Think high school was weird? Here’s how Montage is making it better for today’s teens.

Imagine a world where you are only exposed to people with similar stories, mindsets, and are all the exact same age as you. Kind of strange right? I would have certainly turned out very differently if it weren't for cross-generational inspiration and the community around me.

Having women mentors motivated the launch of Montage. What started out as “let’s do cute events tailored to the next generation” turned into an official not-for-profit with a mission to bridge gaps between generations. We do that through events, podcasts, mentor matching & workshops.

Doing life alongside people of all ages is what impacted my career and personal growth. I gained life and networking skills you don’t get from a textbook. The mission requires us to encourage on both sides of the generation spectrum. To the next generation, we say: You are welcome here. Your voice matters. You have a seat at a table with other women who have gone before you and want to lift you up. You may not always know what you’re doing, but trust us we’ve been there. Here are tools that helped us get through it.

On the other side, we support generations before Alpha & Z with truth bombs which are some of the reasons they may hold back from being mentors or fully diving into a role model position in their day-to-day.

Your life does not have to be perfect, you don’t need to know all the hip lingo, they value a simple listening ear and quality time.

Looking back, my best mentor moments involved helping run errands, coffee + homework dates, and being mixed into their regular day-to-day life which even included coming along for daycare pick-ups.

The up-and-coming generation is making waves in society, changing the way we learn, create, and innovate in such positive ways. They have grown up so intertwined with the digital space yet are longing for in-person role models.

Even being only a decade older than many of our next-gen community members, I’ve noticed more cultural and habit differences than one would expect. Once you get past the “Oh, maybe you were not born yet when the last season of my fave show ended” - you start to find areas of common interest and see their desire to connect on an emotional level.

We’ve seen such positive impacts from students being surrounded by other women who champion and encourage you during the hard and easier seasons of life.

That’s why event planning has been a huge part of what we do. Everything from decor, activity, and location is carefully thought out so it’s next-generation friendly first and then introducing women from all walks of life happens naturally when Gen Z feels comfortable in the environment. Even our digital and physical worksheets have intentional design and practical takeaways to feel refreshing for all.

We can’t forget to highlight our most consistent team member: the internet.

We wouldn’t be able to do what we do at this scale without the tools available to us online.

It allows our fully remote team of women to collaborate, send information in a few clicks, and customize things to appeal to different generations.

We’ve even been able to launch online communities and a podcast called Dear Next Gen, where we ask guests what advice they’d give their younger selves.

Being able to use social media as a way to see other founders, entrepreneurs, and advocates for purposeful projects share their journeys inspires us.

What’s next for Montage? Our focus is to use our momentum to prioritize expansion to other provinces through grants and fundraising. Inspiring and equipping young women to live amongst all generations will always be at the core of what we do.

Thank you to Cecilia for sharing all the exciting initiatives going on at Montage! Check them out at www.yourmontage.ca