Annual Report 2023-2025
Empowering Youth Through Learning, Leadership, and Inclusion
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From local mentorship programs to international literacy initiatives, The Power to Be Inc. (PTBI) continues to create spaces where young people can learn, lead, and thrive. Across Canada and Jamaica, PTBI’s programs connect education, culture, and wellness; equipping youth with the confidence and skills to challenge inequities and shape their communities.
Anti-Racism, Inclusion, and Diversity Education (AIDE)
Year: 2021–2023 (Completed in 2023)
Funded by: Canadian Heritage (CSMARI Program)
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AIDE was a cornerstone initiative for PTBI, empowering youth to challenge racism and foster inclusion. With funding from Canadian Heritage, the two-year project created a digital learning platform featuring interactive, self-paced modules on anti-racism and equity. Workshops across Canada helped participants identify bias and develop real-world allyship skills.
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The program laid the groundwork for future PTBI initiatives, embedding equity education into youth leadership and community projects nationwide.
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Key Highlights:
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Launched the AIDE Education Portal and online learning system (LMS)
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Delivered interactive anti-racism workshops across Canada
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Integrated content into PTBI’s leadership programs
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Over 100 youth completed the modules, building inclusive leadership capacity
Youth Educating Youth Project (YEYP)
Year: 2023–2025
Funded by: Canadian Heritage (CSMARI Program)
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The Youth Educating Youth Project (YEYP) builds on PTBI’s belief that young people are powerful educators. Funded by Canadian Heritage, this initiative trains youth aged 18–35 to become facilitators who design and deliver programming for their peers.
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YEYP programs — from Protect Your Crown to The Yute Room Podcast and YEYP through Film with TIFF — empower youth to explore culture, identity, and wellness through creative expression and discussion. These experiences cultivate leadership, media literacy, and a deeper understanding of representation.
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Key Highlights:
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Protect Your Crown: 4-week empowerment program for Black girls in Durham Region
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The Yute Room Podcast: 11 episodes featuring youth and mental health experts
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YEYP through Film: partnership with TIFF for screenings and dialogue on inclusion
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Find Your Way Back: retreat-based leadership and civic engagement training
Youth collaborating and creating in a supportive YEYP space.
Year: 2023
Funded by: Durham Community Foundation
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Supported by the Durham Community Foundation, FSIS was PTBI’s direct response to the growing mental-health crisis among Black and racialized youth. The program offered a retreat at the Kingbridge Centre, where participants worked with mental health professionals on healing, trauma awareness, and emotional regulation.
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FSIS provided a safe space for self-discovery and growth. The retreat’s impact extended online, where participants continued to access learning and support, building confidence and resilience long after the program ended.
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Key Highlights:
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Intensive healing retreat for 8 youth led by trained professionals
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Focus on trauma, emotional regulation, and gender-based violence
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Created online mental wellness modules for ongoing engagement
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Strengthened participants’ self-awareness and coping mechanisms
Highlight reel of resilience and connection from the FSIS program.
Black Culture / Popular Culture Youth Media Conference
Year: 2024
Funded by: Partnerships with TMU, IRDL, U of T, and the Children’s Media Lab
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Hosted in collaboration with Toronto Metropolitan University, Institute of Research on Digital Literacy, the Children’s Media Lab, and the University of Toronto, this first-of-its-kind conference celebrated the power of Black creativity in shaping global media.
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Forty-five youth explored Afrofuturism, digital storytelling, and media representation through interactive sessions. Workshops like Representation in Gaming, Beats Lab, and Black Culture is TikTok helped participants see themselves as creators and innovators within today’s cultural landscape.
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Key Highlights:
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Engaged 45 youth in a full day of creative workshops
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Topics included Afrofuturism, music, gaming, and wellness
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Built critical media literacy and confidence in youth storytelling
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Strengthened PTBI’s partnerships across leading institutions
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March Madness Basketball Tournament
Year: March 2025
Funded by: PTBI Core Programming
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The March Madness Basketball Tournament transformed sport into a platform for empowerment. Through friendly competition, youth from across the GTA came together to build leadership, teamwork, and wellness skills. Supported by PTBI’s core programming, the tournament wove inclusion and mental wellness into every match. Workshops and mentorship sessions promoted positive identity, community building, and the values introduced through AIDE and YEYP.
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Key Highlights:
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Engaged GTA youth ages 13–18 through basketball and mentorship
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Promoted teamwork, sportsmanship, and mental wellness
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Reinforced inclusion and equity principles through sport
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Built community visibility and youth engagement
Scenes from the tournament showcasing youth engagement, teamwork, and sportsmanship.
Camp Power to Be Jamaica – Literacy & Leadership Camp
Year: August 2025
Funded by: Community & Donor Support
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After the pandemic pause, PTBI’s flagship service-learning initiative returned to Negril and Mt. Airy Primary Schools in Jamaica. With the help of local partners and donors, over 100 children participated in hands-on literacy and leadership workshops.
Ten Canadian youth facilitators, trained through the Find Your Way Back program, led sessions that strengthened reading, communication, and collaboration skills. The camp continues to build cultural bridges and inspire leadership across generations and borders.
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Key Highlights:
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Supported 100 Jamaican children through literacy and leadership training
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Delivered by 10 Canadian youth facilitators
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Strengthened cross-cultural learning and community connection
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Reinforced PTBI’s commitment to global youth empowerment
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Watch highlights from Camp Power to Be Jamaica, where youth from Canada and Jamaica came together to learn, lead, and build community through literacy and leadership workshops.
Find Your Way Back
Year: 2024–2025
Funded by: PTBI Core Programming
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Find Your Way Back is a paid leadership program that reconnects youth with their Caribbean and African heritage through immersive cultural learning, civic engagement, and service opportunities. The program strengthens cultural identity, builds leadership skills, and supports youth in contributing meaningfully to their communities. Participants engage in workshops throughout the year and may complete an optional service-learning trip to support a literacy and leadership camp in Jamaica.
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Key Highlights:
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Paid leadership program for youth ages 18–25
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Focus on diasporic knowledge, anti-racism, equity, and youth programming
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Builds cultural identity, civic engagement, and community leadership
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Runs from August 2024–June 2025 with monthly workshops
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Includes optional service-learning experience in Jamaica (August 2025)
Highlights from the Find Your Way Back Program
Looking Back, Moving Forward
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Across all initiatives, PTBI’s work proves that youth empowerment is not a single moment but a movement — one built on education, creativity, and compassion. Through collaboration with partners, funders, and communities, PTBI continues to champion youth who are not only learning but leading — shaping a more inclusive and inspired future for all.