OUR HISTORY
In 1990, our founder and Executive Director, Eldon Wright, began organizing and mobilizing teams of Canadian youth to the islands of Puerto Rico and Cuba and then to Eastern Europe, in Estonia, Poland, Ukraine and most recently China. The goal was for youth to encourage and share a message of hope with teenage peers in those nations. After two successful high school projects in Estonia (1999 and 2000), it was evident that there was an opportunity to make a significant impact using the methodologies utilized in this country. They encountered youth without a strong sense of hope and purpose for life and not fully aware of the incredible potential they possessed. With a deep concern for teenagers, a passion to assist them in making wise, healthy choices and a desire to help them realize their potential to be world-changers, the vision for Global 180 was born. In July 2002 Global 180 received charitable status with the Government of Canada.
Our journey in peel
After many successful trips around the world impacting youth, we realized there was a need for similar programming right here in Canada. In 2011, through consultation with City of Mississauga officials and community leaders, we launched 180:Fuse, a free social recreational program for middle school aged youth at Dolphin Senior Public School. In 2014 we opened a youth drop in centre called 180:Merge at Sheridan Centre Mall. There, high school aged youth had a free, safe space to spend time with their friends and build community. In 2016 we launched 180:Lift, a lunch time mentoring and leadership development program in local middle schools. These three programs have kept us involved in the lives of local youth and have helped us create a better community!
Durham
In the Fall of 2024, the Jeremiah F. Coughlan Foundation approached us with a generous offer to help provide a funding foundation to establish our programs in the Durham region.
Alongside the Coughlan Foundation we developed a strategy to begin in January 2025, with assistance from Mr. Dave Ryan, the former Mayor of Pickering. In the Spring of 2025 we hired Sarah to begin building a network of support with community agencies and organizations to partner in this initiative to assist with providing community insight and access to volunteers. We initiated programming at two schools in the Winter of 2026; William Dunbar Public School and Glengrove Public School. and we launch at two new schools Bayview Heights Public School and Southwood Park Public School, in Winter 2027. Over a five year period our plan is to be active in up to 10 DDSB schools, impacting up to 1000 middle school youth and 100 high school student volunteers monthly. We are so excited to continue expanding Global 180 into a new region. Make sure you follow along with us for future updates!