TakingITGlobal
Sprout Fellowship 2025-26 Annual Report (2)
Issue link: https://takingitglobal.uberflip.com/i/1545356
Contents of this Issue
Page 23 of 43
Articles in this issue
- 2025-2026 SPROUT IDEAS FELLOWSHIP IMPACT REPORT
- LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
- ABOUT THIS REPORT
- The Sprout Ideas Fellowship
- Canada Service Corps
- TakingITGlobal
- TABLE OF CONTENTS
- FROM OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
- MEET OUR FELLOWSHIP SUPPORT COORDINATORS
- The Fellowship Support Coordinators provide mentorship, guidance, and accountability to the Fellows, and play a critical role (alongside the rest of the TakingITGlobal staff) in making the program possible!
- A passionate advocate for youth mental health, Loizza received the RBC Top 25 Canadian Immigrant Award and the YMCA Peace Medal for her advocacy. She holds an H.BSc. from the University of Toronto in Mental Health and International Development.
- She is the Founder and Executive Director of Sisters in Sync, a grassroots organization that supporting leadership development, youth wellness, survivor advocacy, and community connection across Hamilton and beyond. Her leadership centres collaboration, e
- With over a decade of experience in community leadership, Simeh has led youth mentorship programs and collaborated across Ottawa on initiatives like professional development for creatives. He is also the Director of Phase1, supporting youth in entreprene
- Amira first joined TakingITGlobal through the #RisingYouth Grant Program. She brings her gift for event planning and transforming creative ideas into reality. Amira has been working on the rights of return of the Palestinian refugees. Amira is very passio
- WHO ARE THE FELLOWS?
- The Sprout Ideas Fellows represented a diversity of communities and identities across Canada.
- Fellows participated
- Fellows ranged from
- 17-30
- years of age
- Fellows were on average
- 24.5
- years old
- WHERE ARE THEY JOINING FROM?
- NT = 1
- BC = 13
- AB = 6
- SK = 6
- NL = 2
- MB = 5
- ON = 56
- 19 Fellows were from Ottawa
- QC = 16
- 12 Fellows were from Montreal
- PE = 1
- 5 Fellows were from Vancouver
- NS = 7
- NB =3
- Each Fellow received up to $5,000 for their projects.
- $551,000+
- in funds were given to bring their projects to life!
- Most of the funds were used for supplies/materials, equipment/space rentals and providing meals for participants.
- Supplies/Materials $ 180,000
- Equipment/ Space rental $ 100,000
- Meals/Catering $82,600
- Honoraria (Consultant) $40,800
- Honoraria (Guests) $37,700
- Transport $36,100
- Promotion $26,000
- Miscellaneous $18,900
- Projects
- generated revenue*!
- *All funds were to be used for their Fellowship projects and could not be kept by the Fellows.
- PROJECT SERVICE AREAS
- Learn more about these projects on page 30!
- PROJECT SCALE
- About 2 in 5 (42%) Fellows partnered with another organization for their project.
- Most Fellows worked with others to complete their project.
- 70% of Fellows pursued new challenges by expanding their #RisingYouth projects or launching an entirely new idea!
- Brand new project unrelated to #RisingYouth project
- Extension or scaling up of previous #RisingYouth project
- Brand new project related to #RisingYouth project
- SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS
- All United Nations Member States adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, providing a global roadmap for peace, planetary health, education and quality of life.
- Each Sprout Fellow's project aligned with at least one Sustainable Development Goal (SDG). Many projects touched on multiple goals, once again underscoring that youth are leading bold, interconnected solutions!
- Projects for SDG 3
- Projects for SDG 4
- Projects for SDG 10
- Projects for SDG 13
- Projects for SDG 17
- Number of projects
- FELLOWSHIP IMPACTS
- The Sprout Ideas Fellowship provided Fellows with resources and mentorship to bring their ideas to life.
- In this chapter, Fellows reflect on the skills they gained, the lessons they learned, and the impact they made while working on their projects.
- Fellows highlight how the combination of training, teamwork, mentorship, funding and hands-on experiences supported their social innovation journeys.
- HOW THE FELLOWSHIP FUELS IMPACT
- How did the Sprout Ideas Fellowship support your impact?
- Fellows highlighted the following themes:
- Turning Ideas into Action Through Funding
- Building Skills, Confidence, and Leadership
- Fostering Community and Collaboration
- How did participating in the Fellowship contribute to your social innovation journey?
- Fellows highlighted the following themes:
- Increased Confidence as Social Innovator
- Gained Skills to Design and Implement Projects
- Connected with Other Young Changemakers
- How did your project impact you?
- Strengthening Leadership and Collaboration
- By taking ownership of their projects, many Fellows shared that leading a project pushed them outside their comfort zones and helped them grow into more confident and collaborative leaders.
- Building Meaningful Connections and Community
- With the opportunity to work with 100+ Fellows and mentors across the country, most Fellows said they had increased belief in their ideas and abilities and gained appreciation for peer-based learning.
- Clarifying Career Pathways and Future Goals
- Their projects were pivotal in shaping their future aspirations and career direction. After seeing the success of their initiatives, many felt inspired to continue working in social impact.
- Most Fellows found the learning activities and managing funding for their projects to be an invaluable experience.
- What was your biggest success with this project?
- Many Fellows said that making an impact in their community and with their community was their biggest success. Being able to scale a project also gave many Fellows a sense of accomplishment.
- What were some of your lessons learned from your project?
- Time Management
- Flexibility & Adaptability
- Importance of Co-design
- TEAMWORK = DREAM WORK
- Many Fellows worked with teams and volunteers to make their projects come to life. Volunteers and team members took initative, stepped into new roles and deepened their understanding of social, cultural and community issues.
- These experiences often extended beyond the project and encouraged further community involvement.
- How did your project impact your team and/or project volunteers?
- Fellows highlighted the following themes:
- Strengthened Teamwork and Collaboration
- - Ayoub Omar
- Developed Skills Through Hands-On Learning
- - 2025 Sprout Fellow
- Increased Confidence in Leadership Ability
- CREATING COMMUNITY
- Fellows led projects that cultivated meaningful change in their communities. Their work connected people, reached diverse audiences and contributed to lasting impact in their communities. By engaging with various audiences, Fellows addressed local challen
- In this section, Fellows reflect on the community impact of thier initatives.
- How many people were impacted by your project?
- Let's Talk Cash
- Fellows created projects that engaged a variety of audiences. By considering their audiences' diverse identities and backgrounds, Fellows were able to address real needs in their communities.
- Who was impacted by your project?
- * Vulnerable individuals are people living with mental health, addiction, abuse, etc.
- How Fellows' Projects Made a Personal Difference
- Bengali Youth Connect
- Bridging Generations in Nature
- A newcomer from France appreciated the workshop being bilingual as it provided her with a comfortable space to expand her network, practice her language skills, and feel more integrated into Canadian life.
- - 2025 Sprout Fellow
- Through social activities, cultural workshops, and one-on-one academic mentorship, one of our mentees gained the confidence needed to enroll in her school's Science Olympics and earn a Silver Medal at the regional fair!
- - Mehrin Hoque
- HerFlow
- During one of the deliveries, a shelter staff member shared that menstrual products are often rationed due to limited donations. Knowing that our care packages would allow women to access these was incredibly powerful.
- - Favour Babalola
- LOOKING AHEAD
- KEEP IT GROWING
- Empowering youth with the tools and support to lead sparks lasting change for themselves and their communities.
- For many Fellows, participating in the Sprout Ideas Fellowship was the first step. After this experience, most Fellows are committed to continuing their projects, scaling their initiatives and exploring new ways to create more impact.
- As a result of the Sprout Ideas Fellowship...
- 96%
- 93%
- Fellows said they felt more confident...
- Starting a new project or opportunity
- Scaling up a project
- Taking on leadership roles & opportunities
- Furthering learning as a social innovator
- SPROUTING INTO THE FUTURE
- The Sprout Ideas Fellowship is proud to have helped spark ideas among youth that will grow beyond the program.
- With their skills, confidence and community connections, Fellows can continue on their social innovation journeys and expand their impact - locally and globally.
- As these Fellows move forward, their work stands as a powerful reminder of the power of youth-led innovation in building a better future!
- EDUCATION
- Fatima Janneh, Quebec
- Beauty and Business Engineering Society (BABES)
- EDUCATION
- Hai Minh Le, Quebec
- MycoNurseries: Fungi for Sustainability
- ARTS & CULTURE
- Jessica Arychuk, Manitoba
- Cayden's Shoe Project
- ARTS & CULTURE
- Tania Bodika, Quebec
- Cultur'Elles Fest: Back to Your Childhood
- SOCIAL JUSTICE
- Shreyanshi Vala, British Columbia
- BOLT Safety Society Documentary Tour and Workshops + The Hub Expansion
- SOCIAL JUSTICE
- Divya Dey, Ontario
- BIWOC in the Outdoors
- FOOD & HEALTH
- Harmony Eshkawkogan, Ontario
- Gitigan
- FOOD & HEALTH
- Asma Musa, Ontario
- Quraac, Qado iyo Casho
- ENVIRONMENTAL
- Tayyaba Shahzad, Ontario
- From the Ground Up
- ENVIRONMENTAL
- Rachel Davis, Ontario
- Look around, Look within
- HOUSING & SAFETY
- Irene Yao, Quebec
- Room to Fight
- Alice Y. S. Li, Saskatchewan
- Fumble Free First Aid Kit
- HOUSING & SAFETY
- SPORTS & RECREATION
- Samatar Hassan, Ontario
- Youth Muslim Soccer Association
- SPORTS & RECREATION
- Sandtanna Beaton, Prince Edward Island
- Lead Like Her
