COLAB provided Developmental Evaluation and Facilitation support to the NouLAB team as they rolled out the first cycle of the Economic Immigration Lab for New Brunswick.

About the Lab: A diverse group of over 50 stakeholders from settlement agencies, private sector, newcomers, all levels of government, and academia, have set out to develop innovative solutions to the economic and population growth challenges of NB. Stakeholders are taken through a process of examining the wider macro system of immigration in NB, and then follow the journey of users of the system (newcomers, and employers) to better understand their experience. Multi-sectoral teams then develop prototypes and strategies for effective immigrant attraction and retention.

COLAB's role: The Social Innovation Lab approach to solving complex challenges is centred on the ideas of experimentation, prototyping, and being in continual learning. The lab itself models this behaviour by being in a state of rapid and agile development. COLAB’s role of Developmental Evaluation provided an intentional and systematic framework for learning about the lab as it developed. Together with participants and funding partners, we examined the effectiveness of the lab to address a complex issue, captured relevant information for internal team learning, and sought to improve all aspects of program design. COLAB has acted as primary consultant to the NouLAB team since the beginning of this lab, and we continue to work closely with them as they step into their 2nd year of the Economic Immigration Lab.

To learn more about the lab and the prototypes that were developed:

http://www.economicimmigrationlab.org/

NouLAB does amazing work in NB. Check them out!

www.noulab.org