Kicking off change

On Tuesday, January 14, the Kindred Credit Union Centre for Peace Advancement kicked off Map the System 2025 by hosting a successful launch event introducing participants to this year’s competition. The event was led by Jordan Li, one of the finalists of the campus-wide Map the System competition in 2023, who is now the Campus Lead. Her experience will serve as a foundational block, guiding her as she supports this year’s participants through engaging workshops, comprehensive resources, and meaningful conversations. Erin Hogan, GreenHouse Programs Manager, is supporting the community partners again this year, helping make meaningful connections between students and real- world problems.  

Students who attended the launch event had the opportunity to learn more about the systems thinking competition, meet this year’s community partners, and connect with potential teammates. Map the System brings together both undergraduate and graduate students interested in mapping out complex social or environmental issues. Using a systematic research approach, students can tackle a compelling problem and make an impact. With the freedom of choosing any topic of interest, there are a few different ways to participate. 

Students are encouraged to work with one of the many campus or community partners aligned with the competition. This year, Map the System Waterloo is excited to be partnering with a wonderful landscape of organizations who have brought forth a wide range of opportunities. 

Close to home, the University of Waterloo Sustainability Office is committed to operate the campus sustainably, be a leader in sustainability education and research, and embed sustainability practices into campus culture. They are looking for new communication approaches to increase awareness of sustainable food choices available on campus and in our community. 

Peace for All Canada, a participant in the Grebel Peace Incubator, is proudly supporting Map the System with two challenges. Peace for All Canada’s mission is to inspire people to confront all types of discrimination and promote socio-economic empowerment and peaceful co-existence between communities. 

Their first challenge statement addresses the barriers to equitable education for low-income/newcomer/faith-group populations. Factors such as a lack of cultural-sensitive approach, little to no room for adaptation in the education system, and technological challenges can significantly reduce access to future opportunities for academic and professional advancement for young students. 

Peace for All Canada is also searching for students interested in helping marginalized people and vulnerable groups that lack access to suitable supports as they navigate the legal system. To focus on this subject more intimately, they are developing the Community Legal Information Project. This project will rely on peer-to-peer training by those with lived experience to connect people with the right resources. 

Home Range Story Kitchen, an offshoot of the Commons Studio, is currently hosting Story Kitchens, a set of exploratory intergenerational and interdisciplinary “learning by doing” programs. As a community partner, they are seeking students to study how communities fill in the gaps left by the steady diminution of the local/regional media in all forms over the last 20-30 years. 

Finally, Helping International Students creates local networks that provide international students support programs, resources, and community relationships to help them thrive practically, socially, and spiritually. They are looking to explore frameworks and participatory approaches that can shift power and build community ownership for food security for international students.