Alternative Reading Week

Organization: Credit Valley Conservation

Credit Valley Conservation (CVC) engages youth across the Credit River watershed through hands-on environmental education, leadership development, and conservation work. This project will support the redesign of CVC’s Branch Out program to strengthen its scientific foundation and enhance engagement strategies. Volunteers will review existing materials, research topics such as urban forestry and climate resilience, and develop updated educational content and interactive activities. By improving Branch Out’s alignment with post-secondary learning outcomes, this initiative advances CVC’s mission to foster environmental stewardship and create meaningful pathways into conservation careers.

Organization: Community Living Mississauga

Community Living Mississauga supports individuals with intellectual disabilities, promoting inclusion and active participation in community life. Community on Campus offers these individuals the opportunity to experience campus life at the University of Toronto Mississauga. This project will develop a six-month calendar of events and a suite of promotional materials to celebrate the program’s 30th anniversary. By raising awareness among UTM students, the campaign aims to strengthen volunteer recruitment and advance Community Living Mississauga’s mission of fostering welcoming, inclusive communities.

Organization: Family Services of Peel

Family Services of Peel (FSP) is a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting families through programs that promote well-being and community engagement. This project aims to assess the current needs of parents, children, and youth within the Peel District School Board by mapping existing programs offered by community organizations. Volunteers will compile a detailed list of programs, identify key committees, and analyze service gaps. These insights will help FSP strengthen collaboration and design initiatives that better support families and youth across Peel.

Organization: Natural Curiosity

Natural Curiosity is an environmental education program that helps educators integrate Indigenous perspectives and environmental inquiry into teaching, guided by the spirit of Truth and Reconciliation. This project supports the launch of a year-long social media campaign inspired by 52 Ways to Reconcile, offering tangible actions for reconciliation. Volunteers will develop strategies to engage U of T students in the campaign and design a practical activity based on one reconciliation action. This initiative strengthens Natural Curiosity’s mission to foster learning rooted in reciprocity and meaningful engagement with Indigenous perspectives.

Organization: Let's Talk Science

Let’s Talk Science (LTS) at UTM is a volunteer-led outreach program that delivers hands-on STEM activities to youth from kindergarten to grade 12 across Mississauga and the GTA. This project will focus on improving the efficiency and sustainability of LTS’s outreach by reorganizing and inventorying its STEM kits and redesigning the storage system. Volunteers will also create clear, accessible training resources, including short instructional videos, to support future volunteers. These updates will help ensure consistent, high-quality programming and strengthen LTS’s mission to make STEM education engaging and equitable.

Organization: Sherwood Forrest Residents Association (SFRA)

The Sherwood Forrest Residents Association (SFRA) organizes activities that foster a safe, inclusive, and connected neighborhood for its diverse, multigenerational community. This project focuses on planning a family game night that is welcoming and engaging for all ages. Volunteers will identify a suitable venue, select appropriate games with clear facilitation plans, and address key logistics such as volunteer roles and refreshments. By creating an enjoyable and inclusive event, this initiative supports SFRA’s mission to strengthen community bonds and provide meaningful opportunities for residents to come together.

Organization: Sherwood Forrest Residents Association (SFRA)

The Sherwood Forrest Residents Association (SFRA) organizes activities that foster a safe, inclusive, and connected neighborhood for its culturally diverse, multigenerational community. This project focuses on creating an informative guide for new residents to help them settle into the community and learn about local resources, events, and SFRA initiatives. Volunteers will develop a process to identify new residents, design a clear and welcoming information booklet, and outline a distribution plan. This initiative supports SFRA’s mission to build a cohesive, caring neighborhood where all residents feel informed and engaged.

Organization: A Greener Future 

A Greener Future is a non-profit organization committed to reducing waste and promoting environmental stewardship through education and community engagement. This project focuses on developing a recruitment guidebook informed by research on volunteer engagement trends, with a particular emphasis on Generation Z. By examining Gen Z’s values, communication preferences, and expectations, the guidebook will provide actionable strategies to enhance volunteer recruitment and retention. These insights will not only help A Greener Future connect with younger volunteers but also strengthen its overall approach to building an inclusive, motivated, and impact-driven volunteer community.

Organization: Links2Care 

Links2Care is a charitable community service organization that enhances well-being through care and connections for seniors, families, and individuals across Halton, Mississauga, and South Etobicoke. This project focuses on developing a performance framework to measure how Links2Care’s health services align with Ontario Health’s priorities for supporting older adults to age safely and independently at home. Volunteers will identify key performance indicators and create an interactive dashboard to visualize program impact. These tools will help strengthen accountability and guide future improvements in senior care services.

Organization: Sherwood Forrest Residents Association (SFRA)

The Sherwood Forrest Residents Association (SFRA) organizes activities that foster a safe, connected, and inclusive neighborhood for its diverse, multigenerational community. Each June, SFRA hosts a Community Fun Day beginning with a bicycle parade through the neighborhood. This project aims to identify strategies to increase parade participation, attract special guests or unique vehicles, and boost spectator engagement. By enhancing this annual tradition, the initiative supports SFRA’s mission to strengthen community bonds and create meaningful opportunities for residents to come together.

Organization: Canadian Premature Babies Foundation x LivedMatch

The Canadian Premature Babies Foundation (CPBF) is a national charity supporting families of premature babies through education, advocacy, and peer programs. In partnership with LivedMatch—a platform connecting individuals with lived experience to researchers and organizations—this project aims to design an outreach strategy to expand the LivedMatch pilot. Volunteers will identify target audiences, map communication channels, and create a one-month content calendar alongside marketing materials. This initiative helps advance CPBF and LivedMatch’s shared mission of fostering meaningful, trauma-informed engagement in health research.

Organization: The Dam

The Dam is a non-profit organization dedicated to empowering youth ages 13–19 by providing safe, welcoming spaces through drop-in centers, mentoring programs, and community initiatives. This project focuses on strengthening The Dam’s new crime prevention strategy by reviewing the current curriculum, offering feedback, and brainstorming engaging, trauma-informed workshop ideas. Volunteers will also develop creative concepts to promote the initiative and encourage youth participation. By enhancing this program, the project supports The Dam’s mission to foster resilience, safety, and positive development among local youth.

Organization: BacharLorai 

BacharLorai is a global non-profit committed to empowering the Bangladeshi diaspora and youth through policy research, advocacy, and leadership development. This project focuses on creating a targeted outreach strategy to recruit exceptional candidates for the BL Policy Residency Program. The team will identify top policy schools worldwide, build a verified contact database, and design tailored marketing materials to engage high-achieving Master’s students and recent graduates. By strengthening recruitment efforts, this initiative supports BacharLorai’s mission to cultivate future leaders and advance impactful policy solutions.

Organization: Mississauga Community Legal Services

Mississauga Community Legal Services (MCLS) is a non-profit legal clinic providing free legal support to low-income residents on issues such as housing, employment, income security, and immigration. This project will develop a reusable video template and create short-form social media videos to educate the public on key legal topics and promote awareness of MCLS services. By transforming complex legal information into accessible, engaging content, the campaign aims to empower underserved communities—particularly youth and newcomers—to understand their rights and seek help, advancing MCLS’s mission of improving access to justice.