The Future is Collective Case Studies of Collective Social Innovation 2025

Collective action activities (continued) Launched in 2020, the Roving Campus is an education innovation created by three local teachers in the Canadian province of Manitoba. With support from local collaborative Portage La Prairie Community Building Youth Futures, the Roving Campus provides an alternative high school environment for young people who are not succeeding in the traditional school environment. The school runs over five days: three days are dedicated to essential outcomes and certifications, and two days are reserved for planning, coaching and one-on-one instruction. Free transport, meals, gym clothes and assistance with obtaining identity documents are also provided through the programme. Students spend about one-third of their time out of the classroom, doing hands-on learning and field trips. The programme also includes vocational certifications and resume skills. Although the first year was challenging due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the programme has proven its resilience and effectiveness, with an average attendance increase of 40% over traditional school. The alternative school has also showcased the power of partnerships, with numerous community partners throughout Manitoba contributing to the programme. In recent years, the Roving Campus has transitioned into a programme of the school division to ensure its sustainability.16 16. Adapted from case study: Cheuy, S., Koran, S., Woods, A. (2021). Portage La Prairie: Roving Campus Re-Engages Students.Capability Activities Influencing institutionsDeveloping policy recommendations: Tamarack has a public policy advisory group made up of network members, which sets policy priorities and actions. Tamarack is currently advocating for policies on community belonging, basic income and financial security, a Northern Territorial Youth and Community Strategy, and for governments to better partner with place-based collaboratives. Augmenting government staffing: Approximately half of the convening organizations in Tamarack’s local collaboratives are local governments. Tamarack supports federal, provincial and local government departments directly by facilitating planning, evaluation and community engagement processes, and providing capability-building support to government grantees. Investing in systemic solutionsSub-granting to collectives: Tamarack invests in local collaboratives for specific projects and initiatives. Since 2020, Tamarack has invested CAD $27 million in communities for operational support and for nearly 350 community innovation projects. Developing financing solutions: Tamarack is exploring the role they might play in bringing social finance and impact investing products to communities. Tamarack is looking at the feasibility of using outcome-based financing to fund milestones on the community journey map and building readiness in collaboratives to absorb financing. Case vignette: The Roving Campus The Future is Collective: Case Studies of Collective Social Innovation 65