Who we are
We are dedicated to empowering young people to grow intellectually, morally, and academically, and to become agents of positive change in their communities.
Our History
We are building pathways for youth to learn, serve, and lead change.
2007 to 2011
Our earliest efforts focused on cultivating a spirit of service among junior youth, those between the ages of 11 and 14.
During this period, the Pebbles to Pearls program provided a structured environment in which learning, friendship, and community service were closely intertwined. Through regular study, collaborative projects, and acts of service, participants strengthened their academic foundations, developed moral purpose, and contributed meaningfully to the life of their neighborhoods. Over these initial years, approximately 1,000 young people—primarily from Toronto Community Housing communities—took part in the program, building the foundation for the organization’s long‑term commitment to youth development and community building.
2012 to 2017
As the our understanding of the capacities of young people and the dynamics of community life deepened, Wordswell began to explore additional avenues through which youth could reflect on their experiences, articulate insights, and contribute to the life of their neighborhoods.
In 2013 Illumine Media was established to support young people to produce films that tell compelling stories rooted in the social reality of urban neighborhoods, stories that reflect their questions, their aspirations, and their determination to develop their capacities and contribute to the wellbeing and advancement of their communities. Over the past decade, youth involved in Illumine Media have produced a dozen short films that have been screened to more than 2,000 young people in schools and community settings. These screenings have generated thoughtful reflection, encouraged meaningful dialogue, and helped shape community conversations around the experiences and contributions of youth. In turn, these media‑based efforts strengthened participants’ powers of expression, expanded their creative and analytical capacities, and broadened the scope of Wordswell’s educational activities in ways that enriched both individual development and community discourse.
2017 to 2021
After ten years of experience, Wordswell undertook a period of reflection through which it consolidated its learning and organized its activities around the principle of coherence.
The idea that a young person’s education, work, family responsibilities, and service should be understood as interconnected dimensions of a unified life. During this period, the Action‑Research Internship was introduced for youth from Grade 11 through university, providing a structured, research‑focused context in which older participants could develop their capacities through sustained contributions to community life. This initiative also enabled Wordswell to extend its research programs.
2021 to Present
Wordswell continues to deepen its commitment to participatory action research, engaging youth not only as learners but as investigators and contributors to the generation and application of knowledge within their communities.
Our efforts in this period have focused on understanding how young people can navigate education, employment, relationships, and service in a coherent and purposeful manner, and how their development is inseparable from the wellbeing of their neighbourhoods.
In recent years, this work has also entered a phase of significant expansion. Wordswell has begun to extend the core elements of the Action‑Research Internship to additional neighbourhoods across Ontario and Quebec, broadening the number of participants involved and strengthening the organization’s overall learning process. At present, interns are active in communities in Toronto, London, Waterloo, Brampton, Sudbury, and Ottawa in Ontario, as well as in Montreal, Quebec, marking an important institutional step in scaling the organization’s research and educational initiatives.
“The Wordswell Internship has helped me look at my community in a different way and it has motivated me to be a role model for the little kids in my community.”
— Wordswell Intern
