Impact Stories

For many youth and families, access to sport can be limited by barriers such as training fees, equipment costs, transportation, and access to appropriate spaces. Sport Hub is designed to address these challenges head-on by embedding quality sport programming into environments where young people already spend their time. By reducing financial and logistical barriers, Sport Hub is helping ensure that more youth can participate, regardless of their circumstances.

We’re proud to announce the official launch of Sport Hub, in partnership with the City of Calgary,  rolling out across our four Planet Youth Calgary communities and select schools. Sport Hub brings free, coach-led sport and recreation opportunities directly into schools and neighbourhoods, making it easier for young people to participate, connect, and thrive.

Sport Hub reflects the values at the heart of Planet Youth Calgary, prevention, equity, and community collaboration. Programs are designed to be welcoming, inclusive, and responsive to the needs and interests of local youth, with trained coaches creating safe and supportive spaces for participation and growth.

As Sport Hub continues to expand across Calgary, we look forward to seeing the positive impact it will have on youth, families, schools, and communities. This initiative is an important step toward ensuring that all young people have access to the benefits of sport, now and into the future.

👉 To learn more about Sport Hub, visit our blog on the United Way website: https://calgaryunitedway.org/blog/opening-the-door-to-sport-and-belonging/

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In April 2026, Planet Youth Calgary was proud to be featured on Red FM, Nepali Radio Calgary, sharing the vision, impact, and momentum behind community‑driven youth prevention in our city.

Our colleagues spoke to the power of early prevention, cultural connection, and strong local partnerships in supporting healthier outcomes for young people and families across Calgary. The conversation highlighted how collective action—rooted in community voices and data‑informed practice—is helping build environments where youth can thrive.

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We extend our sincere thanks to our team members who represented us:

• Shelina Bata, Planet Youth Manager, Trellis Society – Saddle Ridge
• Surafiel Kibreab, Planet Youth Manager, Trellis Society – Greater Forest Lawn
• Beth Ed, Manager, Community & Family Systems, United Way of Calgary and Area

Their reflections underscored the importance of collaboration, trust, and shared responsibility in creating lasting change.

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🎧 Listen to the full segment:
👉 https://www.youtube.com/live/N8mocG5k7Ik

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Thank you to Red FM Calgary for amplifying these important conversations, and to the many partners, community members, and organizations who continue to advance Planet Youth Calgary across the city.

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Together, we are strengthening communities and supporting youth wellbeing—now and for the future.

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Saddle Ridge is a vibrant, diverse community, home to people of many cultures, religions, and heritages. This diversity sparked an idea for an event to bring the community together when one resident expressed a desire to share her Sindhi heritage with her neighbours. What began as a single idea quickly grew into a shared vision as the community rallied to make it happen.

Sindhi culture reflects the heritage of the Sindhi people from the Sindh region of Pakistan, celebrating traditions through language, music, dance, food, and community rituals. It emphasizes family, hospitality, and shared cultural values, bringing people together through festivals, art, and storytelling.

As planning got underway, the power of collective effort became clear. Residents offered their time and resources, volunteers stepped in to support logistics, and the Saddle Ridge coalition worked alongside community members at every stage. From organizing the schedule and arranging the space to promoting the event and welcoming attendees, everyone played a role in shaping the celebration. The collaboration and shared energy created a sense of ownership, pride, and excitement that carried through every detail.

The event, held in December 2025, became a true celebration of community. The highlight of the evening was seeing the resident’s two young daughters proudly stand beside their mother, helping her emcee the event. Their joy reflected the pride felt by everyone involved—proof of what can happen when neighbours come together to support and uplift one another.

Beyond celebrating Sindhi culture, the event strengthened bonds across the neighbourhood, fostering connections among neighbours who had never met before and deepening relationships among those who had. It demonstrated the power of collective action, showing that when a community collaborates, shares responsibility, and values each person’s contribution, incredible outcomes are possible. The celebration served as a meaningful reminder that connection, collaboration, and shared purpose make a community not only stronger but also more vibrant and resilient.

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The Shawnessy Youth Council demonstrated youth leadership in action by organizing and delivering a free-of-cost community movie night in May 2025.

Through planning sessions and bi-weekly meetings, the youth council members led every stage of the planning and execution process. They led every step of the process—choosing the date, time, and location, selecting the movie, creating promotional materials, and organizing roles for the event day. Throughout this process, youth strengthened their leadership, communication, and teamwork skills while learning how to turn an idea into a successful community initiative.

Their goal was to create an event that fostered connection and belonging in the Shawnessy community while empowering young people to lead. By placing decision-making directly in the hands of youth, the council created an inclusive space where peers could connect, new friendships could form, and families could come together.

On the night of the event, youth leadership was visible in action. Council members welcomed attendees, supported event logistics, and attended alongside friends they had invited to learn more about Planet Youth Calgary and the Shawnessy Youth Council. The event brought together 35 attendees, including families from across the Shawnessy area, many connecting with neighbours for the first time.

This youth-led initiative reflects an upstream, preventative approach by building leadership capacity, strengthening peer relationships, and creating positive community experiences before challenges arise. It also supported key pillars of wellbeing, including family connection, peer engagement, and accessible leisure opportunities.

What began as a planning opportunity became a meaningful example of how youth leadership can strengthen community connection and belonging.

The story of a new mural at Cardel Rec South began in the Fall of 2023, when a member of Cardel Rec South’s Board of Directors attended a Shawnessy Community Coalition meeting. Inspired by discussions about community connection and youth wellbeing, they connected with staff from Antyx Community Arts to explore how art could reflect Cardel Rec South’s values of inclusivity and belonging — and align with the Planet Youth domains that guide our work.

Over the next 3 months, Antyx facilitated semi-weekly art sessions with a group of 10–15 youth, who collaborated to design and paint a mural to be displayed in the shared space between Cardel Rec South and the Shawnessy Library. The project created a positive leisure and recreation opportunity for youth, offering a safe, structured, and creative outlet after school.

Through the process, participants strengthened peer connections, developed new skills, and built confidence as artists and community contributors. The project also fostered strong community and family engagement, as parents, staff, and coalition members supported the youth throughout their creative journey.

The mural’s final design celebrates diversity and mental wellness, embodying themes of connection, care, and belonging that are central to the school and community environment domains of Planet Youth.

In May 2024, more than 100 people gathered for the mural’s unveiling — a true community celebration. The event reflected not only the creativity of the youth artists but also the shared vision of a community working together to nurture wellbeing and belonging for all.

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After launching the Shawnessy Youth Council in September 2024, participants met bi-weekly from January to May 2025 to plan their first major project — a community movie night. With guidance from facilitators, the Youth Council members took the lead on every decision, from choosing the date, time, and location to selecting the movie, promoting the event, and managing logistics on the day.

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Empowering youth to design and lead this event reflected several Planet Youth domains in action. The planning process fostered peer connections and strengthened leadership and teamwork skills, while the event itself provided a positive leisure and recreation opportunity for both youth and families. It also created a welcoming community environment where residents could come together, connect, and enjoy a free, family-friendly evening.

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70 people attended the movie night, including 20 Youth Council members who helped set up the event space, check in attendees, hand out snacks, and clean up afterward. Their enthusiasm and commitment highlighted the power of youth-led initiatives in building community pride and belonging — a true reflection of community spirit.

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