The Tidbits of Change Foundation has recognized three young Canadians for partnering with parents or mentors on projects that have made meaningful impacts in their communities. The foundation awards bursaries ranging from $1,000 to $5,000 to support recipients' post-secondary education goals while celebrating collaborative initiatives between youths and their mentors. Amy Attalla of Fernie, B.C., received the 2025 Tidbits of Change Award for creating Sibshops Fernie, a non-profit organization providing peer support to siblings of children with special needs. Inspired by her own experience as a sibling and drawing on mentorship from her older sister Joy along with her parents' expertise in special education and camp leadership, Attalla developed workshops where siblings can connect and share experiences. Greg Scott, co-founder of the foundation, noted that "Amy's initiative has had a remarkable impact on her community."
Sho Kagawa Brooks, now a student at Toronto Metropolitan University, received a Youth Inspiration Bursary Award presented by HEAD/Tyrolia for co-founding the Sea to Sky Student Short Film Festival. Brooks and his partners worked closely with a mentor from the Whistler Film Festival and their high school vice-principal to develop what has become a platform empowering student filmmakers. Scott observed that "Sho saw an opportunity to create something meaningful, sought out mentorship to work with, and turned it into a platform that continues to inspire young storytellers." Kaelyn Smith of Sherwood Park, Alta., now a student at Grant MacEwan University, received a Youth Inspiration Bursary Award presented by Kal Tire for partnering with her father to support people experiencing homelessness. They volunteered with organizations including The Mustard Seed, PAC Mission and Hope Mission, and plan to expand their efforts through a project focused on Skid Row in Los Angeles.
Scott emphasized that "all three of these collaborative initiatives have made a meaningful impact in their communities" and noted how the projects have strengthened relationships between the youths and their mentors. The foundation hopes these efforts will inspire others to pursue their own passion projects through intergenerational collaboration. More information about the foundation and its bursary program is available at https://tidbitsofchange.org. This recognition matters because it demonstrates how structured support for youth-mentor partnerships can simultaneously address community needs while fostering leadership development and educational advancement. The awards highlight a model where financial investment in education is tied directly to social innovation, creating a multiplier effect that benefits both individuals and communities. By validating these collaborative approaches, the foundation encourages a shift from individual achievement to collective problem-solving, potentially influencing how educational institutions and philanthropic organizations design support programs. The projects span diverse sectors—from disability support and arts education to homelessness services—showing how mentorship can amplify impact across various social challenges. Furthermore, the recognition of parent-child collaborations alongside traditional mentor relationships expands conventional notions of mentorship, acknowledging the valuable guidance that can come from family connections. These awards signal the importance of creating formal pathways for young people to leverage existing relationships into structured community initiatives, rather than expecting them to innovate in isolation. The foundation's approach suggests that supporting intergenerational collaboration might be more effective than funding youth projects alone, as it combines youthful energy with experienced guidance. This matters for community development strategies seeking sustainable solutions, as these partnerships often create initiatives that continue beyond individual involvement. The recognition also highlights how modest financial support for education can be strategically linked to community service, creating incentives for young people to engage in social entrepreneurship while pursuing their academic goals.
