAND OF CHEFS

Jean-Francois Archambault | Quebec, Canada

Passionate food executive and entrepreneur Jean-François

Archambault founded Band of Chefs in 2004 to engage

chefs as social citizens in the fight against hunger and

nutritional deficiency. Through the organization, chefs

become food security advocates and nutrition educators,

leveraging food industry connections to turn food waste

into food banks and teaching healthy cooking to low-

income families. Band of Chefs helps underserved

populations receive greater access to nutritional food and

teaches marginalized youth how to eat more healthily. With

its ten multifaceted programs, Band of Chefs works with

5,000 chefs, distributes 200,000 meals, partners with over

16 youth centers, and engages 1,000 students every year.

Band of Chefs builds healthier communities, inspires social

responsibility, and educates future healthy living advocates.


In addition to this Canadian Fellow, further international Ashoka Fellows are pioneering

new approaches to nutrition education include: David Egan (RedBranch, Ireland) and

Genevieve Moreau (Intelligent Nutrition, Belgium). To read about their innovations, see

Appendix A.

Trend #2: Encourage Play to Empower Neglected Youth Social innovators are reintroducing physical activity to children’s lives, while also cultivating confidence among youth often left on the margins.

FITSPIRIT

Claudine Labelle | Quebec and Ontario, Canada

Claudine Labelle founded FitSpirit after a cycling accident

motivated her to create strong community networks that put

sports back into the lives of Canada’s teenage girls. FitSpirit

introduces girls aged 12-17 to participate in physical activity,

through school FitClubs, inspirational Olympic speakers, and

other sporting events. By creating fun and friendship through

physical activity, FitSpirit helps girls discover the enjoyment of

active living, along with its positive effects on long-term health.

As of 2014, FitSpirit partners with over 90 schools in Ontario and

Quebec, engaging over 10,000 girls in its programs around the

country. FitSpirit’s emphasis on mentorship has created

supportive communities of parents, role models, teachers, and

peers that encourage girls to be physically active. Through

FitSpirit mindsets change: school systems prioritize physical

activity, teachers encourage young girls’ fitness, and girls,

themselves, build self-esteem, thereby improving their health,

nutrition, and wellness.

Girls Move. Girls Lead. Girls Believe.


RIGHT TO PLAY

Johann Olav Koss | Ontario, Canada

Four-time Olympic Gold Medalist Johann Olav Koss

launched Right to Play in 1994 to use sports for social and

holistic child development in underserved communities.

Though initially founded to serve war-torn populations,

Right to Play recently partnered with the Canadian

government to addresses education and health challenges

in First Nation communities. With its youth leadership and

sports development programs, Right to Play raises

awareness about health, promotes regular exercise, and

encourages youth to be community leaders around active

living. By using games and activities in its curriculum,

children of all ages learn how to practice more healthy

living habits that will prevent chronic disease in the future.

Because of Right to Play’s presence in First Nation

communities, over 3,200 youth and community members

have participated in Right to Play in the last three years,

with this network growing every day.

Kids Play to Learn Healthy Habits

In addition to these Canadian Fellows, other Global Fellows are using active play to promote healthy living among youth: Jill Vialet (Playworks, USA) and Marta Bacskai (Go Healthy!, Hungary). To read about their innovations, see Appendix A.


Trend #3: Develop Support Networks to Build Engaged

Communities

Start-ups and scaling organizations are creating comprehensive support networks that unite families, community members, and health experts striving for healthy living.

BLUEPRINTFORLIFE

Steve Leafloor | Ontario and Alberta, Canada

Combining his dual passions for mental health and hip-hop,

Steve Leafloor established BluePrintForLife to create

comprehensive support networks for First Nation and Inuit

youth through hip-hop dance, music, and traditional

performance activities. Combating a prevalence of sexual

abuse, suicide, and addiction, BluePrintForLife organizes

intensive, week-long workshops in remote communities that

teach creative expression, collaboration, leadership and

healing, while facilitating discussions about anger

management, bullying, and abuse. BluePrintForLife also

engages community members in its programming, thereby

ensuring strong support networks through mentorship,

intergenerational connection, and peer-to-peer support.

Since 2005, BluePrintForLife has reached more than 5,000

youth in over 50 Inuit and First Nations communities and

youth correctional facilities, lauded as “the most substantial youth engagement

programming in 20 years”. In doing so, BluePrintForLife empowers young people to create

paths of healing through mental health crises and lead their communities towards healthy

living.

Building Support Networks Through Hip-Hop


International Innovations Besides these innovative approaches to healthy living in Canada, other Ashoka Fellows from around the world are implementing solutions that tackle other systematic contributors to obesity and chronic disease. The following organizations engage with environmental factors that inhibit healthy habits, thus focusing on providing access to healthy lifestyles. Like the Ashoka Fellows from Canada, these innovators view individuals as the critical champions of active living and thus focus on developing their awareness of healthy habits. Trend #4: Make Healthy Food Environments Available to All A handful of organizations are providing access to nutritious foods, addressing the

poverty gap by targeting food desserts in neighbourhoods, communities, and schools.

REVOLUTION FOODS Kristin Richmond and Kirsten Tobey | USA

Former teachers Kristin Richmond and Kirsten Tobey

founded Revolution Foods to change children’s eating

habits, especially among low-income Americans.

Revolution Foods designs and supplies low-cost healthy

meals to partner schools, ensuring that kids are eating

home-style, portioned, and nutritionally balanced during

the school day. Beyond supplying healthy meals, however,

Revolution Foods helps its partner schools foster healthy

environments for their students by committing to wellness,

healthy eating, and student self-esteem. Currently,

Revolution Foods partners with 375 schools in the US,

serving over 50,000 healthy meals a day. Through an

accessible, nutritious meal program, with additional

toolkits, cooking demonstrations, and wellness fairs,

Revolution Foods incentives schools to buy into a

systematic shift towards healthy living for all American children.

Healthy Meals. Healthy Schools. Healthy Kids.


Trend #5: Build Active Spaces in Marginalized Communities Social entrepreneurs are creating more opportunities for active living by physically

building safe spaces conducive to play.

KABOOM! Darrell Hammond | USA

Adamant about the importance of safe and stimulating

play spaces, Darrell Hammond created KABOOM! to fill

the demand for low-cost playgrounds. By engaging both

communities and corporations, KaBOOM! organizes a

delivery system that matches costs and volunteers with

community resources. To ensure the sustainability of its

playgrounds, KaBOOM! distributes maintenance manuals

and offers a training conference for community leaders. In

doing so, KaBOOM! helps communities become more

proactive in creating change in their neighbourhoods and

brings focus to children's needs. Since its founding,

KaBOOM! has built 500 new playgrounds and improved

more than 1,500 others, thus creating safe play spaces

and stimulating community activism.

Communities and Corporations Create Safe Playgrounds


APPENDIX: THE INNOVATORS Appendix A: Additional Ashoka Fellows The following are additional social innovations promoting active living and preventing chronic disease. All Global Ashoka Fellows, they represent unique solutions in their respective Innovation Trend: GO HEALTHY!! Márta Bácskai | Hungary Trend #2: Encourage Play to Empower Neglected Youth Having personally experienced the power of holistic healing for obesity, Márta Bácskai established Gondolkodj Egészségesen! (Go Healthy!) to provide a comprehensive prevention program that encourages children to be health-conscious from an early age. Go Healthy! incorporates integrated health education into public and private pre-schools, where teachers and parents use games, arts, and theatre to relay major health concepts to children. The Go Healthy! approach also trains pre-school teachers, parents, and professional experts, thus building a network of practitioners eager and willing to share best practices in raising healthy children. With its integrated approach, Go Healthy! has reached 1350 partner pre-schools, one-third of all of Hungary’s pre-schools. Go Healthy! is not just about prevention or education of children, parents and pre-school teachers; it is also focused on bridging the gap between possessing health knowledge and living a healthy lifestyle every day. INTELLIGENT NUTRITION Genevieve Moreau | Belgium Trend #1: Educate Communities to Reverse Nutritional Disparities General practitioner and nutritionist expert, Genevieve Moreau, established Intelligent Nutrition (IN) to improve the understanding of how we think about, produce, and consume food. IN has created an information system, whereby medical professionals, food industry practitioners, and consumers alike can learn about their food’s nutrient availability and environmental impact. IN’s strategy combines trainings, coaching, and a smart incentive and certification system, strengthened by a large and growing network of experts along the food chain to build a new generation of changemakers ranging from health professionals to chefs and food producers. IN also impacts the demand side of the food chain, using certification labels, books, TV shows, and online coaching to educate consumers on credible nutritional information. With its


comprehensive, science-based nutritional information system, Intelligent Nutrition helps the public support food that is good for people and good for the planet.

PLAYWORKS Jill Vialet | United States Trend #2: Encourage Play to Empower Neglected Youth

Passionate about sports, social justice, and education, Jill Vialet founded Playworks to collaborate with school staff to reintroduce playground activities and physical education in the classroom. Through interactive and innovative programs, including approved recess games and the interscholastic sports leagues, Playworks integrates healthy lifestyles, diversity education, and organized play. Moreover, by including school administrators, teachers, and parents as schoolyard coaches, Playworks instils the importance of creativity, collaboration, and competition. Currently, Playworks serves 185,000 students in schools in 23 cities around the country. In fostering an inclusive, positive, and healthy learning environment on the schoolyard, Playworks creates a space where every kid plays, thrives, and belongs, taking their positive experience back to the classroom and to their communities.

REDBRANCH David Egan | Ireland Trend #1: Educate Communities to Reverse Nutritional Disparities As a physiologist and father, David Egan established RedBranch to empower the youth generation to choose healthier lifestyles by changing their attitudes towards food and exercise. RedBranch works with schools to create healthy environments in which children can learn about misleading food industry media techniques and the importance of healthy eating. Not only does RedBranch provide students, parents, and teachers with knowledge about healthy lifestyle, but the organization also helps them advocate for changes in school policies, curricula, and cafeterias. By cultivating youth leaders, RedBranch has introduced healthy food suppliers, fruit micro-businesses and physical exercise alternatives in schools across Ireland.


Appendix B: �ellows ,i�>Ìi`�Ì��Ì�i�*�>Þ� ÝV�>�}i

By Alphabet Claudine Labelle, FitSpirit | Canada | Ability - Trend #2: Encourage Play Darrell Hammond, KABOOM! | United States | Access - Trend #5: Build Active Spaces David Egan, RedBranch | Ireland | Information - Trend #1: Educate Communities Genevieve Moreau, Intelligent Nutrition | Belgium | Information - Trend #1: Educate Communities Jean-Francois Archambault, Band of Chefs | Canada | Information - Trend #1: Educate Communities Jill Vialet, Playworks | United States | Ability - Trend #2: Encourage Play Johann Olav Koss, Right to Play | Canada | Ability - Trend #2: Encourage Play Kristin Richmond and Kirsten Tobey, Revolution Foods | United States | Access - Trend #4: Make Healthy Environments Márta Bácskai, Gondolkodj Egészségesen! (Go Healthy!) | Hungary | Ability - Trend #2: Encourage Play Steve Leafloor, BluePrintForLife | Canada | Ability - Trend #3: Develop Support

Networks

By Trend Trend #1: Educate Communities to Reverse Nutritional Disparities

Jean-Francois Archambault, Band of Chefs | Canada David Egan, RedBranch | Ireland Genevieve Moreau, Intelligent Nutrition | Belgium

Trend #2: Encourage Play to Empower Neglected Youth Claudine Labelle, FitSpirit | Canada Jill Vialet, Playworks | United States Johann Olav Koss, Right to Play | Canada Márta Bácskai, Gondolkodj Egészségesen! (Go Healthy!) | Hungary

Trend #3: Develop Support Networks to Build Engaged Communities Steve Leafloor, BluePrintForLife | Canada

Trend #4: Make Healthy Food Environments Available to All Kristin Richmond and Kirsten Tobey, Revolution Foods | United States

Trend #5: Build Active Spaces in Marginalized Communities Darrell Hammond, KABOOM! | United States


By Country/Region Canada

Jean-Francois Archambault, Band of Chefs | Canada Claudine Labelle, FitSpirit | Canada Johann Olav Koss, Right to Play | Canada Steve Leafloor, BluePrintForLife | Canada

1��Ìi`�-Ì>ÌiÃ Jill Vialet, Playworks | United States Kristin Richmond and Kirsten Tobey, Revolution Foods | United States Darrell Hammond, KABOOM! | United States

Europe David Egan, RedBranch | Ireland Genevieve Moreau, Intelligent Nutrition | Belgium Márta Bácskai, Gondolkodj Egészségesen! (Go Healthy!) | Hungary

Appendix C: Index of Solutions – Past Ashoka Changemakers Health Competitions Ashoka Changemakers has organized over seventy competitions, which have focused on social issues ranging from female economic empowerment and ending modern slavery to urban housing and activating empathy. These competitions attract entrants with diverse and unique solutions that may be sources of inspiration, guidance, or even partnership. The following are competitions relating to active play, healthy living, and sustainable lifestyle:

Sustainable Living - The Young Entrepreneurs’ Award, Fall 2013 Nutrients for All, Spring 2013 Transforming Health Systems: Gamechanging Business Models, Spring 2013 BC Ideas: Solutions for Stronger Communities, Summer 2012 Innovations for Health: Solutions that Cross Borders, Fall 2011 Designing for Better Health, Spring 2009 Gamechangers: Change the Game for Women in Sport, Fall 2008 Sport for a Better World, Fall 2007 Why Games Matter: A Prescription for Improving Health and Health Care, Summer�

2007 Disruptive Innovations in Health and Health Care: Solutions People Want, Summer 2007 How to Improve Health for All, Spring 2006


ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Authored by Jocelyn Fong with thanks to Ashoka colleagues Reem Rahman, Lauren Parnell Marino, Marzena Zukowska, Alex Beyard, Hao Zhu, Alexandra Audet; Ashoka Canada; and the generosity of the Fellows for their contributions to the thinking that produced this Innovation Snapshot.

Ashoka Changemakers is grateful to the Government of Canada, Canadian Tire, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation and LIFT Philanthropy Partners.

www.changemakers.com

Ashoka Global Headquarters 1700 North Moore Street, Suite 2000 (20th Floor) Arlington, VA 22209 USA T: 703.527.8300 F: 703.527.8383 © Ashoka Changemakers, 2014. All rights reserved.

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