Be a part of it all!
Connect with fellow participants, learn from inspiring speakers, and gain new ideas to support your YiP journey.
GROWING FORWARD
2026 Youth in Philanthropy Conference
November 4, 2026
8:15 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Canad Inns Destination Center Polo Park
1405 St Matthews Ave
Winnipeg, Manitoba
What’s in this program
(click to skip to section)
A message from the Winnipeg Foundation Youth Programs Team
Dear YiPpers,
It is our great pleasure to welcome you to the 2026 Youth in Philanthropy Conference. We are excited to gather once again to celebrate your passion, creativity, and commitment to making a difference in your communities.
This year’s theme, “Youth Building Better Futures,” highlights the power of young people to shape a brighter tomorrow. As we come together, we will dive into some of the most pressing challenges of our time – mental health, addictions and the opioid crisis, homelessness, animal welfare, climate change, and hunger. Each of these issues impacts our communities deeply, and your voices, ideas, and actions are key to creating lasting change.
Throughout the day, you will hear from inspiring speakers, engage in meaningful breakout sessions, and connect with peers and community leaders who share your drive to build a better world. This is a chance to learn, to question, and to explore new perspectives, while also strengthening the networks and friendships that support your journey as changemakers.
We hope this conference sparks fresh ideas and fuels your YiP year with energy and purpose. Together, let’s build better futures rooted in hope, resilience, and compassion.
Enjoy the day, be bold in your conversations, and know that your leadership is helping shape the future we all want to see.
– The Winnipeg Foundation Youth Programs Team
Agenda at a glance
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Doors open
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Registration Networking, table activities, morning snack/light breakfast8:30 – 9:30 a.m.Ambassador Grand Hallway
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Opening Plenary Welcome, Land Acknowledgement, Blessing and Song, Keynote Speaker – Roger Berrington9:30 – 10:30 a.m.Ambassador 2-4
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Break10:30 – 10:45 a.m.
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Breakout Sessions and Community Expo Sessions:
Community Resilience – Strengthening Community Bonds
Culture & Belonging – Creating Inclusive Communities
Education & Learning – Empowering Through Education
Environment – Sustaining Our Future
Health & Wellness – Nurturing Healthy Communities
Standard of Living – Building a Thriving Community
10:45 – 11:30 a.m.Breakout Sessions: Ambassador 4, Rooms F, G, H, I, J
(Staff Session: L)
Community Expo: Ambassador 1 -
Lunch11:30 – 12:30 p.m.TYC
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Committee photos11:30 – 1:15 p.m.Ambassador Grand Hallway
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Activities and Community Expo Activities:
ArtCity
Graffiti Art Programming
St. Johns Ambulance
Community Expo12:30 – 1:15 p.m.ActivitiesArtCity: Ambassador 2
Graffiti Art Programming: Ambassador 3
St. Johns: Corridor
Community Expo: Ambassador 1 -
Break1:15 – 1:30 p.m.
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Breakout Sessions and Community Expo Sessions:
Community Resilience – Strengthening Community Bonds
Culture & Belonging – Creating Inclusive Communities
Education & Learning – Empowering Through Education
Environment – Sustaining Our Future
Health & Wellness – Nurturing Healthy Communities
Standard of Living – Building a Thriving Community
1:30 – 2:15 p.m.Breakout Sessions: Ambassador 4, Rooms F, G, H, I, J
(Staff Session: L)
Community Expo: Ambassador 1 -
Break2:15 – 2:30 p.m.
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Closing Plenary2:30 – 3:00 p.m.Ambassador 2-4
Quiet and Prayer room: A Quiet and Prayer room will also be made available throughout the day.
Location: Room K
Youth Committee Photos
Committees will be called individually to take committee photos during the lunch and activity hours (11:30 – 1:15). Photos will be used for the YiP Yearbook at the YiP Celebration.
- Balmoral Hall School
- Children of the Earth High School
- College Churchill High School
- Dakota Collegiate
- Daniel McIntyre Collegiate Institute
- Écoles secondaire Oak Park High School
- Elmwood High School
- Garden City Collegiate
- Grant Park High School
- Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization of Manitoba (IRCOM)
- Institut collégial Vincent Massey Collegiate
- John G. Stewart School
- Kelvin High School
- Ma Mawi Wi Chi Itata Centre
- Maples Collegiate
- Mennonite Brethren Collegiate
- Murdoch MacKay Collegiate
- Pembina Trails Collegiate
- Seven Oaks Met School
- Sisler High School
- St. James Collegiate
- St. John’s High School
- St. John’s-Ravenscourt School
- St. Paul’s High School
- Tec Voc High School
- Transcona Collegiate
- University of Winnipeg Collegiate
- Westwood Collegiate
Plenaries
Morning Plenary
10:45 – 11:30 a.m.
Elder
Org
Bio:
Coming Soon!
Drummer
Org
Bio:
Coming Soon!
MC’s: Coming soon!(Student names and schools)
Megan Tate
Winnipeg Foundation
Bio:
Coming soon!
Daniel Reimer
Winnipeg Foundation
Bio:
Coming soon!
Roger Berrington, Executive Director
CanU: The University of Can
Bio: Roger Berrington believes every young person is a leader today, not just tomorrow. It is the conviction behind CanU, the University of Can, the charity he founded to pay forward the mentorship that once changed his own life. Since 2011, CanU has walked with thousands of Winnipeg youth, helping them discover their strengths, and dreams, and use both in service of others. When he is not with young leaders, Roger loves to walk in the forest with his wife, Tammy, and their two pups, Kal and Barli.
Closing Plenary
2:30 – 3:00 a.m.
Selena Starling
CanU Alumni – Community of Big Hearts
Bio:
Coming soon!
Michele Wikkerink
Executive Director, Spence Neighbourhood
Bio:
Coming soon!
Youth leader
Climate Action Manitoba
Bio:
Coming soon!
Harvey Heather
Site Coordinator, 1JustCity
Bio:
Coming soon!
Kakeka Thunderky
Climate Action Manitoba
Bio:
Coming soon!
Breakout sessions
Morning sessions:
10:45 – 11:30 a.m.
Afternoon sessions:
1:30 – 2:15 p.m.
Room: Ambassador 4
About this session:
Lindsay Pateman from KIDTHINK shares their experience building bonds with youth.
Lindsay Pateman
Lindsay Pateman is the Fund Development Manager for KIDTHINK. She joined the organization in 2024. Lindsay helps to raise funds through donations, grants and events, to provide subsidized or free mental health services to families facing financial barriers to care.
Mira Davey and Caitlin Coyston
Mira Davey and Caitlin Coyston are student interns providing marketing, fund development and administration support for the organization. They also lead the KIDTHINK Student Ambassador Program.
Speaker: Coming soon!
Bio:
Coming soon!
Session Description:
Coming soon!
Location: Room F
Alex Klassen
Bio:
Coming soon!
Session Description:
Coming soon!
Location: Room G
Speaker: Coming soon!
Bio:
Coming soon!
Session Description:
Coming soon!
Location: Room H
Location: Room: I
About this Session:
Coming soon!
Allison Kolynchuk
Manager of Advocacy & Education, Harvest Manitoba
Allison Kolynchuk (she/her) is a Manitoba-based activist at Harvest Manitoba. She graduated from the University of Manitoba (2016) with a degree in Evolutionary Biology, which she applies to her focus on food security and local food systems. Her passions include gardening and camping on her time off, while she coordinates a large community garden at Harvest Manitoba in inner-city Winnipeg. Allison has been a leader in activism for over a decade; at first environmental, and currently social issues. She believes we must support our communities first to protect the Earth we call home.
Location: Room J
About this Session:
Coming soon!
Cindy Titus
Cindy is a communications and fundraising professional with over 13 years of experience working in the non-profit sector, much of that focused in the field of mental health, substance use, and homelessness support.
Lindsay Felstead
Lindsay is a 20-year database & fundraising professional dedicated to donor centric fundraising, focusing on fulfilling a donor’s desire to make an impact to foster a deeper relationship with the organization.
Organization
Speaker
Headshot
Bio of speaker/org
Session Description
Location: TYC
Activities
Art City
Location:
Hanna Reimer
Activity name
Logo
Organization name with link to their site
Activity description
St. John’s Ambulance
Location:
Puppies?
Activity name
Logo
Organization name with link to their site
Activity description
Graffiti Art Programming
Location:
Julia Wake
Activity name
Logo
Organization name with link to their site
Activity description
Community Expo
Artsjunktion
MTYP
Graffitti Art Program (GAP)
Youth Employment Services
Volunteer Manitoba
North End Women’s Centre
Movement Centre of Manitoba
Alpha House
Rainbow Resource Centre
Manitoba League of Persons with Disabilities
IRCOM
Career Trek
International Institute for Sustainable Development
Fort Whyte Alive
The Children’s Rehabilitation Foundation
Harvest MB
Good Food Club at Norwest
Manitoba Possible
1JustCity
Location: Ambassador 1
10:45 – 11:30 a.m. & 12:30 – 2:15 p.m.