Simranjit Gill
To me, leadership is not about holding a title—it is about recognizing where change is needed and having the courage to create it. As the Co-Founder of GenConnect, I helped build a nonprofit that has reached over 2,000 community members by strengthening connections between youth and seniors. Since then, my leadership has taken me from delivering culturally responsive elder-abuse prevention initiatives with NEVR, to representing youth perspectives nationally through the RCMP Youth National Committee, to building community through my work at Solid State and advocating for human rights through SFU Amnesty. Across every space, one principle guides me: communities are strongest when people who are often overlooked are given the opportunity to lead, belong, and be heard. I want my leadership to help make that possible.
Threads of Time: A Cultural Journey Through Generations
Threads of Time: A Cultural Journey Through Generations is an intergenerational initiative created and hosted by GenConnect that brings Punjabi-speaking youth and seniors together to celebrate, preserve, and share Punjabi culture and heritage. Through collaborative workshops, storytelling, traditional arts, food, and cultural activities, participants learn from one another while building meaningful relationships across generations. The project creates a space where seniors can pass down their knowledge and youth can strengthen their cultural identity, ensuring traditions and stories continue to thrive within future generations.
https://www.genconnectcoop.com/
About this Project
Communities Served
My project will involve and/or impact the following communities:
United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
When it comes to community impact projects, the UN has created 17 Sustainable Development Goals. These are the Sustainable Development Goals associated with my project.
How the project works
The planning will run from September to December 2026, beginning with planning and school-based workshops where youth and seniors collaborate on cultural projects. Activities will include storytelling, traditional arts, music, food, and heritage-based learning, culminating in a final Cultural Showcase in December to celebrate and share participants’ work.
Project Impact
The Cultural Showcase strengthens intergenerational connections while helping preserve Punjabi culture, language, and traditions. By creating opportunities for youth and seniors to learn from one another, the project reduces generational barriers, strengthens cultural identity and belonging, and gives seniors meaningful opportunities to share their knowledge. Its impact extends beyond the event by creating lasting relationships and keeping cultural knowledge alive.
Project Mission
The project's mission is to foster meaningful intergenerational connections between Punjabi-speaking youth and seniors through culture, language, and heritage. The project aims to preserve cultural knowledge, strengthen youth identity and belonging, empower seniors to share their lived experiences, and bridge generational gaps through collaborative workshops, storytelling, and cultural activities.
Project Team
GenConnect Society is a youth-led team dedicated to building intergenerational connections through Punjabi culture, language, and heritage.
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