When our youth leaders aren’t at CGTI, they’re creating long-lasting, sustainable, culturally-competent change back in their communities!

The Science Behind CGTI

Each year, CGTI evaluates the effectiveness, longevity and overall success of our programming. Through surveys given before and after our summer conference and after our winter conference, our youth tell us what they expect from us and how we've delivered. Check out below what our participant leaders are saying about the impact of attending CGTI conferences!

  • Positive Core Values

    Overall, CGTI participants have expressed that they felt a strong sense of self, purpose and a commitment to helping themselves and others, with a significant change in attitude before and after CGTI. 95% of participants believe they can set goals and achieve them.

  • Owning Your Confidence

    CGTI participants show an increased belief in their ability to problem solve, communicate effectively, discuss about critical topics with others and try new things after attending CGTI events. Overall 97% of participants believe attending CGTI has strengthened them as a leader.

  • Understanding Others

    100% of participants expressed that a highlight of the CGTI was meeting new like-minded peers. Furthermore, attendees showed they are comfortable interacting with peers of different backgrounds and have the ability/desire to understand others' life experiences.

  • Creating Positive Change

    99% of CGTI attendees said they feel they could create positive change in our communities and that the CGTI experience has strengthened their planning skills. Every participant leaves CGTI events with an understanding of the Strategic Prevention Framework (SPF), which provides them the tools to create change that is effective, efficient and evaluated.

  • Making Healthy Decisions

    100% of participants left CGTI with an action plan that targets issues in their communities! These plans include substance use prevention education and mental health awareness, bullying prevention, community engagement and more. Overall attendees show an increased ability to talk to peers about ATOD use and to not partake in any substance use themselves.

In the 2024–2025 school year, our CGTI Action Teams:

  • Held day and weekend-long student-led prevention and leadership retreats. 

  • Facilitated learning at the middle school and grade school levels.

  • Created campaigns to share mental health and substance use awareness, statistics and resources.

  • Hosted events promoting healthy decision making including pre and post-proms, late night sporting events and movie nights. 

  • Took part in prevention and mental health observances including Red Ribbon Week, Drug Take Back Day, and Suicide Prevention Month.

CGTI’s Impact

  • of CGTI attendees believe they can create positive change in their school and community.

  • of CGTI attendees believe they will make a difference in the semester following CGTI programming.

  • of CGTI attendees believe CGTI has helped them develop leadership, planning and communication skills.

  • of CGTI attendees believe they can express themselves about the dangers of substance use.

CGTI participants have expressed a strong sense of self and a commitment to helping others, an increased belief in their ability to problem solve and achieve goals, a desire to understand others’ life experiences and the drive to live a healthy life!