Why create an Impact Project?

"I don’t know what I am passionate about."

If this sounds like you, you’re not alone. It's one of the most common struggles high school students face. The advice to “follow your passions” can be frustrating and misleading - because what if you don’t know what your passions are?

The truth is, you don't need a passion to start.

Discovering your passion is a journey that begins with simple interests. Passion is developed as you explore the right paths – and that’s where impact projects come in.

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What is a successful Impact Project?

Impact projects are ambitious social enterprises stemming from personal passion that bring about tangible change. These can take many forms such as nonprofits, organizations, personal projects, etc. There are 5 elements that make up a successful Impact Project:

1. Timeliness - addresses a timely issue/concern
2. Team Involvement - to scale impact
3. Charitable/Impact-Driven - naturally makes a project more compelling
4. Media Involvement - recognized beyond school community ex: by local news outlets, etc.
5. Support From Authority - endorsed by existing organizations, significant figures, authority, etc.

An example of a successful Impact Project is GoGivers - a Vancouver based non-profit with 800+ members and who has fundraised over $$23,000+ CAD to address food insecurity. We had an interview with the founder, Jasmine Ren (read more here.)

GoGivers is a core example of how all 5 elements come together. Its focus on food insecurity on Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside helped the founding members rally support and create a core team; the scale of its impact has been reported by local news outlets (such as the Richmond News); by partnering with local restaurants and food providers, GoGivers is able to sustain its operations by offsetting food costs, allowing the organization’s operations to retain more longevity.

By launching an impact project, you are not only becoming more aware about the world and your communities, but you are also nurturing a deeper understanding of who you are and what you really care about.

Why it Matters

There is a common factor in every description of a university application, internship, or job description – they are all looking for leaders and innovators.

Nowadays, every person is sitting in a leadership position in a club or organization.

The standards for leadership have increased and it can be very frustrating to understand how to stand out.

Building an Impact Project means you are creating something meaningful and lasting from the ground up. On a foundational level, Impact Projects teach you essential leadership skills. Forming a team teaches you how to pitch and build support; running an organization teaches you how to communicate and think on a higher level.

Most importantly, Impact Projects demonstrate your dedicated and genuine passion towards a certain cause.

At the core, everyone’s motivations are different and the seeds of inspiration can be numerous.

Embarking on your own journey of growth, learning, and innovation will help craft a unique story that only you can call yours.

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“How do I even begin?”

If you’re unsure about your passions, start with your interests. Your interests will lead you to form belief statements - statements that can help you set your vision for who you want to be and what you want to achieve.

What are the different engagements you have right now? If you are a basketball player, why do you love it? Is it because you like competition, or because you like feeling a sense of belonging with your team? All of these aspects will form the foundation of the message house — a framework you can use for your future project idea.

Your Impact Project will make you consider:

• Your mission - who are you and what are you really interested in?
• The pillars of your future organization/project - what specifically are you trying to accomplish?
• Your story & stakeholders - how do you pitch yourself and your purpose? Who would you ask to support you?

Ultimately, you don’t have to wait for a clear passion to emerge before beginning an Impact Project. Instead, your interests give you the first step. Use your Impact Project as a launchpad to guide and help you explore what you really care about.

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