With the pandemic being a part of our 2020 reality, we wanted to continue on track with our CSC projects. We decided to host an online design lab and make some alterations to suit a virtual group! We couldn’t have been more pleased with the experience and outcomes! Typically our design labs happen over a weekend, but because we were not able to have things in that manner this year, we broke down our usual process. We had four days to move through our design process and gather all of the usual information. Despite meeting in the virtual world as strangers, it didn’t take long to create a warm and fun vibe with the group! Our team quickly became a supportive and empowering group, and rallied around each other during the process. 


Seven youth between the ages of 17 to 25 from across the country; Jenelle, Dakshina, Zoya, Grace, McKinley, Nameesha, and Myera!


Our usual design lab process was broken down into four, six hour sessions over two weeks.  We came together to co-create two mental health resources for Canadian youth to use.  Everyone wanted to make two resources and we decided on a game and a journal book!  They wanted to provide solutions to the different obstacles young people are encountering, and also ways to grow and thrive in your day to day life. After doing some activities as a group, we went into breakout rooms on Zoom! There, we broke down ideas and created content for the tools the group wanted to make.  It was interesting to see how productive we could be in a virtual group and how focused and cohesive everyone was. 


Summer and Fall 2020


This design lab took place virtually across Canada, from British Columbia to New Brunswick all on Zoom! We had four meetings over two weeks to make up the usual time we would be spending over the weekend (which is our typical design lab process) and then had a few one hour follow up meetings, over Zoom, to work out details about the book and game.

Project Links

Destination Life

This game takes you through challenges and obstacles for personal growth. Pick the best choice to help you navigate through each dilemma and make it to the finish line. It's available in English, French and Spanish.

Destination Life - English

Destination Life - French

Thrive: One Province at a Time

In this this book you move through Canada on a journey of self discovery; you can make it your own with journal prompts, colouring pages, and so much more! It's available in English, French and Hindi.

Thrive: One Province at a Time - English  

Thrive: One Province at a Time - French  

Thrive: One Province at a Time - Hindi

Youth Partners

We posed the following questions to the youth team:

  1. What was your favorite part of this Design Lab and what made you laugh?
  2. What is your best advice for persevering with online learning during quarantine?
  3. What keeps you motivated during a Global Pandemic?
  4. How was collaborating on Zoom?
  5. What did you learn during quarantine?