The Next Generation of Accessibility Champions

Youth are our future, and the actions they take make a huge impact.

In 1985, Rick Hansen set out on the Man in Motion World Tour; a 34 country, 40,000 km wheelchair marathon, to raise awareness about how people with disabilities were perceived. Rick then established the Rick Hansen Foundation (RHF) to continue the legacy. The Rick Hansen Foundation School Program (RHFSP) empowers youth to be accessibility champions.

RHFSP encourages youth across the country to complete Difference Maker projects and emphasizes that actions can make a positive impact on the lives of people with disabilities. Annually, between January and April, RHFSP accepts nominations for the Difference Maker of the Year Awards to celebrate the work youth are doing to make a positive impact in the lives of people with disabilities in their communities and inspire the next generation to become accessibility champions.

Below are some of the recipients of the Difference Maker of the Year Award from 2023 and 2024 who are working to make changes in our communities.

Storytelling for Inclusion

Talina Papazian opens her children’s book with the following line:

“That first day, I came to camp ready to teach you all the things that you could be. But in the end, each of you taught me what it means to be truly happy.”

Talina was a recipient of the 2024 Rick Hansen Foundation School Program’s Difference Maker of the Year Award for her advocacy work as an author.

As an author who wrote her book during her senior year of high school, Talina seeks to raise awareness about inclusion through her children’s book titled You Taught Me.

At 16, Talina started volunteering at Holland Bloorview – the children’s rehabilitation hospital in Toronto. Without knowing, her time as a volunteer was an experience that would impact her deeply.

“I went in with the mindset that I was a volunteer and that I would teach the kids so many things. But by the end, the campers truly taught me so much more than I taught them – hence the name of my book You Taught Me,” explained Talina. “I saw that children with disabilities are often isolated from their peers. That was when I realized that I needed to do something because I rarely saw a book that seamlessly included children with visible, non-apparent, and no disabilities. And so, I decided to write the book You Taught Me to help champion inclusion”.

^{Talina Papazian, 2024 RHF School Program Difference Maker of the Year Award Recipient}

It’s Never Too Early to Learn About Inclusion

The RHF School Program resource book Boy in Motion tells the story of Rick Hansen’s courageous journey after he became paralyzed and teaches young readers how everyone can achieve their dreams.

Last year, Alanna Hageraats-Boucher, grade three teacher for Huron Heights Public School, read this story to her class. This set in motion a journey of teaching about accessibility, immersing the students in creating an inclusive school.

“It began with the story of Rick. Third graders are so curious, and I wanted to keep that alive and foster their love of learning. As they ask more questions, our class journey began,” she explained.

Ms. Boucher and her class decided to audit their school for improved accessibility and potential solutions. This fostered the student’s natural curiosity and allowed for learning opportunities for the 20 students in Kincardine, Ontario.

“The students just got more and more excited by the activity. We started to research other community buildings and discussed some of the ways in which they are accessible, such as ramps, elevators, and even considered sensory opportunities. The sky is the limit for them in terms of cost and possibility, so it was nice to discuss out of the box solutions,”

Harnessing the Power of Social Media

“A day in the life of an eighteen-year-old and three and a half feet tall.”

This is how Caden Teneycke, 2023 Difference Maker of the Year Award recipient, opens his short form social videos. With a TikTok following of over 800,000, Caden has been using his platform to advocate for accessibility. Across TikTok, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube, Caden seeks to spread awareness to his 1.2 million followers about living with his rare form of dwarfism and provide a sense of community for others.

Caden has always been interested in sharing his lived experience with his condition. It was never a decision for Caden about whether or not to talk about his disability – awareness was always at the forefront of his mind.

When he began making content on TikTok, his face was never visible, he rather showcased aspects of his life such as his modified jeep. But after a month or so, and seeing the impact he could have, he morphed into more content about modifications he makes in his day-to-day life that help him live as an average 18-year-old.

“It’s always important to me to showcase my life. For not only a child with my condition, but to upcoming parents. It can be scary to be told in the hospital room that there are medical issues that could come up in the future. And I’ve had a lot of medical appointments,” he explained. “But it doesn’t define you. I’m still an 18-year-old kid who drives a jacked up lifted jeep.”

Empower Difference Makers in Your Classroom

Thanks to the leadership and encouragement of educators, these are just some of the incredible Canadian youth making a difference. There are so many ways to support the access and inclusion leaders of tomorrow.

Everyone can become a difference maker and help create a classroom, school and community that is more inclusive for individuals of all abilities. Difference Makers are all around us – everyday young Canadians doing amazing things.

Want to inspire young Difference Makers in your school or community? Check out our free online lessons, activities, videos and books in English and French including the Difference Maker Projects & Awards Starter Kit.