NexGen Forward Foundation

Why NexGen Exists

​For many young people and emerging entrepreneurs, barriers begin long before they enter a classroom, workplace or industry. Access to professional networks, mentors, financial resources, practical business knowledge and exposure to different career pathways can significantly influence what someone believes is possible for their future. NexGen Forward Foundation exists to create more equitable access to those opportunities. We develop programs that help participants move from exposure and learning to confidence, capability and greater economic participation. Rather than focusing on one moment or one program, NexGen is building an ecosystem where individuals can access support at different stages of their development.

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What We Do Education & Skills Development

We create accessible learning opportunities that help participants strengthen practical, professional and entrepreneurial skills they can carry into education, employment and business. Programming may include workshops, training, financial literacy, business education, career development and creative learning.

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Mentorship & Leadership

Access to the right person at the right moment can change the direction of someone’s journey. NexGen connects participants with mentors, professionals, entrepreneurs and community leaders who can provide guidance, knowledge and exposure to possibilities beyond their existing networks. We also encourage participants to develop their own leadership capacity so that, over time, they can contribute their knowledge and experience back to their communities.

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Entrepreneurship

We support aspiring and emerging entrepreneurs in developing the confidence, knowledge and practical foundations needed to move ideas forward. Through entrepreneurship education, mentorship, industry exposure and access to professional resources, participants can strengthen their understanding of business while developing pathways toward greater economic independence and ownership.

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Creative & Cultural Development

Creativity can be both a form of expression and a pathway to opportunity. NexGen supports programming that allows participants to explore creative industries, strengthen artistic and entrepreneurial skills and connect with professionals who can help them better understand how creative talent can become a sustainable career or enterprise.

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Scholarships & Access to Opportunity

Financial barriers can prevent talented individuals from participating in opportunities that could meaningfully influence their future. As the Foundation grows, NexGen aims to expand scholarship and financial-support initiatives that help reduce barriers to education, skills development, entrepreneurship and professional opportunities.

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Community & Industry Connections

NexGen works to build bridges between communities and the institutions, professionals and industries that can help create new pathways. Through partnerships, events, mentorship and industry-connected programming, we help participants expand their networks and gain exposure to opportunities that may otherwise feel inaccessible.

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Our Impact Model

Access → Capability → Ownership → Reinvestment

Our approach is built around four connected stages.

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Access
Creating opportunities for individuals to enter spaces, programs and networks they may not otherwise have access to.

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Capability
Providing mentorship, education and practical skill development that strengthens confidence and readiness.

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Ownership
Helping participants move toward greater control over their education, career, creative practice or entrepreneurial future.

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Reinvestment
Encouraging participants, alumni, mentors and partners to contribute knowledge, connections and opportunity back into the communities that helped them grow. This creates a cycle where opportunity can continue moving forward.

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Our Mission

Our mission is to expand access to education, skills development, mentorship and entrepreneurship opportunities for youth and equity deserving communities. Through creative learning, scholarships, professional development and industry-connected programming, NexGen helps individuals build confidence, develop practical skills and access pathways that support long-term personal, educational and economic advancement.

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Our Vision

We envision a future where a person’s background, neighbourhood or access to professional networks does not determine the opportunities available to them. Our vision is to build stronger and more equitable pathways between community, education, creativity, entrepreneurship and economic opportunity, empowering the next generation to develop their potential, create opportunities for themselves and eventually create opportunities for others.

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Who We Serve

NexGen Forward Foundation is committed to creating inclusive opportunities for youth and individuals from equity deserving communities, with particular attention to communities that continue to experience barriers to education, professional networks, entrepreneurship and creative industries. Our programming is designed to welcome different experiences, identities and perspectives while creating environments where participants can learn, connect and grow.

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NexGen + Fashion Forward

Fashion Forward Designer Incubator and NexGen Forward Foundation share a belief in the transformative power of access, mentorship and entrepreneurship, but each plays a distinct role. Fashion Forward Designer Incubator focuses specifically on developing emerging fashion designers and creative entrepreneurs through mentorship, business education, professional visibility and industry connection. NexGen Forward Foundation has a broader community-focused mandate, creating access to education, skills development, mentorship and entrepreneurship opportunities across different stages of an individual’s journey. Where appropriate, the organizations may collaborate on community and creative-development initiatives that align with their respective mandates. Together, they contribute to a larger vision: Creating pathways from potential to opportunity and from opportunity to ownership.

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Our Values

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Access

We believe opportunity should be available to talented individuals regardless of background, income or existing professional networks.

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Empowerment

We create opportunities that help individuals develop the knowledge and confidence to make informed decisions about their futures.

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Equity

We recognize that people do not begin from the same starting point and we work intentionally to reduce barriers to participation and opportunity.

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Community

Strong communities are built when knowledge, relationships and opportunities are shared.

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Entrepreneurship

We believe entrepreneurship can create pathways to independence, ownership, creativity and economic participation.

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Collaboration

Meaningful change requires partnership. We work with educators, businesses, professionals, creatives and community organizations to expand what is possible for participants.

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Sustainability

We focus on developing programs and relationships capable of creating impact beyond a single event or funding cycle.

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Creating the Next Generation of Opportunity

NexGen Forward Foundation is building more than programs.

We are building pathways.

Pathways that help young people discover possibilities.
Pathways that connect emerging talent with mentorship and knowledge.
Pathways that help ideas become opportunities.
And pathways that allow future leaders and entrepreneurs to eventually create opportunities for someone else.

This is how we move the next generation forward.

Get Involved

Whether you are a participant, mentor, educator, community partner, corporate organization or supporter, there is a role for you in helping expand access to opportunity.

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Partner With Us | Become a Mentor | Support Our Programs | Learn More