Chris Blackwood uses entrepreneurial experience to mentor at-risk youth

After almost two years with Prettier Than Pink, Gill has been inspired to start her own social entrepreneurship venture.

“I haven’t started yet, but I’ve been helping Chris a lot with his work, I’ve been doing a lot of mentorship,” she explains. “My future goal is to start my own [program], helping youth who are incarcerated reintegrate back into society.”

Blackwood’s future goal, on the other hand, is to establish HNIC in all of the 13 priority neighbourhoods of Toronto. Currently, the organization is present in two areas: Jane and Finch and West and Mt. Dennis.

Blackwood describes his ideal progress for the next five years: “HNIC will be established, and it will earn the respect of all of the funders to provide afterschool programming for youth, March break camps for youth, [and] summer camps for youth.”

For now, HNIC can be found on their newly-made website, www.helpnic.org, and on their twitter at @hnic_mentorship.

Viviane Fairbank is a writer, photographer, and willing university student, desperately waiting to travel around the world. She can be found at http://vivianefairbank.weebly.com.

Sources

Photo courtesy to Become a CPA Blog, dal.ca, Carleton.ca, Inspirational Devotions & More by Tim Burt

Boys and Girls Club of Weston Mount Dennis

Helping Neighbourhoods Implement Change

The School for Social Entrepreneurs