Events /

Honoring Immigrant Excellence: Pioneers for Change Gala 2025

October 23, 2025

About the Gala

The Pioneers for Change initiative, led by Skills for Change (SfC), is an annual event that celebrates and recognizes the contributions of exceptional immigrants, refugees, and underrepresented individuals who have made a significant impact on Canadian society. Through this initiative, Skills for Change showcases inspiring leaders across various fields who have demonstrated resilience, innovation, and leadership while fostering positive change in their communities. 

Since its inception in 1993, Pioneers for Change has highlighted and honored outstanding individuals whose work has influenced sectors such as business, social services, education, health, arts, public policy, and advocacy. The program underscores the importance of diversity and inclusion while promoting the successes and contributions of newcomers and underrepresented groups in Canada.

Past Events Gallery

  • Two women standing in front of a backdrop with the Skills for Change logo, smiling for the camera.
  • Group of diverse women celebrating with drinks at a formal event, smiling and enjoying their time together.
  • A woman with long curly hair wearing a brown dress is speaking at a podium in a large room with windows. Behind her, a large screen displays information about a charity gala and a photo of a woman named Jallahqueena Konneh. To her right, there is a banner for Skills for Change organization.
  • Group of nine diverse professionals posing in front of a Skills for Change backdrop, dressed in formal and business casual attire, in a brick-walled room with photography equipment.
  • Group of six diverse professionals at a conference table with laptops, papers, and water bottles, smiling for a photo in a room with a high glass ceiling and other people in the background.
  • Indoor event with large audience seated at round tables with white chair covers, decorated with small plants, in a spacious venue with high ceilings, exposed brick walls, and large windows. String lights hang from the ceiling, and some people are standing and clapping.
  • Two women are standing at a podium during a charity gala event. One woman is reading from a paper, and a large screen behind them displays event details: 'Pioneers for Change Charity Gala 2019, June 13, 6:00pm to 10:00pm at Wychwood Barns, Toronto'. A banner on the right side promotes Skills for Change, an organization supporting immigrant communities.
  • Two women smiling and holding a glass award at an event, standing near a sign that reads "PION FOR C ANNUAL P".
  • Attendees seated at a formal event or conference, smiling and listening attentively, with tables set with glasses and plates.
  • Five women standing in front of a backdrop with the logo and text 'Skills for Change.' They are dressed in colorful, traditional and modern attire, smiling for the photo.
  • Three women standing in front of a white backdrop with blue 'Skills for Change' logos. The woman on the left has short blonde hair, wears a gray blazer and black shirt. The woman in the middle has long curly hair, wears a pink sleeveless dress. The woman on the right has shoulder-length blonde hair, wears a blue dress.
  • A man in a suit and woman in a yellow patterned sari standing together on stage at the Pioneers for Change charity gala, holding an award and a certificate, with a large projection screen displaying event details behind them.

Nominations Are Open!

We’re excited to open nominations for the 2025 Pioneers for Change Awards, a signature part of the Gala that celebrates immigrants and immigrant-led organizations who are creating lasting change in Canada and beyond. 

This year’s categories celebrate the diverse impact of immigrants across entrepreneurship, climate leadership, technology, social services, creative arts, advocacy, and beyond. 

Do you know someone whose story deserves to be recognized? 

We’re calling on community members, organizations, and changemakers to nominate individuals and groups whose work inspires, uplifts, and transforms.

General Nomination Criteria & Guidelines

Eligibility

  • All individual nominees must be immigrants to Canada.

  • Organizational or corporate nominees must be immigrant-led or demonstrate significant impact in immigrant communities. 

Nomination Deadline

  • All nominations must be submitted by September 15, 2025, at 5 pm. Late entries will not be considered. 

Conflicts of Interest 

  • Nominators cannot nominate themselves. 

  • Skills for Change staff or board members may not be nominated but may submit nominations. 

Award Categories

  • Criteria: 

    • Immigrant entrepreneur who has demonstrated outstanding business acumen;

    • Business must show innovation, community impact, and job creation;

    • Preference for nominees who support underrepresented groups or equity in business;

    • Honours a visionary entrepreneur whose business model drives social change, innovation, and inclusive economic empowerment;

    • Show a track record of sustainability and growth in their entrepreneurial journey; 

    • Provide opportunities or inspiration for underrepresented or immigrant communities; 

    • Exhibit resilience, ethical leadership, and strategic thinking. 

  • Criteria: 

    • Immigrant youth (under 30) that celebrates a young leader (under 30) advancing climate resilience and sustainability through bold advocacy or innovation;

    • Demonstrated leadership in environmental projects, activism, or innovation;

    • Impact must reflect measurable contributions to environmental justice;

    • Be aged 30 or under at the time of nomination; 

    • Demonstrate leadership in climate advocacy, environmental education, or grassroots action; 

    • Have led or contributed to a project with tangible environmental outcomes; 

    • Inspires peers and community members to engage in sustainable practices. 

  • Criteria: 

    • Deliver programs or services that meet critical community needs with compassion and efficiency; 

    • Innovate in the design or delivery of social services; 

    • Demonstrate measurable outcomes in improving lives or access to essential resources; 

    • Build inclusive and supportive environments for vulnerable or newcomer populations.

  • Criteria: 

    • Champion the rights and wellbeing of immigrants, refugees, or displaced individuals; 

    • Work to influence immigration policy or access to services; 

    • Facilitate community integration, equity, or empowerment for newcomers; 

    • Be recognized as a voice for justice and inclusion in immigration spaces. 

  • Criteria: 

    • Past participant of a Skills for Change program;

    • Demonstrated significant professional and/or community impact;

    • Commitment to giving back and supporting others in their journey;

    • Demonstrates exceptional personal or professional growth since completing their program;

    • Represent the values and mission of Skills for Change in their ongoing journey.

  • Criteria: 

    • Be an institution or organization delivering impactful training or workforce development; 

    • Offer accessible, inclusive, and outcomes-driven programming; 

    • Support career advancement, skills-building, or credential recognition for newcomers or underserved populations; 

    • Demonstrate a strong commitment to learner success.

  • Criteria: 

    • Immigrant professional or instructor in the skilled trades that champions the skilled trades as a viable, inclusive, and empowering career path;

    • Demonstrated mentorship, workforce development, or innovation in trades;

    • Impact on local economies or underrepresented groups encouraged; 

    • Mentors or support underrepresented individuals in trades (e.g., women, newcomers, racialized workers); 

    • Demonstrate excellence in instruction, leadership, or advocacy within the sector;

    • Promotes innovation, safety, and access in trades education or practice.

  • Criteria: 

    • Lead impactful local initiatives that address community needs or mobilize civic action; 

    • Be recognized as a grassroots change agent or community connector; 

    • Foster inclusive participation in social, educational, or environmental issues; 

    • Demonstrate dedication, innovation, and long-term commitment to local progress. 

The 2025 Award Categories are:

Nominations are now open!

Deadline: September 15

Questions? Contact Us.

events@skillsforchange.org