Boys & Girls Clubs launch awareness campaign.

Opportunity Changes Everything: Boys & Girls Clubs of Canada launches new Systemic Opportunity campaign.

Toronto, ON, October 21, 2020 – Today, Boys & Girls Clubs of Canada launched a new campaign that reinforces the important role Boys & Girls Clubs play in building social safety nets for so many young Canadians.

The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated and exposed serious systemic issues, from racism and other forms of discrimination to inequity and the far-reaching effects of poverty. Research shows that children who face racism are more likely to be victims of poverty and abuse, have more interactions with child welfare and the justice system, and experience challenges at school.

Our new campaign juxtaposes these systemic issues with the systemic solutions that Boys & Girls Clubs across the country offer—equity, acceptance, support, opportunity.

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“The core values of Boys & Girls Clubs—Belonging, Respect, Encouragement and Support, Working Together, Speaking Out—are built around inclusion and we are proud of the work we do,” says Rachael MacKenzie-Neill, Vice President, Marketing & Development, Boys and Girls Clubs of Canada. “Our new Systemic Opportunity campaign encapsulates the driving force behind Boys and Girls Clubs with a simple statement: opportunity changes everything. Whether it’s homework help or a homeless shelter, a quick snack after school or the only meal of the day, a high five or a 1-to-1 mental health check-in, our Clubs offer everything a young person needs, including access to opportunities they might not find outside our walls—but could change their life.”
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The campaign was developed in close collaboration with Boys & Girls Clubs of Canada’s strategic and creative agency ROUND, along with the creative team of Tim Das and Sean Davison, and ROUND’s production partners Makers, School Editing, and Grayson Music.

"Boys & Girls Clubs do so much and we needed more people to understand the significant difference they make in the lives of hundreds of thousands of kids across the country. There’s no denying the power of the word ‘Systemic’. But these days, systemic is always followed up by a negative word like ‘Racism’, ‘Poverty’ or ‘Inequity’. Systemic problems require systemic change. That’s how we landed on Systemic Opportunity. Because investing in kids and youth is how we can all work to fix many of the systemic issues in our society today," said ROUND Founding Partner & Creative Director, Paul Riss.

The campaign is not just a clever play on words. For over a century, Boys and Girls Clubs have removed barriers and created opportunities for all young people, of all backgrounds. We see firsthand the effects of systemic problems—and we know that the solution is investing in young people, in communities, in platforms that give young people a voice. We know the solution is systemic.

We are also proud to welcome beloved Canadian icon Jully Black as spokesperson for our new campaign and strong supporter of Boys & Girls Clubs.
The Systemic campaign debuted today on Boys & Girls Clubs of Canada’s social media platforms (@BGCCAN and #OpportunityChangesEverything) and will extend to television and cinema over the next few weeks.  

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About Round

ROUND is a creative and strategic partnership founded by two experienced agency leaders, Paul Riss, Creative Director and Mike Davidson, Managing Director. ROUND works with the top talent in the industry to solve business challenges through creative thinking. ROUND works primarily on a project basis with an agreed set of deliverables over a set period of time. Clients get (and only pay for) what they need. For more information, please visit WeAreRound.com. Follow ROUND on Instagram @round_advertising.

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About Boys & Girls Clubs of Canada

Community-based services. Positive relationships. Life-changing programs. As Canada’s largest child and youth-serving charitable organization, Boys and Girls Clubs provide vital programs and services to over 200,000 young people in 775 communities across Canada. During critical out-of-school hours, our Clubs help young people discover who they are, what they can do, and how they can get there. Our trained staff and volunteers give them the tools to realize positive outcomes in self-expression, academics, healthy living, physical activity, mental health, leadership, and more. Since 1900, Boys and Girls Clubs have opened their doors to children, youth, and families in small and large cities, and rural and Indigenous communities. If a young person needs it, our Clubs provide it. Learn more at bgccan.com and follow us on social media @BGCCAN.

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Mike Davidson
Round, Founding Partner & Managing Director
Mike@WeAreRound.com

1.647.554.5248

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Jared Morrow
Media Relations Manager, Boys & Girls Clubs of Canada
jmorrow@bgccan.com‍

1.647.928.5801

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