Empowering First-Generation Youth Through Opportunity, Mentorship, and Change
The Michael Harris Youth Award was established to honor the vision and values of Michael Harris, founding Executive Director of KEYS. Michael believed in the power of community connection, and supporting youth to realize their full potential- no matter their path. This award is dedicated to first-generation youth who navigate significant barriers and strive toward a better future through education, training, entrepreneurship, or community leadership.
This award is not just about funding education: it’s about investing in your dreams – whatever path that takes – funding bold ideas, personal growth, or life-changing opportunities.
The future is wide open, and the Michael Harris Youth Award is here to help you claim it. With the right support, you can transform challenges into strengths and possibilities into achievements.
Award Overview
Amount: $10,000
Disbursement: $5,000/year, renewable for a total of 2 years
Who will be eligible?
- Be a first-generation youth, between the ages of 16 and 29
- Reside in the Greater Kingston area, Frontenac, or Leeds-Grenville Counties
- Demonstrate financial need and significant personal or systemic barriers (e.g., lived experience of poverty or disability, experience with homelessness, involvement in the justice system, care system, or displacement, etc.)
- Be pursuing any of the following:
» Education or training (e.g., post-secondary college or university, apprenticeships, alternative learning programs, certificate programs, workshops, etc.)
» Entrepreneurship or self-employment ventures
» Community leadership or volunteer service
» Life-changing experience or learning opportunity (travel, exchange, mentorship) - Show motivation, resilience, and a commitment to growth
First-generation youth, for the purposes of this award, are young people who are the first in their immediate family to navigate new systems of opportunity in Canada.
This may include (but is not limited to):
- Youth whose families are new to Canada and who are first to grow up here. Navigating cultural, social, and institutional systems.
- Youth whose parents or caregivers have limited experience with post-secondary education, formal training, or employment in Canada.
- Youth from families or communities historically excluded from opportunities due to systemic barriers like colonization, housing insecurity, justice involvement, poverty, or racism.
- Youth who are creating their own path without the benefit of inherited networks, resources, or guidance.
Applications are now closed.
For more information, please email youthaward@keys.ca
Michael Harris dedicated more than 40 years of his life to advancing social justice, supporting youth, and strengthening community-based solutions. As the first in his family to complete post-secondary education, Michael deeply understood the challenges faced by young people forging new paths without inherited networks or advantages, an understanding that shaped his life’s work.
A graduate of Queen’s University, Michael began his career in 1978 as a counsellor with the John Howard Society of Kingston, where he provided support and pre-release planning to federal inmates. In 1983, he became the Program Director of the John Howard Society – Kingston Youth Employment Service, leading initiatives focused on helping young people access meaningful employment opportunities.
In 1991, Michael became the founding Executive Director of Kingston Employment and Youth Services (KEYS) following its incorporation as an independent organization. Over the next four decades, under Michael’s dynamic and values-driven leadership, KEYS grew from a small team of three focused on youth employment into a vibrant organization of nearly 100 employees. Today, KEYS provides comprehensive employment and settlement services to more than 120,000 individuals across Kingston, Gananoque, Elgin, and Sharbot Lake.
Michael played a pivotal role in transforming KEYS into a trusted hub for newcomers, job seekers, youth, and employers alike. His leadership was guided by a deep belief in the potential of every young person to pursue bold dreams, overcome barriers, and build meaningful futures.
Widely respected as a compassionate, thoughtful, and forward-thinking leader, Michael is known for his kindness, humility, and ability to inspire others. He believes deeply in the power of mentorship, community connection, and creative, client-centered approaches to addressing complex social challenges.
Through his work, Michael touched countless lives, helping individuals find employment, pursue education, and access opportunities that changed the trajectory of their futures. His legacy extends beyond KEYS and is woven into the broader network of youth employment organizations he helped establish across Ontario.
The Michael Harris Youth Award honors his enduring vision and unwavering commitment to youth. It celebrates Michael’s belief in bold ideas, personal growth, and the transformative power of opportunity.