IRCC Equity and Anti-Racism Systems Change Framework

The future we want: IRCC is an equitable and anti-racist institution

• Our vision is to maximize the benefits of IRCC programs to Canadians and newcomers through the elimination of racism in policies, programs, service delivery and people management.
• Our mission is to end systemic racism and other forms of systemic discrimination by identifying and removing deeply engrained systemic barriers to equity.

Understanding the foundations for lasting change

What is Systems Change?

‘‘Systems change is about shifting the conditions that are holding a problem in place.’’ - Social Innovation Generation Canada

What is the problem we are trying to fix?

A holistic approach to understand and develop strategies to address inequity so changes go beyond the surface level and are lasting.

What are the risks of not adopting systems change?

• Upholding white privilege and power imbalances
• Widening disparities for underserved groups in Canadian society
• Erosion of truth and public trust
• Slow pace of change
• Low yield/return on investment to advance equity
• Hindering full potential for innovation

Shifting the Conditions that Hold Racial and other Inequities in Place

Source: FSG – The Water of Systems Change

Level 1: Structural change (explicit)

• Policies: Government, institutional and organizational rules, regulations, and priorities that the entity’s own and others’ actions.
• Practices: Espoused activities of institutions, coalitions, networks, and other entities targeted to improving social and environmental progress. Also, within the entity, the procedures, guidelines, or informal shared habits that comprise their work.
• Resource flows: How money, people, knowledge, information, and other assets such as infrastructure are allocated and distributed.

Level 2: Relational change (semi-explicit)

• Relationships and connections: Quality of connections and communication occurring among actors in the system, especially among those with differing histories and viewpoints.
• Power dynamics: The distribution of decision-making power, authority, and both formal and informal influence among individuals and organizations.

Level 3: Transformative change (implicit)

• Mental models: Habits of thought—deeply held beliefs and assumptions and taken-for-granted ways of operating that influence how we think, what we do, and how we talk.

Allies and Change Agents

• Orchestrators facilitate alignment towards common goals and coordinate action across groups, organizations and sectors.
• Innovators create new actionable solution(s) to address dysfunctions in the system
• Agitators create visibility into the system dysfunction and/or raise grievances of individuals or groups to the forefront of public awareness

Source: Julia Battilana and Marisa Kimsey, Stanford Social Innovation Review

Key Qualities of Systems Change Entrepreneurs

• Has or creates proximity to the people and the problem they are addressing
• Engages with individuals most affected by the problem as assets (possessing talents, skills, and expertise) in developing solutions
• Views and embodies collective leadership as a critical component in achieving systems change
• Focuses on shifting multiple interrelated systemic conditions
• Is systems aware – understands relationships and power dynamics between players in the system – including opposing forces
• Addresses the deeper, transformative levers of systems change (e.g. power dynamics, policies and narratives) in addition to structural levers (e.g. practices, policies and resource flows)