We use the ICD approach as a framework for social innovation. The Unified utility is the economic and technical engine of the ICD approach. It creates sustainable infrastructures in communities, preserving natural elements through giving communities access to renewable carbon-free energy, while creating an economic engine (“the Local Motive”) to support all critical cultural activities..
The Integrated Community Development Approach is an Indigenous approach to community development that has been described as a “framework for social innovation” by Anishinaabe “elder” Wendy Phillips.
Odenaansan is a family of projects across many sectors in multiple countries. The projects link social animation with sustainable engineering, employing a business model designed and implemented by a diverse team including Indigenous knowledge keepers, experienced entrepreneurs and world leaders in sustainable technology. Odenaansan’s component entities include:
Anishinaabe knowledge keepers provided the word dakonan (to hold for others) to describe the grandmothers’ trust fund that oversees the multi-generational project of restoring Indigenous cultural institutions such as governance, education and health, among others.
Odenaansan Dakonan meets the need for a governance structure enabling future generations to own shares in community-owned social enterprises that activate the unified utility approach in formerly colonized communities.
Odenaansan Dakonan supports the financial framework of the ICD project and will be the “basket” to hold shares in all the social enterprises created through Odenaansan, creating resources for Indigenous women to employ for cultural revitalization that are not controlled by colonial structures.
Odenaansan has engaged SE to incubate the various entities and projects utilizing the ICD approach. For instance, SE is acting as a Partnership Broker in Hamilton for both the local Odenaansan and Spencer Creek Restoration Project.
As part of the need for deep retrofits, SE is developing a methodology for a “kit of parts” approach to sustainable development. The “secret sauce” to this approach is Greg Allen’s unique, proprietary advanced mechanical systems.
Kit of Parts designs and implements new builds and retrofits for existing buildings (residential, institutional and commercial) in order to achieve Zero GHG solutions with respect to the built environment. This work is centred around Greg Allen’s integrated approach to engineering which he has applied since the 1970’s, when he wrote about humanity’s need to eliminate fossil fuel dependency. This has been the focus of his career ever since.
Note. This stands apart as a place of learning and thus not a social enterprise, as distinct from the others.
This entity safeguards and develops cultural heritage and globally supports the restoration of the matriarchy, with a particular focus on the Great Lakes Basin in Turtle Island (North America) and the Great Lakes district of Africa, followed by the Western hemisphere all for the benefit of the Indigenous population, land, and water and all who participate in Indigenous cultures.
This entity creates and disseminates cultural content, including audio-visual programming for information and entertainment, attracting paid advertising that supports the cultural transformation which works synergistically with the ICD Projects.
This is the safe environment that the Indigenous culture practiced within the Odenaansan Project will provide to the youth through engagement in helpful social engagement..
At the local level, Odenaansanis a community-driven social enterprise mandated to provide utility services that treat energy, water, and waste as an integrated set. These integrated services achieve qualitatively better outcomes for the local environment and inhabitants: essentially the goal of the ICD approach.
MDCis a division of Sustainable Engineering that provides integrated regenerative land and infrastructure development through an Indigenous lens. This is distinct from traditional “development” which only considers from the curb inward. In order to accomplish true Zero GHG emissions one has to consider Scope Three, which includes the carbon impact from all aspects of the building and life cycle of a project. MDCis not just focused on the building, but on the types of materials, and how the building materials are sourced, manufactured, and ultimately disposed of at the end of the building’s life. It also considers and includes the infrastructure context and, most importantly, energy generation.