The Catalyst
Issue #1
Originally Distributed September 16, 2025
Dear Changemakers,
Welcome to the very first edition of The Catalyst.
Every great venture, project, or movement begins with people who believe in their ideas enough to act on them. This newsletter is my way of helping you turn that belief into action with practical tools, thought-starters, and real-world stories.
Thank you for being here. Let’s dive in.
—Jess
Inside this issue:
Framework – The 3-Lens Check-In: a simple way to diagnose why decisions stall
Field Notes – Community is currency • Youth as present leaders • When the system fails you, build a new lane
Spotlight – Building flourishing futures at Georgian College and a prompt to explore the Future of Belonging
Media Room – You’re Already Whole podcast Curious Minds podcast Barrie Today feature
Action Prompt – 3 questions to spark clarity—pick one and try it this week
Collab Lab Breakthroughs – Monthly subscriber giveaway: win a personalized 3–5 min strategy note from me
Framework of the Month
The Three Lenses
When to use it:
In a leadership meeting when decisions feel stalled.
Mid-project, if momentum is slipping and no one is sure why.
When setting priorities for a new initiative.
Anytime you feel like you’re “stuck in the weeds” but can’t name the root cause.
Think of it like a diagnostic — if one lens is blurry, it throws the whole picture off.
Try this with one decision you’re stuck on this week. It’s a quick way to identify the real bottleneck.
I’d love to hear how it works for you — reply back and share what you discovered when you put the 3-Lens Check-In into practice.
Field Notes
What we’re working on (and what it’s shifting)
Community is Currency
Recent work with municipalities, nonprofits, and local leaders keeps proving it: progress moves at the speed of trust. The best results come from aligned partners (SBECs, Community Futures, schools, municipal teams) who share goals and communicate clearly.
Try this: List your five strongest allies and make one concrete ask of each this month.
Youth are Leaders, NOW
In our Student Ventures work, students aren’t just learning—they’re launching. They design brands, budgets, and real services, then ship. The takeaway: youth don’t need permission; they need pathways and a microphone.
Try this: Give one student (or young team member) the first 5 minutes of your next meeting to share a problem + proposed solution.
When the system fails you, create a solution
In a recent Think Tank, I worked with an Educational Assistant forced to wrap up an 18-year career. She had seen firsthand how stress and extreme behaviours were wearing down both students and staff — and realized the system wasn’t equipped to respond. Instead of walking away from the issues, she’s launching a social enterprise centered on natural medicine, helping people keep their minds and bodies healthy in stressful environments. A personal passion became a systemic solution.
Try this: If you feel like the system is failing you, ask: What problem have I experienced so deeply that I can build the solution myself?
When you’re facing a challenge, it’s easy to get stuck spinning in circles. That’s where the Three-Lens Check-In comes in. It’s a simple tool to help you quickly diagnose what’s really holding you back — and where to focus next.
Spotlight: Building Flourishing Futures at Georgian College
Georgian College’s Social Innovation Department is doing the kind of work that deserves to be seen and celebrated — work practitioners may not always see the immediate results of, but that is vital in shaping the future.
Through initiatives like their Change the Now program (which youth learners with social impact challenges), and their partnership with the YMCA on the Future of Belonging project and their Community Impact Lab network, they are diligently weaving the fabric of a better future.
This is systems change at its most profound: equipping learners, communities, and organizations with the skills and mindsets to build flourishing futures — even if the outcomes are only visible years down the road.
Over the past year and half, I’ve had the privilege of connecting with leaders in this space, and it’s been inspiring to see how these relationships and ideas are blossoming. It’s a reminder that systems change is not just about fixing what’s broken — it’s about creating the conditions for something entirely new to grow.
The prompt for you: Explore the Future of Belonging work HERE. Ask yourself — how could belonging be reimagined in your team, your organization, or your community?
Media Room
Catch the latest conversations, articles, and spotlights on this portfolio of changemaking work.
Take Action
Your Catalyst moves this month
Here are three actions taken from this issue that I’d love you to try this month:
➡️ Run one stuck decision through the 3-Lens Check-In (Vision, Systems, People). Which lens is blurry?
➡️ Give a youth or emerging leader 5 minutes to propose a solution in your next meeting.
➡️ Ask your team: “What would it look like if belonging was designed into everything we do?”
Pick one, try it this month, and watch what shifts.
Collab Lab Breakthroughs
Every month, one subscriber will win a personalized 3–5 min voice or video note from me — unpacking your challenge, sharing a framework, or sparking new ideas.
✨ To be eligible for our first draw, you must be an official subscriber!
The winner (first name, last initial) will be announced in the next issue of The Catalyst — exclusively for subscribers.
Closing Message
Thank you for reading the very first edition of The Catalyst.
This newsletter is about more than tools and stories — it’s about fueling a community of changemakers who believe in clarity, action, and building futures that flourish.
If this issue sparked something for you, here are two ways you can help grow the movement:
Forward this email to a colleague or friend who’s ready for momentum.
Hit reply and share one takeaway, question, or idea you’d love me to explore in a future issue.
And remember — the first Collab Lab Breakthrough winner will be announced in next month’s issue. Make sure you’re officially subscribed to be in the draw.
Until then — keep moving boldly,
Jess
