MASSIVE ACTION Sydney

A collaboration between Massive Change Network® and UNSW ADA Innovation Hub

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Drawing on our collective power to design a better future now

The problem

Around the world, the 2020s decade is considered make-or-break for protecting nature and preserving life on earth for future generations. We’re facing critical challenges in climate, health and empowerment that demand urgent change.

We need to work together now to improve life on earth before it’s too late.

Our partners

In 2022, the ADA Innovation Hub partnered with internationally renowned designers Bruce Mau and Aiyemobisi (Bisi) Williams of Massive Change Network® (MCN) to host MASSIVE ACTION Sydney (MAS).

MASSIVE ACTION™ is a multi-partner alliance across major international cities promoting deep collaborations to solve problems where others have failed.

MAS engages with diverse knowledges and champions creativity, collaboration and inclusion to drive the futures we hope for, not those we fear: futures that are sustainable, connected, healthy and socially just. It supports inspired strategic projects that accelerate massive action to deliver massive change.  

“In the ADA Innovation Hub, we’re excited about creating new ways for universities to partner with industry, government and community groups,” says Dr Carly Vickers, Academic Lead of the ADA Innovation Hub at UNSW. “Our MASSVIVE ACTION Sydney initiative has five projects that we are looking for key partners to create positive change and impact at scale and at pace.”

Our strategy

By taking a life-centred design approach to solving complex challenges, we acknowledge we’re part of a larger ecosystem and that everything we do has implications: economic, ecological, social and more. By practicing empathy, we can better understand our impact and help realise the greater good for humanity and the planet.

“What I like about MASSIVE ACTION™ is that it’s not just talking about positivity, it’s actually turning that positivity into practical action.” - Erika Aligno, UNSW Master of Environmental Management student (School of Humanities & Languages).

Our progress

Design sprint to identify sustainable change

In September 2022, the MAS partnership brought together innovators, thought leaders, visionary artists and change makers from the ADA staff and student community in a month-long design sprint to address today’s most pressing issues. Participants pitched to solve vital problems through their work, identifying barriers to change on a massive scale and at pace.

Through intensive workshops led by MCN, our change-leaders engaged with their Massive Change principles (MC24) designed to promote strategic impact, value, massive optimism and accelerated movement towards sustainable change. They translated project provocations into radical real-world plans.

Learn more about the Design Sprint

Ongoing mentorship and strategic support

Five projects were selected for further development over an 18-month period in 2023/24: Caring for Country; Making Good Media; (Daily) Delight~Disrupt; Big Trauma, Big Change; and re-situ.

These projects received ongoing mentorship with MCN along with strategic advice and support on project management, collaboration and resourcing through the ADA Innovation Hub. They also received marketing, communication and international visibility through the MASSIVE ACTION Sydney network.

“What’s really amazing about MASSIVE ACTION Sydney is … they’re tackling some of the biggest issues and challenges that we’re facing, but they’re doing it with commitment and optimism. It’s exactly what’s needed.” - Kevin Finn, Founder of TheSumOf.

Building strength-based community resources for transformative change

Big Trauma, Big Change

Redefining mental health support through community-driven, trauma-informed resources. Using immersive tools like VR, it empowers people to address trauma, foster connections, and spark transformation beyond the limits of traditional medical models.

Driving climate action through reciprocity

Caring for Country Leave

A proactive, culturally and environmentally just initiative, that provides UNSW ADA staff the opportunity to undertake up to four days additional leave per year to volunteer and give back to Country.

Sparkin delight in our lives, while reconnecting with each other and nature

(Daily) Delight~Disrupt

A grassroots movement transforming environmental engagement through simple, joyful activities. Themed weekly practices empower people to reconnect with each other and the planet through simple, delightful actions that disrupt harmful norms. By spreading joy and care, it builds a global culture of positive, restorative change.

Fostering positive climate action through irresistible speculative design

Making Good Media

An initiative that using speculative design to help us imagine what media could look like in a hopeful, climate positive future. The Making Good Media project team of UNSW designers, directors, visual effects creators and writers create short, shareable media clips to show what possible futures might look like.

Tools for a more informed and responsible generation of designers

re-situ

As designers we have a responsibility to make informed choices that contribute to the sustainment of life. To consider the broader ecosystems and local contexts in which we are participating and designing into. How can we be more proactive and intentional designers?

Our impact

In March 2023, UNSW ADA welcomed industry leaders, government representatives and community visionaries to our Unconvention. Project teams presented talks, immersive experiences and participated in deep conversations to progress their ideas to productive solutions.

The Unconvention provided a crucial launchpad, enabling projects to advance to promote real-world change. It evidenced strong industry commitment and engendered valuable networks with implementation partners.

“ADA has a vision: Through creativity, collaboration and inclusion, we seek and solve problems to include life on Earth. We have a number of projects focusing on climate, health and empowerment and we’d love to work with you to take these to the next step.” - Prof. Claire Annesley, Dean of Arts, Design & Architecture.

Learn about Unconvention