Introducing the IMPACT! Alumni named to the 30 Under 30 in Sustainability list

From aspiring astronauts to entrepreneurs, young leaders across Canada are making an impact in their communities. The most prodigious of these leaders have been selected by Corporate Knights magazine as the top 30 Under 30 in Sustainability. Astoundingly, eight of these individuals are alumni of the IMPACT! Youth Sustainability Leadership Program.

Through IMPACT!, we are accelerating the transition to a sustainable society by supporting young leaders with ground-breaking ideas to actualize their visions and be change agents in their communities.

Three years ago, Kimiko Foster started a business called Seeds of Change Workshops—an idea she came up with while attending IMPACT!. Earlier this year, she launched her second business, Miiko Skin Co., a natural skincare product line that uses safe ingredients and incorporates the principles of sustainability she learned at IMPACT!

“IMPACT! challenged me to turn ideas into possibilities. I remember the weekend left me vibrating with excitement and inspiration,” says Kimiko about her experience. “If it wasn’t for IMPACT! I can truly say I would not be where I am today.”

Kimiko is not unique: our alumni from all across the country are working for a greener, healthier future on planet Earth. Thanks to young Canadians like Bethany Downer, new organizations are being created with sustainability at their core.

Leaving IMPACT! inspired, Bethany realized that there was a need to reduce the amount of shoes finding their way into landfills. Since creating her business, One Step Shoe Recycling, Bethany has redirected over 16,000 tonnes of waste from landfills, while providing new shoes and happier feet for those in need.

“In July of 2014, I founded One Step Shoe Recycling Inc. with the government of Newfoundland and Labrador,” says Bethany. “This non-profit organization’s mandate was to combine my passions for public engagement, environmentalism and sustainable practices. I hoped to convey the importance of sustainable consumerism by illustrating the vast amount of shoes we tend to hoard at home and the staggering statistics regarding the shoes that are needed by those less fortunate worldwide.”

The IMPACT! Program is anchored by weekend training workshops, followed by individual support through coaching, mentorship, project development tools, and access to funding. This post-training support helps young leaders turn their inspiration into action, to ensure that their initiatives have the highest chance of success.

This year, for the first time ever, IMPACT! will be coming to Atlantic Canada. This is a tremendous opportunity for young people to make a difference to the future of sustainability. Does this sound like you or someone you know? Registration is now open and applications must be in by November 6, or while space is available. In 2017, IMPACT! Training locations will include London, Ottawa, and Guelph.

MONCTON, NEW BRUNSWICK Conducted in English and French