Impact
Measured in young people, schools, and neighborhoods.
Canvas Institute's impact is measured through the young people we support, the schools we serve, the partnerships we build, and the community spaces we create. This work happens in classrooms, theaters, galleries, parks, blocks, school gyms, and community rooms.
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- Youth & residents served
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- Reached annually
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- NYC public schools engaged
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- Years of the Youth Empowerment Summit
Since inception
Youth and residents each year
Since 2020
2006–2026
Figures from Canvas Institute program records and 2026 Summit materials. School stories below are drawn from Canvas Institute's own session reports (2025–26).
Where change happens
Six areas. One connected outcome.
Youth leadership & confidence
Young people practice public speaking, peer mentorship, and leadership identity — and step into visible roles in their schools and communities.
School climate & conflict resolution
Compassionate Systems tools — check-ins, the Systems Iceberg, the Four Ways We Show Up — give students and staff practical ways to communicate and resolve conflict.
Mental health awareness & wellness
Reflection, journaling, guided breathing, and safe group dialogue build emotional awareness and self-regulation without a clinical setting.
Civic engagement & youth voice
From participatory budgeting education to community issue mapping, participants learn how public systems work and how to shape them.
Arts, culture, identity & storytelling
Murals, exhibits, performances, and creative workshops help young people express identity, process experience, and change shared spaces.
Community safety & anti-violence work
Canvas works alongside schools, agencies, and neighborhoods on community safety and anti-gun-violence efforts rooted in relationships.
Where we work
Schools and communities Canvas has partnered with.
- P.S. 20
- I.S. 51
- I.S. 72
- Port Richmond High School
- Tottenville High School
- YouthBuild Staten Island
- Bedford Middle School
- Bedford Elementary
- Sunset Park
- Brownsville
- Bushwick
- Harlem
- Community partners across Staten Island & NYC
- Canvas Institute Nigeria
“This session was so informative. I've never thought about it this way before. Compassionate Systems really helps build critical thinking while breaking everything down in a way that makes sense.”
Session snapshots
Real moments from this year's work.
Drawn directly from Canvas Institute's session reports — what facilitators planned, and what actually happened in the room.
SchoolsP.S. 20
Conflict resolution & emotional safety
Session focus
Session 6 of the Compassionate Systems series focused on conflict resolution, building on the Systems Iceberg from earlier sessions.
What we observed
Students led the discussion themselves — sharing real peer-conflict stories, tying them back to the Iceberg model, and reflecting in their journals. One student shared that the program is a space where he feels heard.
Multi-session series · elementary grades
SchoolsTottenville High School
Youth leadership & accountability
Session focus
Session 4 built on “The Four Ways We Show Up,” with new students joining an established group ahead of graduation.
What we observed
Students reflected honestly on personal growth and accountability, and new peers were welcomed into the group. A teacher present offered direct feedback on the framework's impact.
“This session was so informative. I've never thought about it this way before. Compassionate Systems really helps build critical thinking while breaking everything down in a way that makes sense.”
Multi-session series · high school
SchoolsPort Richmond High School
Civic engagement & recognition
Session focus
The final session of the year closed out a Compassionate Systems series recognized with graduation sashes from the principal.
What we observed
Students received a $500 check from Island Voice for their participation in the NYC Civic Engagement Commission's People's Money training, then practiced gratitude and goal-setting journaling for the year ahead.
Multi-session series · high school
CommunityYouthBuild Staten Island
Defining commUNITY
Session focus
Session 6 asked participants to define what “community” means and design their own ideal community.
What we observed
Every participant engaged — proposing solutions around healthcare, safety, housing, and restorative rather than punitive justice, with 100% youth participation reported.
Multi-session series · young adults
SchoolsI.S. 51
Public speaking & confidence
Session focus
A weekly session on public speaking and presentation skills, paired with a review of “The Four Ways We Show Up.”
What we observed
Students connected public speaking to career readiness and practiced articulating themselves; one student called the session the highlight of his week.
Weekly series · grades 6–8
SchoolsBedford Middle School
Peer leadership from day one
Session focus
An introductory session on the emotional check-in and the Systems Iceberg for a new group.
What we observed
A student who arrived late was brought up to speed entirely by a peer — explaining the check-in and Iceberg method with confidence, a strong early sign of peer leadership.
New series launch · middle school
SchoolsBedford Elementary
Trust & follow-through
Session focus
Session 2 centered on modeling “your word is bond” after a scheduling mix-up with a promised snack.
What we observed
The facilitator team followed through on the commitment, visibly shifting the room's energy and reinforcing that trust is built through consistent action.
Multi-session series · elementary
CommunityBrownsville
Peer-led learning
Session focus
A Session 2 review of the check-in process, led largely by returning students teaching new participants.
What we observed
100% participation in journaling and illustration, with students who felt confident helping peers who were struggling — a fully peer-supported session.
Multi-session series · community site
CommunitySalvation Army — Bushwick & Sunset Park
Multi-site delivery in Brooklyn
Session focus
Delivery at the Bedford Corps (Bushwick) and Sunset Park Corps Community Centers, reviewing the Iceberg tool and defining “commUNITY” through journaling and peer teaching.
What we observed
Average emotional check-in scores of 9/10 at Bushwick; strong recall and peer-led teaching of core concepts at Sunset Park's closing session.
Two community sites · weekly series
Canvas Institute Nigeria
Expanding the mission across the diaspora.
Three Youth Empowerment Summits at Aso Rock Congress Hall with NiDCOM, 500+ young people reached, and tablets and laptops distributed to support education and opportunity.
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- Youth Empowerment Summits hosted in Nigeria
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- Young people reached through summit programming
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- Tablets and laptops distributed
- Open
- To partnership and collaboration
Want results like these for your institution?
Reports, references, and program documentation are available for schools, agencies, and funders.