A Storytelling Event About Motorcycles, Youth & Restorative Justice
Schedule
Tue, 18 Nov, 2025 at 02:00 pm to Tue, 02 Dec, 2025 at 01:00 pm
UTC-05:00Location
The Common Roof | Orillia, ON
About this Event
This Fall - We Are Road Tripping to a Community Near You!
A new mobile Community Impact Lab is hitting the road across the region to share the remarkable story of Shift Disturbers — a pilot program launched last spring to explore how hands-on learning and community connection can help youth find new pathways forward through rebuilding a motorcycle.
Select a date and location that works for you:
- Nov 18, 2025 - Barrie The Common Roof - 165 Ferris Lane
- Nov 25, 2025 - Orillia The Common Roof - 169 Front Street South
- Dec 2, 2025 - Collingwood The Common Roof - 199 Campbell Street
What is it?
This unique event will transform outdoor spaces hosted by The Common Roof in Barrie, Collingwood, and Orillia into pop-up community workshops.
Folks can drop-in and meet people who took part in the original Shift Disturbers pilot. We will come together as a community to share stories and ideas on the journey we’d like to co-create for youth in transition.
What to expect?
🧭 Storytelling Exhibit - Walk through storyboards that trace the journey from the first Shift Disturbers pilot to the broader Changing Course initiative.
🏍️ Hands-On Experience: See and sit on Blue Lightning—the motorcycle rebuilt by youth participants as part of their restorative learning journey.
💬 Community Dialogue: Contribute to a conversation about how we can co-create spaces of belonging, mentorship, and opportunity for youth and young adults.
🗣️ Share Your Insights: Take part in interactive activities that will help shape how we design and strengthen youth transition spaces (i.e., between schools, foster care homes, treatment programs, incarceration, etc.) across Simcoe and Muskoka.
☕ Hot Drinks & Snacks: As this road trip unpacks from our new Community Impact Lab Trailer, much of the event will be held outdoors—come dressed for the weather. We will be there rain, snow or shine!
More About this Road Trip
This road trip is part of the Changing Course Project—a three-year applied research initiative co-led by Georgian College’s Department of Social Innovation and the Elizabeth Fry Society of Simcoe Muskoka.
The project is a synergy of restorative justice, trauma-informed practices, and skilled trades training. We aim to work together to help young adults who have experienced criminalization, are facing challenges with mental health or addictions, successfully transition into education, employment, and community belonging.
Part of the Community Innovation Network
The Changing Course Project is part of the Community Innovation Network—a growing regional ecosystem of Community Impact Labs designed to help people work together on tough community issues.
Initially founded by the YMCA of Simcoe/Muskoka and Georgian College’s Department of Social Innovation, the Network supports communities in imagining and testing new ideas for positive change.
It brings together youth, educators, local leaders, and neighbours to explore creative solutions to local challenges. It’s about learning by doing, sharing what works, and building a region that is stronger, more inclusive, and future-ready.
By taking the Network’s mobile Community Impact Lab on the road as part of the Changing Course Project with the Elizabeth Fry Society of Simcoe Muskoka, we’re turning ideas into action—connecting stories, people, and places to spark conversations about how we can all help youth build brighter futures.
Where is it happening?
The Common Roof, 169 Front Street South, Orillia, CanadaEvent Location & Nearby Stays:
CAD 0.00
