From Participant to Leader: HeartSpark Youth Leadership Project

HeartSpark’s Youth Leadership Project will create a new, structured leadership and community-action opportunity for 6–10 girls, trans girls and non-binary teens in Fort McMurray.

HeartSpark already offers dedicated teen programming. Outside regular sessions, we have begun seeing a natural next step: teens choosing to help younger participants, volunteer at community events and take on greater responsibility. In 2026, HeartSpark teens helped deliver a bracelet-making activity at Sport Wood Buffalo’s Girls with Grit Conference, moving from participants to contributors at a community event. These opportunities are currently informal; HeartSpark does not presently offer a structured youth leadership or community-action program.

This project will build on that demonstrated interest by giving teens intentional opportunities to develop leadership skills while learning about and responding to needs in their own community.

Throughout 2027, youth leaders will connect with local organizations and community leaders, learn about issues affecting people in Fort McMurray, and plan and carry out approximately three community-action projects. These may include supporting women accessing shelter services, people experiencing homelessness, families experiencing food insecurity or other needs identified in consultation with local organizations.

The teens will be involved in the full process: learning what is genuinely needed, developing a response, creating a budget, seeking donations or sponsorships where appropriate, purchasing or gathering supplies, completing the project and reflecting on its impact.

The team will also plan and help deliver one free creative community activity for younger children focused on friendship, confidence, compassion and belonging.

Field Law funding would provide the core resources required to complete the projects while also supporting leadership learning, project materials and documentation. Fundraising, sponsorships and in-kind donations would be used to extend the project’s impact rather than determine whether an initiative can go ahead.

Summary: HeartSpark will support 6–10 girls, trans girls and non-binary teens to build leadership skills, learn about local needs, lead community service projects and create a free connection-focused activity for younger children.

The project will directly involve 6–10 girls, trans girls and non-binary teens in Fort McMurray throughout 2027.

Youth leaders will gain practical experience in leadership, teamwork, communication, budgeting, project planning, fundraising, problem-solving and community engagement. Just as importantly, they will learn about local issues directly from the people and organizations working with them rather than making assumptions about what others need.

HeartSpark has demonstrated sustained youth engagement: 76.2% of participants who have had an opportunity to return have registered for multiple semesters, and youth are already progressing from the 9–13 program into HeartSpark Teens. The Youth Leadership Project will create a next step for teens who are ready to take on greater responsibility and contribute beyond regular programming.

The project will also benefit people reached through approximately three youth-led community-action initiatives. Depending on needs identified with community partners, beneficiaries may include women accessing shelter services, people experiencing homelessness, families experiencing food insecurity or clients of other local organizations.

For example, youth may learn from an organization about specific items its clients need, determine what they can realistically provide, seek additional community support, purchase or collect supplies, and prepare care packages or other resources for distribution.

Younger children and families will also benefit through a free youth-led creative community activity focused on friendship, confidence, compassion and belonging.

We anticipate the project will directly involve 6–10 youth leaders and reach approximately 100–200 additional community members through the service projects and children’s activity. Actual reach will depend on the initiatives selected, and HeartSpark will track outputs such as the number of packages or items provided, participants attending the youth-led activity and, where possible, the number of people served through partner organizations.