The Planner’s Paradox: Embracing Chaos in Our Gap Year Adventure
We are planners, through and through. Whether it’s a quick trip to catch some waves or mapping out an entire year’s worth of activities, our family thrives on meticulous preparation. We avoid the unexpected with careful planning, keeping everything running smoothly. So, when we decided to embark on a gap year, it was natural to […]
Bridging the Gap: How to Choose the Right Gap Year Programs
When we started planning our gap year, we were hit by what felt like a tidal wave of options. From volunteer opportunities around the world to experiences closer to home, the sheer variety of gap year programs left us feeling almost as overwhelmed as we were inspired. With so many possibilities for adventure and growth, […]
Mind the Gap: Diving into Service, Adventure, and Self-Discovery
When we told one of our closest friends that we were planning to take a gap year, we were met with a startling question: “But why?” To us, a gap year seemed like a crucial next step in our journey to become more effective changemakers. But for our friend, it wasn’t so obvious. That’s when […]
From St. George’s to the World: Our Gap Year Adventure Begins
We’ve just closed an incredible chapter of our lives at St. George’s School, and what a strange feeling it is! One day we’re following our familiar routines — heading to the dining hall, laughing with friends between classes, and hitting practice with our teammates. The next, we’re making our own breakfast, free to hike or […]
Unleashing Youth’s Untapped Potential: Empowering Communities and Developing Tomorrow’s Changemakers
“One fact remains undisputed: for youth engagement to endure, young people must care about the work they are doing and see intrinsic value in their contributions.“— Ryan & Thomas Growney SG’24 Discover How to Design Local Youth-Centered Service Ecosystems for Sustainable Youth Engagement Youth service today falls short as largely a performative exercise to meet […]
Which Universities Excel at Shaping the Next Generation of Social Innovators?
A guide for aspiring changemakers to universities committed to developing their capacity for social impact.
The Power of Community: Our Takeaways from the YVC Summit
“Our participation in the YVC Summit reinforced our appreciation of the power of a strong community to make a positive difference in member’s lives and communities.“ – Ryan & Thomas Growney SG’24 Last month, we had the incredible opportunity to attend and present the Youth Volunteer Corps (YVC) Summit in Tulsa, Oklahoma, an annual event […]
Panel Discussion Catalysing Change Week
“We believe in the untapped potential of young people and youth service.”-Ryan & Thomas Growney SG’24 We recently had the pleasure of participating in a panel discussion on youth service as part of the Catalysing Change Week 2023 organized by Catalyst 2030. We were joined by some incredible minds in the field of service and […]
A New Language of Purpose
A new vocabulary to describe the future you. Seventeen-year-old Jordan leaned back in his chair. He began by describing a neighborhood as if he were picturing the actual one: the apartment he shared with his roommates, the local restaurants and coffee shops, the weekends out, and sunny vacations with his future friends. He will work […]
Thirty New Attributes to Describe the Future You
What if we only have achievement-based goals like top grades, scores, or colleges? Where we only measure our marketable skills, better-paying careers, a beautiful house, and ski trips on school breaks? Lifestyle goals often feel more like a video game, accumulating badges and scores, constantly measuring our winnings relative to others. Even community service has traditionally […]