About the Project
Studio Y is an experiment in the Future of Work and Learning with a mission to develop young leaders and innovators for the world. Each year, it invites 25 exceptional young people from across Ontario to participate in an intensive eight-month fellowship out of the MaRS Discovery District, Canada’s largest innovation hub. Fellows are invited and challenged to ask big questions, work on what matters to the world, pursue what makes them come alive, and collaborate with others. During the eight-month program, they receive intensive training in 21st-century mindsets and skills, work on innovation projects and systems challenges with partners, receive access to a wide range of resources and opportunities, and become a part of a growing community of leaders and innovators seeking to build a more equitable, thriving, and sustainable future.
Studio Y prepares exceptional young people, ages 18-29, for success in an increasingly complex world. It includes nine months of intensive training and mentoring to build and refine participants’ leadership, social innovation and entrepreneurial skills to spur social change in their communities and across the province.
Studio Y will encourage youth to build the critical capacities needed to tackle 21st century challenges and thrive in the innovation economy, strengthening their systems thinking, design, communication, collaboration, creativity and project management skills. They will develop key networks with innovators and leaders across a wide range of sectors and gain real-world experience working on projects, including connecting local food producers to consumers, building a model for self-directed lifelong learning and designing a space for youth collaboration and innovation.