Opening
We held our third Listening Living Labs w/ Migrant Worker Communities (MWL3) session on 3rd July, where the 6 multi-sector teams formed in Gathering 2 had a chance to pitch their ideas to the collective, serving as a rehearsal for September when they’ll be convincing funders and members of the public to support their prototypes.
Aside from the teams, we also welcomed folks in the migrant worker space who were interested in the ideas and could provide their valuable input in improving them.
15 minutes to Show Time! : Preparing for their Pitch
The teams were given some time to settle down and gather themselves before presenting. Between Gathering 2 and the session, they were instructed to come up with a 10 minute pitch, in any format, that covered the following questions:
- At the end of the 6 months, what does a successful prototype look like for you?
- What are the key milestones you foresee for your team in the next 6 months?
- What are the exact resources that your team will need?
- What are some of the risks you see and how do you plan to mitigate them?
Anthea Ong and Michael Cheah, the Co-Chairs of MWL3, also took this time to refocus the collective to the objectives of the pitch, which were to practise influencing others to buy their idea and give/receive feedback that would neither crush the ideas nor would be too polite.
To make things a little more exciting, we took inspiration from Shark Tank in creating a multi-sector judging panel where participants would be assigned to teams in giving verbal feedback!
Other audience members had a chance to provide their inputs via writing them on Post-its which were given to the teams after. To keep feedback focused and actionable, we gave participants the following prompts to craft their feedback:
- What is 1 thing you liked?
- What is 1 suggestion you have to help the team move forward?
Pitching Round : Is our idea good enough?
In random order, the teams each came up to present their 10 minute pitch. While some had digital materials to guide us through their plan, others sought verbal storytelling in sharing their prototype.
Team Melting Pot, who was the first team to present, set the bar high when they brought everyone together for a fun movement activity that taught us the key distinctions between segregation, integration and inclusion!
It was great to see the collective deeply engaged in each other’s pitches. Reflected in the feedback they gave each other, it was clear that the collective valued
- Understanding the issue at hand as the priority – rather than diving into solutioning, which may not consider the complexity of the problem
- Identifying benefits for all stakeholders involved as much as possible – providing win-win-win opportunities in framing solutions as positive systemic shifts.
What now? : Reviewing feedback and discussing next steps
After everyone’s pitches, participants were promoted to ponder upon the feedback given to their team individually before coming together to share their responses to the following questions:
- What is 1 thing we want to celebrate today?
- What is 1 thing that stuck out for me in the feedback?
- What is 1 thing we absolutely need to do to successfully launch our idea in August?
The teams then reconvened to share their responses to the last question, which allowed the collective to feel accountable and determined to polish and present the best version of their ideas come the public showcase in September.
It was also this time when we had the honour of witnessing the marriage of Teams Cool Changemakers and Melting Pot – both working on the idea of educating youths on social inclusion – whose members felt their efforts would be stronger, together! It was an awesome reminder of the collective’s mutual support and trust they shared in truly wanting to see change happen.
Gratitude & Appreciation Circle
We wrapped up the session with a gratitude and appreciation circle, where participants stood, facing the centre, silently reflecting on 1 person they were grateful for in the collective and 1 thing they were looking forward to in the MWL3. After the hard and heart work crafting their pitches, discussing their next steps and sharing their inputs, this was a warm and calm way to harness the energy generated from the session’s happenings.
Our Learnings – Things to Celebrate
We celebrate the energy sustained throughout the MWL3 process so far and extend our gratitude to the participants who continue to actively show up and contribute to the initiative. Having the participants update their progress in a pitch setting gave the session a sense of formality while keeping it fun. The quality delivery of the pitches demonstrated the commitment to both the participants’ ideas and to their own team members.
We also felt the feedback segment was organised effectively. Encouraging participants to give feedback according to our prompts allowed their input to be succinct and functional. Allowing almost all participants to have a seat at the multi-sector judging panel also gave them a sense of ownership in the collective.
Our Learnings – Things to Improve
There were certain areas we could have paid attention to in creating a more conducive environment for all session attendees. Better context-setting, perhaps through an information kit or scheduled briefing, could have been given to participants who were coming in for the first time. This would also allow them to provide more valuable feedback to the teams.
Closing
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Our next session is happening on 18th September 2022 and will be open to the public!
In an exhibition style, you will get a chance to meet the teams, who will present the best version of their ideas and share how you can play a part in supporting the change we wish to see.
Till then, you may visit our Public List of Projects to learn more about the teams and see how you can contribute in refining their ideas. Reach out to us via email at livinglabs@agoodspace.org and we will link you to the respective team(s)!
Sarah T
Sarah is a Social Changemaker Intern at A Good Space. She is a full-time cat mom who loves all things batik.
