Young-Rural-Resilient
Meet the Changemakers of Rural Ontario
Autumn Brissette, Alvinston
Sampoorna Bhattacharya, Ottawa-Guelph
Jason Robinson
Danielle Stewart, White River
Ivana Costantino, Sudbury
Elle Halliday, Lanark
Alexis Kuper, Mapleton-Minto
Emily Kyle, Brant
Morgan Dykstra, South Huron
Patrick Verkley, Middlesex
Sadie Mees, Trent Hills
Jacqueline Villeneuve, Hammer
Maggie McBride, Exeter
Kaylee Coverdale, Freelton
Oliver Jacob, Renfrew
Erin Cartan, Timmins
Jackie & Jessica Easson, Haldimand
Forrest Heard, Algoma
Emilie Leneveu, Quinte West
Michelle Lutsch, Stoney Point
The Rural Ontario Institute’s Rural Change Maker Program is growing. This program supports young people in rural Ontario ages of 18-35 to build confidence and capacity in community changemaking.
For nearly a decade ROI has supported over 40 emerging leaders from all corners of Ontario through youth-focused programming to help them make a difference in their communities, based on self-identified community needs, hopes and goals.
The past few years have been quite difficult for many young people, but especially so for rural youth. We have learned much from our Rural Change Makers and discovered the needs of our young people have been profoundly impacted by the Pandemic, particularly youth in rural and remote regions, Indigenous youth and youth with barriers who face uniquely different experiences, opportunities and challenges.
To bridge youth-identified gaps and better serve the diverse needs, hopes and dreams of young people in rural Ontario we are re-tooling our upcoming program for 2023 and undertaking research about rural youth in Ontario.
As part of this evaluation, we are listening! Listening to what rural youth need. What matters to you. What you hope for. What you love about your communities and how we can wrap opportunities around those aspirations to create spaces for leadership, growth, respect, inclusion, discovery and belonging. We want to connect with you, which is why this space is dedicated to Young, Resilient, Rural Ontario youth. To you! Celebrating you and learning about your community!
Take the Young, Rural Resilient Survey and LEAD CHANGE in your community.
Change starts with you, and takes all of us!
ROI believes in a thriving rural Ontario that invests in the next generation of rural leaders and supports opportunities for leadership, community development, diversity, inclusion, discovery and belonging. That’s why we are undertaking an evaluation of our Rural Changemaker Program to:
- Explore where rural youth are gathering in their communities.
- Investigate the hardships faced by youth in rural communities in Ontario.
- Understand the aspirations of youth in rural communities.
- Discover youth perspectives of self-confidence, leadership, community development and sense of belonging in relation to rural communities in Ontario.
Congratulations to our 2 Young Rural Resilient Survey Content Winners:
ROI Wants to Hear From You!
What do you love about your community?
What do you need to live, grow and thrive in your hometown?
Help shape our Rural Change Maker program that grows the next generation of leaders in rural Ontario!
Timeline of Planned Activities
Oct-Nov 2022
Designed Alliance
Co-Designing Change
Grow the next generation of leaders by becoming a Rural Change Maker program partner, mentor or sponsor! Inspire action on existing community projects in your portfolio or guide ambitions to lead new ones. Sponsor the Rural Change Maker program and give young change makers the gift of freedom to be future-focused on tackling rural issues with less worry about foundation financial resources.
Jan-Apr. 2023
Exchange
Becoming Change
Join the conversation and discover new opportunities for growth, leadership and belonging as we unviel a re-designed program plan for the Rural Change Makers Program.