At Adventure4Change (A4C), we believe that meaningful global change begins at the grassroots. The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) offer a powerful blueprint for a better, more sustainable world and at A4C, we’re bringing that vision to life in the very neighborhoods in the city of Waterloo we call home.
Our mission is simple yet transformative: to empower children, youth, and families in realizing their unique potential to create lasting, community rooted change. Through a prevention-focused, equity-driven, and culturally responsive approach, we help people strengthen their skills, deepen their sense of belonging, and uncover their capacity to lead.
While our programs touch on many aspects of sustainable development, our work is especially focused on reducing inequalities in all their forms. We intentionally align our programs with four key SDGs, addressing real challenges faced by those in our community not in theory, but in daily life.
Our programs align with four key SDGs:
- SDG 1: No Poverty
- SDG 8: Decent Work & Economic Growth
- SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
- SDG 11: Sustainable Cities & Communities
Here’s how we bring these goals to life every day.
SDG 1 – No Poverty
Poverty is often viewed through a financial lens, but in our community, it’s also about access, opportunity, and the ability to participate fully in the life of the city. Many families face barriers not only to basic needs like housing and employment but also to social services, safe community spaces, and trusted systems of support.
At A4C, we respond by offering holistic, culturally aware programs that meet families where they are. Through initiatives like Connect and Young Queens, led by trusted peers with lived experience, families receive guidance in navigating housing support, employment services, childcare resources, and mental health connections.
In the past year alone, A4C’s system navigation and family support programs have directly impacted over 30 families, providing access to resources and building bridges out of hardship. But beyond numbers, it’s about restoring agency, equipping families with tools to advocate for themselves and thrive.
SDG 8 – Decent Work & Economic Growth
We believe that dignified, meaningful work should be within everyone’s reach. In a city where many newcomers, mothers, and youth face barriers to employment due to language, discrimination, or lack of Canadian work experience, A4C offers pathways to purpose.
Through initiatives like Genesis, we help youth and newcomers build practical job skills and gain exposure to industries they might not otherwise access. Our Mothers English Program creates safe, supportive spaces for women to learn conversational and written English, enhancing their confidence and opening doors to employment and community leadership.
Our Basadi Sewing social enterprise is a standout example of economic empowerment in action. More than a sewing program, Basadi is a movement where mothers come together to learn, create, and build financial independence while fostering mutual support and cultural connection. It’s about creating not just jobs, but futures.
We also intentionally nurture opportunities for youth to build skills through mentorship, volunteerism, and employment transitions, particularly through our summer camps, where older youth move from participants to volunteers and eventually to staff roles, a tangible pipeline of community-rooted leadership.
Our Impact:
- 80 individuals trained through Social Enterprise Programs.
- 23 successful job placements through all our programs.
- 7 youth-led initiatives launched through our youth mentoring and leadership programs.
These aren’t just numbers. They’re people mothers who now teach other community members, youth who returned to school after securing their first job, and newcomer families who feel seen and valued.
SDG 10 – Reduced Inequalities
This is where the heart of A4C beats strongest. Inequalities show up in many forms: language barriers, racism, social exclusion, and lack of access to opportunities that others take for granted. At A4C, we actively work to dismantle these barriers by creating welcoming, inclusive spaces and programs where everyone belongs and has the chance to lead.
Through youth leadership training, newcomer family support, culturally rooted mentorship, and advocacy, we help community members not just access services, but shape them. Programs like STEM for Kids expose children from underrepresented backgrounds to opportunities in science and technology, while cultural celebrations and community conversations create safe places for families to share stories and build solidarity.
We don’t just work around systems, we work to change them. Whether it’s helping a newcomer mother advocate for better school resources for her child or training young people to speak at city hall, A4C is about creating pathways to both personal empowerment and collective advocacy.
SDG 11 – Sustainable Cities & Communities
A sustainable city isn’t just one with eco-friendly policies, it’s a place where people feel they belong. In a city where many racialized, newcomer, and low-income families report feeling isolated or invisible, The Hub, our community space, has become a beacon of connection and safety.
It’s where cultures meet, generations connect, and neighbors become changemakers. Cultural celebrations, Mothers’ parties, tutoring programs, mentorship sessions, and youth leadership gatherings happen side by side. It’s a place where mothers support each other through loss and joy, where youth lead events for their peers, and where newcomers find not just services, but community.
We believe that strong, sustainable cities are built through relationships and The Hub is where those begin.
Join Us in Making Change Happen
Change doesn’t happen by accident, it’s built intentionally, with care, and together. At Adventure4Change, we’re creating a stronger, more connected, and more just community, one skill, one step, and one story at a time. So we ask you the very question we ask everyone in our community, How would you like to make an impact?
Get involved today.
Volunteer, mentor, or donate to help bring hope, opportunity, and positive impactful change to our neighborhoods.