We are delighted to be bring WIL back to Alberta – the province where the first two WILs took place and helped shape our global vision. WIL Canada 2019 will blend extensive field tours, leadership and skill building, team collaboration and really growing your network in the water sector.
Where is this WIL taking place?
WIL Canada 2019 will take place in southern Alberta, starting in the city of Calgary, with field tours over 2 days in the city and surrounding area, and then travel to the University of Calgary Biogeoscience field station where everyone will stay for the last 4 nights. WIL Canada 2019 aims to bring a new cohort of young Canadian water professionals and researchers together to explore the water issues that face the region as well as explore the numerous innovative approaches that are being undertaken across Alberta and Canada. Key to our process is place-based learning. You will have the chance to see first-hand and to learn about Alberta’s water challenges and innovations from a technical, social, scientific, economic and environmental perspectives. The Lab will be an opportunity for the co-creation of innovative solutions to address pressing water challenges.
What themes will be explored?
Collaborative watershed planning
Latest technology in water conservation
Projects integrating stormwater treatment and harvesting
Flood management and mitigation
Water/energy/food nexus
Urban resiliency
Indigenous ways of knowing TEK
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
AWARDS OF $5,000s IN SEED GRANT FUNDING AND MENTORSHIP WILL BE GIVEN TO OUTSTANDING TEAMS TO IMPLEMENT YOUR WIL WATER INNOVATION PROJECT!
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Why join WIL CANADA 2019?
WIL is an opportunity to build your network, expand your career opportunities, experience inter-generational and cross-sectoral learning at the community level and collaborate with other young leaders, experienced mentors and facilitators. You will:
Connect directly with visionary resource experts across water disciplines who will share their local, regional and global knowledge in the water sector
Cultivate unparalleled innovation and leadership skills that can be transferrable to your work or projects
Learn through dynamic programming that ignites your passion and sparks innovative ideas to approach the future of water management
Develop collaborative innovation projects in multi-disciplinary teams that address a water challenge, and have a chance to get support to test/prototype/pilot your idea post-WIL!
Live an unforgettable experience with peers, facilitators, and mentors that speak to each unique landscape, in an inspiring setting
Build long-lasting relationships and grow your network- while having a unique learning experience, and having buckets of fun too!
Who will be at WIL Canada 2019?
80
Young Leaders
(Canadian and some Global)
25+
Resource Guests
(Albertan, Canadian and Global)
5
Waterlution Facilitators
(from our core team, and from past WILs now working with us)
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Ready to join WIL Canada 2019?
Are you…
20-35 years old?
A community youth/leader, graduate student or young professional interested in solving water challenges and increasing your leadership skills?
Able to attend for the full duration of 6 days – Oct 5-11, 2019 (start 4pm Oct 5, depart 10 am Oct 11th)?
Ready to build a repertoire of tools around collaborative innovation*?
*Collaborative Innovation is when knowledge, products, and/or services are created cooperatively by a team, with members having different yet complementary ideas, knowledge and skills.
Important Dates 2019
March 26 Applications open
April 15 – June 20 Acceptances*
July 31, 2019 Application deadline
August 2019 project idea webinar (for those with project ideas only), with resource guests – date to be announced in June
September 2019 Welcome webinar (all accepted participants), what to expect, building community, answering questions/logistics – date to be announced in July/August
Oct 5-11 2019 WIL Canada is delivered, we are together learning and innovating on water! (please see schedule for details)
*We have found that the longer applicants have to prepare the better. If places remain post-June 15th, applications will remain open until full.
WHY ATTEND A WIL?
“Participating in a Water Innovation Lab by Waterlution is a life changing experience. You will meet amazing people, learn incredible new knowledge, and leave feeling profoundly inspired. If you get a chance to participate in WIL, definitely do it. You’ll be glad you did.” – WIL India participant, 2017
“All of a sudden, I started thinking of my knowledge as more useful, and myself as a more valuable asset to a team. I always saw myself as younger, less experienced and less knowledgeable than everyone else in my field, but now I realize that I have real skills, and what I needed was more confidence and the tools to bring those skills into a collaborative work space.” – WIL Scotland participant, 2015
“Different parts of our brain were activated each day. Building water entrepreneurs and the Pro-Action Café were a great mix so people could test their ideas with a wide range of participants. There were so many great ideas.” – WIL Canada participant, 2013
Contact WIL Canada
Laina Timberg Water Innovation Lab Network Coordinator
