Various hands resting on tree branch

Our NEST Platform: youth-led projects that help changemakers focus on impact

Do you have a grassroots project or program that is focused on youth engagement or community youth development? Are you looking for mentorship, support, and guidance on how to sustain or grow your project/program?

Would you like to connect with others who are also doing youth-focused work in or with the community?

The HeartWood NEST is the place for you!

The HeartWood NEST Platform provides youth-led projects with an organizational home base so that changemakers can focus on making an impact rather than the administrative barriers of running a charity or nonprofit. We provide these projects with access to financial, fundraising, governance, and administrative services as well as access to coaching, resources, and networks that can support their work.

Guiding Values of the NEST

The NEST Platform in practice

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  • Programs on the NEST must be youth-focused, community-led, based on community needs.
  • Heartwood will prioritize programs that are led by individuals belonging to the groups they are serving.
  • Relationships of programs in the NEST are mutually beneficial: we recognize the gifts that each program gives and look for opportunities for youth leaders to expand upon and share their skills in addition to their program.
  • Program Leaders in the NEST have opportunities to share their strengths, develop their skills, and take on new opportunities with Heartwood if they choose.
  • Projects in the NEST have opportunities to learn about and collaborate with each other, strengthening their overall goals.

We work together as your program grows and shifts to meet your community goals, harvesting important lessons together along the way. Together, we may stay this way indefinitely, or, when you're ready you "exit" the shared platform into your next journey, you are free to transition your program as you need.

Some of the ways we can work together include:

  • Idea Development
  • Strategic Program Planning
  • Program Support
  • Networking and Connections
  • Fund Development support
  • Advising and Coaching

Some of our current NEST program and projects

Image of women laughing for Black Girls Gather

Black Girls Gather

Black Girls Gather engages young, Black women entrepreneurs to realize their full potential and inspire them to become active agents in their own lives and successes. It provides participants with the tools, resources, and networks they need to turn side hustles into successful start-ups and small businesses the tools they need to sustain and successfully grow. Black GirlsGather is led by a team of women, under the leadership of Shakira Weatherdon, a consultant and community leader.

Coach and child attendee of the different strokes program

Different Strokes

Different Strokes is a free paddling program whose goal is to help diversify Nova Scotia's outdoor community by providing accessible recreational programming for BIPOC community members, led by BIPOC community members. Different Strokes is led and created by Alexi Rodriguez, a community based kayak guide and instructor (to be), who has been leading BIPOC specific paddling sessions since June 2018.

Ready for Action? We'd love to collaborate.

If you are interested or want to discuss then please reach out to HeartWood and we will decide together if the work is a good fit.

Other Programs & Initiatives

HeartWood aims to be as responsive and relevant to youth and our community partners as possible. As a result our work is constantly changing and updating. The best place to find our current offerings is our Updates page, however in general we offer four main streams of work: