Youth Community Changemakers
Empowering Local Youth to Create Real Change.
After-School Program offered at your school or your local Public Library
Welcome to The Academy of South Georgian Bay’s Community Changemakers Program.
This After-school program is designed to inspire, engage, and empower Local youth in Grades 5–12 to create positive change in their communities.
Why Changemaking Matters
At The Academy of South Georgian Bay, we believe young people have the power to transform their communities—and the world. Our Community of Changemakers initiative invites students in Grades 5–12 and their teachers into a vibrant learning space to explore creativity, leadership, and real-world problem solving. We’re here to foster student voice, build confidence, and inspire youth-led action in our region.
Rooted in our Core Values.
The Changemakers Program is rooted in The Academy’s core values of creativity, curiosity, ownership, and community engagement. Through hands-on experiences and entrepreneurial skill-building, youth will gain the tools they need to become active changemakers, addressing local issues with fresh perspectives and innovative solutions.
About the After-School Program.
What: Community of Changemakers [Pilot] Program, Grades 5-12
When: After-school sessions beginning 2026/2027 school year
Where: Mobile Georgian Community Impact Lab
Cost: Details will be shared when the program opens for enrollment.
What students will experience...
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This opportunity is open to schools, classrooms, and youth-serving organizations looking to offer their students something special. Whether you're a teacher, principal, community leader, or parent champion, if you want to empower young people and deepen engagement through purpose-driven learning, we want to hear from you.
For students: a chance to collaborate, dream big, and see their ideas come to life.
For educators: a way to introduce changemaking and design thinking to your classroom with ease, and in partnership with experienced facilitators.
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Students will begin by engaging in the Change the Now design process, working on a guided project where they can playfully experiment and bring ideas into the real world. This introduction sets the foundation for a creative, problem-solving mindset.
This After-School Program is designed around the core values of curiosity, community, ownership, and purposeful living.
Sessions include:
Interactive, hands-on experiences
Tools for design thinking and problem solving
Activities that link to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
Opportunities for storytelling, reflection, and leadership development
Whether your students are exploring environmental issues, mental health, equity, or local needs, these programs give them the framework to act.
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Programs are hosted in-person. Sessions are available for individual classes or multiple classrooms combined.
Grades 5–8: Beginner-level changemaking, creativity, and community discovery
Grades 9–12: Advanced problem solving, project design, and leadership
Fill out our interest form or connect with us directly to plan a session for your students.
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The Community of Changemakers is part of our ongoing collaboration with Georgian College’s Research, Innovation and Entrepreneurship Department and their Ashoka-accredited #ChangeTheNow initiative. Together, we’re building a K–College pathway for changemakers in South Georgian Bay and beyond.
Let’s raise a generation of students who see themselves as creative problem solvers, compassionate leaders, and capable collaborators.
Program Objectives.
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Empowering Youth Voices:
Students will learn to identify and address real issues in their community, discovering their capacity to lead social /environmental change.
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Skill-Building in System Design & Entrepreneurship:
Through hands-on, collaborative projects, students will develop entrepreneurial skills, critical thinking, and collaborative problem-solving.
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Community Impact:
Youth will not only learn the theory behind system design and social innovation but will also have the opportunity to create tangible change in their community
Who Can Participate?
This opportunity is open to schools, classrooms, and youth-serving organizations looking to offer their students something special. Whether you're a teacher, principal, community leader, or parent champion, if you want to empower young people and deepen engagement through purpose-driven learning, we want to hear from you.
For students: a chance to collaborate, dream big, and see their ideas come to life.
For educators: a way to introduce changemaking and design thinking to your classroom with ease, and in partnership with experienced facilitators.
Our Collaboration with Georgian College & the #ChangeTheNow Initiative
At The Academy of South Georgian Bay, we are proud to collaborate with Georgian College’s Research, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship Department to bring world-class changemaking education to our students and community. As part of this partnership, we are integrating #ChangeTheNow (#CTN)—an Ashoka-accredited social innovation program—into our curriculum, ensuring students engage in real-world problem-solving that fosters leadership, creativity, and social impact.
What is #CTN?
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#CTN is a global movement dedicated to changemaking that empowers students, educators, and community members to collaboratively address the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs). Georgian College is Canada’s first and only Ashoka-designated changemaker college, recognized for embedding social innovation into education.
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Georgian College’s vision for #CTN extends from K-12 to post-secondary and beyond, creating a seamless pipeline for youth to develop problem-solving skills and social entrepreneurship mindsets. The Academy is a proud partner in realizing this vision, serving as a Community Impact Lab within Georgian College’s new Community Innovation Network, which includes seven Lab spaces across the region.
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Through this collaboration, students at The Academy will:
✔ Engage in hands-on projects tackling real community challenges
✔ Connect with industry leaders and social innovators
✔ Use design thinking and changemaking frameworks to create meaningful impact
✔ Build the skills needed to thrive in an evolving world
By embedding changemaking into education, The Academy ensures that every student leaves with the mindset and tools to make a positive, lasting difference, both locally and globally.
The Academy Co-Founder, Jessica Flynn, sat down with Georgian College’s Community Impact Lab Coordinator, Adam Dagenais, to discuss Georgain’s #CTN work.
Get Involved.
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For Community Supporters:
Help us empower youth changemakers by supporting this program. Your involvement as a community partner, sponsor, or mentor can make a lasting impact on the lives of local youth. Connect with today to become a program sponsor.
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For Teachers:
Are you looking to bring real-world problem-solving into your classroom?
Our Community of Changemakers workshop is designed to complement your curriculum while inspiring your students to think critically, act compassionately, and connect classroom learning to global challenges. This session aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and offers an exciting opportunity to deepen engagement through experiential, inquiry-based learning—right here in Collingwood.
Whether you teach Grade 5 or Grade 12, let’s work together to spark changemaking in your students.
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For Youth Community Leaders:
If you work with youth in after-school programs, clubs, sports, or mentorship settings, this initiative is for you.
The Community of Changemakers gives your young leaders a space to explore the kind of impact they can make in their community, through design thinking, storytelling, and real-world collaboration.
Our After-School Program is rooted in youth empowerment and inclusion. Bring your group to learn, grow, and contribute to a region-wide changemaking movement.
Join Us in Creating Meaningful Change.
Together, let’s make a difference—starting with our youth. Fill out the below Workshop Request Form!
