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The Lynn Factor Stand Up for Kids National Award at the Children’s Aid Foundation of Canada recognizes dedication, effort, service, contribution, impact and extraordinary measures taken to improve the lives of abused, abandoned or neglected children and youth.
The Award spotlights these leaders and amplifies their stories to inspire and encourage others to social action, specifically to “Stand Up for Kids”.
2021 winner Roberta Jamieson is a trailblazer in supporting education for Indigenous youth and their families
Roberta Jamieson is the President & CEO of Indspire. The first Aboriginal woman to earn a law degree, Roberta received the Order of Canada in 1994, and was recently elected the North American Regional Vice-President of the International Ombudsman Institute in Buenos Aires, Brazil.
As the 2021 National Award winner, Roberta selected Indspire to receive a $50,000 grant.
Leaders who have made a big difference in the lives of children and youth
This year’s exceptional finalists have also made significant contributions to improve the lives of abused, abandoned or neglected children and youth.
Ashley Bach
As a member of the Mishkeegogamang First Nation, Ashley Bach, was taken into the child welfare system in British Columbia at birth. Ashley is inspired by her deeply held belief that every child and youth in care deserves to be safe, supported and loved.
Nicole Bonnie
In 2019, Nicole Bonnie was named the first Black CEO in the history of Ontario Children’s Aid Societies and in the province’s child welfare sector. A champion of prevention strategies, Nicole has dedicated her life and career to creating sustainable change in child welfare.
Dylan Cohen
Dylan Cohen took the Fostering Change initiative from the project of a large community foundation to a grassroots, youth-led, political and capacity-training campaign to support young people leaving care. His work stems from his belief that youth in care can age into a supportive and loving environment that helps one another thrive.
Julie Despaties
Julie Despaties is the founder and executive director of Adopt4Life. What started as her and her husband’s journey to adopt a sibling group of three, Julie realized that adoptive families in Ontario would benefit from more resources, advocacy and community connections. Since then, Julie has been an ardent advocate of strengthening the child welfare system to better protect some of Ontario’s most vulnerable young people.
Dr. Jane Matheson
Dr. Jane Matheson is the Former CEO of Wood’s Homes, a nationally recognized children’s mental health centre. As a trailblazer in establishing services to First Nations children and youth in urban and remote locations, Jane has helped design leading-edge community and residential services. As part of this work, Jane helped establish a Research Department at Wood’s Homes, and establish the Wood’s Homes Research Chair in Children’s Mental Health.
