Teen Takeover
Details
Northern Alberta
The Idea
BGC Big Brothers Big Sisters of Edmonton & Area empowers children and youth to build relationships, skills, and confidence they need to thrive. Our vision is that every young person in our community feels they belong, is supported by caring adults, and has equitable access to opportunities that unlock their potential. Through mentoring, out-of-school time programs, and targeted youth employment initiatives, we meet kids where they are—laying strong foundations in childhood and opening doors to leadership, work-readiness, and community connections as they grow.
Our work with youth follows a continuum of support that begins with engagement: welcoming young people into Clubs, mentoring relationships, and community-based initiatives that foster belonging, social-emotional skills, and leadership. As participants mature and build both relationships and confidence, these experiences become stepping-stones into more focused youth programs, one of which is youth employment. This is an area where teens build practical skills, explore career interests, and gain early work experience. This progression ensures the relationships and confidence formed in their younger years translate into tangible opportunities for economic participation and long-term success. One of the most dynamic examples of this pathway is Teen Takeover, which empowers young people to lead, learn, and showcase their readiness for the workforce.
We are seeking your support for Teen Takeover—a full-day career-mentorship and resource fair, and one of BGCBigs’ largest annual youth-led events. Planned over several months by our Youth Executive Council, Teen Takeover gives teens a platform to lead, connect with mentors, and prepare for their future careers. The event features three key components: one-on-one career-mentor sessions, a resource fair, and a career panel. In 2025, more than 200 youth participated—an impressive increase over previous years—alongside mentors from a wide range of sectors and over 30 community organizations.
Who Will Benefit?
Teen Takeover is a registered event serving teens across Edmonton. Hosted at Eastglen High School, it meets youth where they already are in schools and communities. The event is heavily promoted to Eastglen students and draws strong participation from students while remaining open to youth from other BGCBigs Clubs and high schools city-wide.
BGCBigs Youth
BGCBigs engages children and youth ages 6–24 through Clubs, mentoring, and targeted employment initiatives. Teen Takeover focuses on ages 14+. Many participants live in low-income households, are from newcomer or single-parent families, or face barriers like racism, limited transportation, or food insecurity. BGCBigs offers safe after-school spaces, meals, developmental relationships, and skill-building; yet as they enter mid-to-late teens, many still need access to career networks and job experience. Teen Takeover helps teens translate the confidence gained earlier into career exploration and work readiness.
Eastglen Students
Eastglen High School serves 1,000+ students, many from northeast Edmonton and inner-city neighbourhoods where families face economic pressures or lack professional networks. By hosting Teen Takeover at Eastglen and marketing it in school, BGCBigs ensures strong attendance from youth who might not otherwise access a city-wide career fair or mentorship. Eastglen is part of United Way’s All In For Youth initiative and hosts one of our Out of School Time programs. Relationships with staff and students make this partnership key to success.
Event Reach and Impact
In 2025, Teen Takeover drew over 200 youth, up from prior years, along with 30+ community organizations and a roster of career mentors. Its three components connect teens with employers, trades, post-secondary programs, and community supports. Participants gain networks, resume guidance and insight into industries.
Primary beneficiaries are teens 14–19 preparing for workforce entry or post-secondary study, especially those from under-represented or economically marginalized groups. Indirect beneficiaries include families who gain support guiding their children’s early employment decisions and local employers who meet motivated youth candidates.
By hosting the event at Eastglen and keeping it open to the wider BGCBigs community, Teen Takeover creates a youth-led bridge between engagement programs and employment pathways, empowering teens to envision, plan, and step toward their futures.