Impact Society is dedicated to fostering a brighter future by empowering youth through mental health and well-being initiatives. With a mission to equip young people with the tools and support they need to lead successful lives, Impact Society delivers evidence-based programs and learning curriculum. These initiatives focus on building character, leadership skills, and emotional intelligence, ensuring youth are prepared to overcome challenges and thrive. By collaborating with schools, parents, caregivers, and community partners, the organization creates supportive environments that nurture mental health and inspire young people to reach their full potential.
We spoke with Chris Primeau, the CEO of Impact Society to learn more.
Describe your charity/non-profit/volunteer work in a few sentences.
Impact Society empowers youth across Canada by providing tools to build resilience, confidence, and life skills through our HEROES® programs. These evidence-based social-emotional learning programs are taught as curriculum recourses for health and career studies in grades 6-12. We also have programming utilized in youth sport and recreation and at home through our HEROES @ Home program. Every program in our suite has been developed with researchers and educators focusing on experiential learning where youth learn to live from their strengths, develop a sense of purpose, and navigate life’s challenges effectively. Since our inception in 1994, we’ve reached over 250,000 youth, fostering healthier individuals, families, and communities.
What problem does it aim to solve?
Youth in Canada face increasing mental health challenges, including anxiety, depression, and a rising rate of suicide. With 1 in 5 youth experiencing mental health issues, it’s critical to intervene early to build resilience and reduce the negative impacts on individuals and their communities. HEROES® addresses this by equipping youth with the social-emotional skills necessary for long-term mental well-being and success.
When did you start/join the charity?
Impact Society was founded in 1994, and I joined as CEO in 2020.
What made you want to get involved?
Throughout my career in mental health, addictions, and education, I’ve seen firsthand the profound challenges young people face and the critical need to intervene early. I’ve always been driven by a belief that we must get ahead of the curve—equipping youth with the tools to build resilience before risks escalate into crises. Joining Impact Society was a natural extension of this passion, allowing me to lead an organization dedicated to creating systemic change and empowering youth to thrive through evidence-based programs.
What was the situation like when you started?
When I began, Impact Society had a solid foundation with the HEROES® program, already making a meaningful difference in youth resilience. However, the broader context of youth mental health was increasingly dire. The mental health crisis among young people was deepening, exacerbated by rising rates of anxiety, depression, and the pervasive impact of the addiction crisis. The onset of COVID-19 magnified these challenges, isolating youth, disrupting education, and creating significant barriers to well-being.
Amid these pressing challenges, it became clear that our program needed to scale to address the growing demand. We addressed obstacles in securing sustainable funding and expanding our reach to ensure youth across Canada could access our life-changing programs. These conditions also created an opportunity to evolve—positioning HEROES® as a vital resource for educators, families, and communities to equip youth with the resilience to navigate an increasingly complex world.
How has it changed since?
Impact Society has grown exponentially, both in reach and impact. In 2023/24, we empowered over 15,000 youth through the HEROES® program, trained 355 educators, and partnered with 158 schools across Canada. These efforts have led to remarkable program outcomes, including a 45% increase in youth resilience, a 23% boost in self-esteem, and a 35% improvement in self-efficacy—transformative results that validate the power of early intervention.
Our ability to adapt and meet new challenges (including the Global Pandemic) has been a major factor in our growth. We expanded our programs offerings to include online and hybrid formats, ensuring accessibility for youth and educators even during periods of isolation. We’ve also introduced culturally aligned initiatives, such as Heroes are Warriors, co-created with Indigenous communities, and enhanced and re-launched Heroes @ Home to support families in fostering resilience.
This growth has positioned us for national expansion. We’re now reaching schools and communities in New Brunswick, Ontario, and British Columbia, with a goal of impacting 25,000 youth in 2024/25. By building on our successes and strengthening partnerships, Impact Society continues to scale its efforts to meet the urgent needs of youth across Canada, early and often in the classroom and at home.
What more needs to be done?
While we’ve made significant strides, there is still much to do to address the growing mental health crisis among youth in Canada. A unified, provincial and nationwide approach to building youth resilience is essential. Programs like HEROES® should be integrated into every school curriculum across the country to ensure every young person—regardless of where they live—has access to the tools they need to navigate risk and thrive.
To achieve this, we need to expand our partnerships with governments, schools, and community organizations. By collaborating on scalable solutions, we can provide equitable access to mental health resources and social-emotional learning. This collective effort is critical to reaching our goal of impacting 1 million youth by 2030, breaking cycles of adversity, and equipping young people with the resilience to lead fulfilling, purposeful lives.
How can our readers help?
Readers can play an important role in transforming the lives of youth. Advocate for the integration of resilience-building programs like HEROES® in your local schools, ensuring students in your community have access to life-changing resources.
Donations are another impactful way to support our mission. Every $45 provides a student with access to HEROES®, empowering them with the skills to overcome challenges and build a brighter future. To learn more or contribute, check here. Together, we can create meaningful, lasting change.
Do you have any events coming up?
Yes, 2024 marks the 30th anniversary of Impact Society, and we’ve been celebrating this milestone throughout the year. One highlight was our Educators Panel event in November, which featured a rich discussion on the future of youth mental health. You can view the panel discussion here.
Looking ahead, Peak Week 2025 will take place in August. This annual fundraiser is a cornerstone initiative that not only raises vital funds for Impact Society but also celebrates the transformative journeys of youth who have participated in the HEROES® program. Featuring an inspiring 7-day endurance challenge of summiting seven peaks, Peak Week invites educators, donors, and community members to rally around resilience-building initiatives for youth across Canada. The event’s focus is on community, storytelling, and collective action for youth mental health.
Additionally, throughout 2025, we’ll be speaking at education, mental health, and addictions conferences nationwide. These engagements are an opportunity to share our mission, advocate for systemic change, and connect with communities to expand the reach of HEROES®. Stay tuned for details about these events on our website and social media channels!
Where can we follow you?
Website | Facebook | Linkedin | Instagram
PAY IT FORWARD: What is an awesome local charity that you love?
We admire the work of Brown Bagging for Calgary’s Kids, an organization providing lunches to children in need.
