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Youth Leadership Alumni Retention: HOBY Canada's Strategy in Action

  • Writer: Abby Myles
    Abby Myles
  • Apr 1
  • 2 min read

Why Youth Leadership Alumni Retention Matters to HOBY Canada


Hey HOBY!


My name is Abby Myles (she/her) and I am beyond excited for the next two years as your HOBY Canada President. Our Board of Directors is an incredibly talented and passionate group with outstanding plans and ideas for the organization for 2025 and beyond. 

Four HOBY Canada volunteers—Parker Ducharme, Noor Shakfa, Abby Myles, and Arden King—smiling together in matching light blue “HOBY Youth Leadership Western Ontario” t-shirts, wearing name badges and red lanyards, standing in front of a whiteboard.

Last year, the HOBY Canada Board of Directors collaborated with alumni and stakeholders to develop a Strategic Plan for 2025-2030. This plan covers 5 areas of organizational growth to guide us, ensuring cohesion and continual intention in our planning and programming. 


The first area of focus is youth leadership alumni retention. Without our outstanding alumni, we are unable to deliver the kinds of leadership opportunities that make HOBY so impactful—or expand our offerings to engage more young leaders across the country. Strengthening alumni engagement is foundational to our future.

In the first year of our Strategic Plan, our aim is to use our platforms to connect with alumni and gain a deeper understanding of what they need from the organization. This will help us develop meaningful leadership pathways and re-engage past participants who want to contribute again. Investing in youth leadership alumni retention is ultimately an investment in HOBY’s long-term sustainability and impact.

One of the ways we’re pursuing this goal is through the BETA (Bringing Engagement to Alumni) Team. Led by Bethany McKendrick and Emma Wheatley, this team of young alumni is creating space for connection—virtually and through in-person events in Western Ontario. They’re also working alongside Parker Ducharme, HOBY Canada’s Director of CLeWs, to implement one-day CLeWs in the region.

As we watch this work unfold, we are energized by the momentum. These alumni-led efforts are just the beginning of a larger commitment to alumni retention and engagement. With continued support, we believe these initiatives will reignite connections, inspire new leaders, and reinforce the power of our national HOBY community.

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