Program Overview
Let’s imagine what an energy future looks like for ourselves.
An energy future that positions Indigenous youth as leaders within the transition to clean energy.
An energy future rooted in Indigenous knowledge and holistic perspectives.
An equitable energy future that weaves sustainability into nationhood for generations to come.
About the Program
The ImaGENation program creates space for Indigenous youth to imagine a sustainable future for their community and the opportunity to transform that vision into meaningful project-based action.
Teams of Indigenous youth (ages 18-30) from across Canada are selected and enrolled into an 18-month program that provides a culturally embedded ecosystem of support to plan and implement their clean energy project idea.
Each team will receive project-specific mentorship, coaching, cultural guidance, and up to a $50,000 project award to support their project goals. The project award will be rolled out in phases as Indigenous youth teams are mentored to successfully reach project goals in alignment with Indigenous values and community engagement principles.
If you are an Indigenous youth between the ages of 18-30 with a clean energy project idea, this program is for you!
Ecosystem of Support
Project experience is not necessary to be accepted into the ImaGENation program, as the core objective of the program is to nurture the leadership potential of youth through mentorship and resource support. Each team is paired with a technical mentor who will guide you through project planning and execution phases, as well as a $1500 Elders engagement fund to provide spiritual support and guidance on aligning cultural values into the nature of the project.
Mentors to support each team will be chosen from the ICE Network, composed of energy leaders from across Canada.
Youth teams will have exclusive access to a technical portal on the ICE Network for project-specific resources and training material, youth forums for collaboration, and webinar sessions with guest industry leaders.
Project Themes
Project themes are centered on clean energy as it relates to land, water, food, and/or infrastructure sustainability solutions that impact an Indigenous community. Youth participants are encouraged to conceptualize a project idea that fits the community best. It is helpful to think about the energy your community currently relies on, the potential renewable resources you can access, as well as any areas with gaps in cost or energy efficiency that can be addressed.
ImaGENation Projects can be categorized as follows:
Renewable Projects
EV’s & Transportation
Energy Efficiency
Climate & Environment
Business & Entrepreneurship
Community Engagement & Education
Clean Tech & Emerging Energy Technologies
Research & Development
Other
All project scopes and sizes will be considered for the ImaGENation program and the ImaGENation team will help get your idea off the ground. Ideally, projects will fall within a $50,000 project scope - however, in cases where additional funding is needed, our team will be there to support you in applying for additional financial resources to propel your project forward (success for additional funding is not guaranteed).
Curious to learn more about clean energy? Generate ideas by reading our Project Inspiration Page.
Find more inspiration on Indigenous clean energy projects on the ICE Network or ICE Youtube Channel.
Questions? Obtain feedback on your project idea by contacting us.
Learning Outcomes
The ImaGENation program provides you with experiential learning that will enhance your leadership skills to develop an idea from concept to completion.
Indigenous youth participants will develop skills in the area of:
Indigenous clean energy leadership
Project planning and management
Community engagement
Partnership outreach
Energy and financial literacy
Collaboration and networking
ImaGENation’s robust ecosystem of support can assist any young Indigenous person on their path to becoming an energy leader.
Applications have now closed as of March 1st, 2024.
Cohort 2 applications were extended to March 1st, 2024 to allow for more applications from Indigenous Youth pursuing projects in Quebec, the Atlantic provinces, and the Territories.
Stay tuned for updates on the teams in May and how you can support their projects!
If you missed our Q&A Webinar and want to learn how to strengthen your application please access the recording here.
For any questions or concerns, please see our FAQ Page or contact us.