After a thoughtful round of deliberations by our board of directors, Project Change Foundation is proud to announce our 2026 grant recipient: Skills for Life Inc.

Skills for Life is a GTA-based charity on a mission to prepare youth for real-world opportunities, challenges, and success. Using the SMART goal model as a foundation, their programs help young people build life skills across personal development, financial and digital literacy, wellness, academics, job readiness, and networking.

One of their most exciting initiatives is Skills at Work (SAW)—a transformative social enterprise that offers paid work in cleaning and landscaping to marginalized youth aged 16–25, especially those impacted by the justice system. SAW connects youth with households and small businesses, helping them build hard skills like landscaping and soft skills like communication and responsibility. It’s not just about employment, it’s about rewriting narratives, building confidence, and fostering community trust.

“100% of our pilot participants reported increased confidence and job readiness. That’s the kind of impact we want to scale,” says Chris Thompson, Founder of Skills for Life.

In 2026, Skills for Life hopes to support dozens of youth through goal-setting, mentorship, and job readiness training. Their focus is on helping participants make real progress toward personal and professional goals, build meaningful mentor relationships, and gain the skills and confidence to secure employment.

With support from Project Change Foundation, they’ll refresh and distribute SMART Goal Setting workbooks to all participants—free of charge—and fund job readiness trainers to deliver hands-on skill development. The grant will also help expand SAW by hiring mentors and purchasing essential equipment. This support is expected to bring greater stability to the SAW program by covering training costs, while deepening youth engagement with SMART goals and reinforcing their grasp of essential life skills.

“With the support and funding from Project Change Foundation, we’ll be able to ensure all youth receive a free SMART Goal Setting workbook, which is the foundation of their life skills training journey. Through this gift we can move our motto forward—It’s time to prepare our youth for real world opportunities, challenges, and success,” Thompson says.

In addition to funding, Skills for Life will receive strategic mentorship throughout the year to help strengthen its foundation. Advisory support in branding, outreach, and communications will enhance the organization’s visibility, deepen community engagement, and contribute to long-term growth.

It’s a privilege to welcome Skills for Life as our 2026 grant recipient and to stand alongside their bold, equity-driven vision for youth empowerment.

Read more about Skills for Life on their website.