The Shine Foundation is evolving its brand platform and expanding its definition of what a “dream” can look like, moving beyond individual experiences for young people with severe physical disabilities to address the challenges they face as they move into adulthood.

Supported by title sponsor RBC and creative agency Mint, the inaugural “More Than You See: Dreamers’ Summit” brought together more than 150 past and present “Dreamers” and their caregivers in Toronto earlier this month, extending Shine’s “More Than You See” platform into a new kind of brand experience focused on education, employment, independence and connection.

Images courtesy of Shine Foundation

The summit builds on Shine’s long-running model of fulfilling dreams for young people with severe physical disabilities, which can range from individual requests for adaptive equipment and specialized technology to larger group experiences such as DreamLift, which brings groups of dreamers together for shared experiences.

But as Shine looked at the needs of dreamers as they grow older, it identified a different kind of gap: the transition from childhood supports into education, employment and greater independence. Mint SVP Brian Flaman says that realization prompted the organization to consider how its mandate – and the idea of fulfilling a dream – could evolve to create a more lasting impact.

Mint helped Shine develop the strategy, visual identity, creative and PR behind the summit, using it as an extension of the broader “More Than You See” brand platform. The work follows last fall’s campaign with Cheekbone Beauty that built a “More Than You See” makeup kit specially designed to support the dream of a visually impaired aspiring young musician from Ontario.

“The Dreamers’ Summit gives the long-lasting impact that DreamLift did not – all in one place, for two audiences, who both have never had an experience that supported them in this way,” Flaman tells strategy. “The goal is to continue the strength of Shine’s ‘More Than You See’ campaign to help everyone see and believe in their value and strengths.”

That evolution is also giving “More Than You See” a broader role for the organization. Rather than focusing solely on individual dreams, the platform can address systemic barriers facing young people with disabilities while reinforcing Shine’s positioning around their potential. Recent Shine data shows young Canadians with disabilities are twice as likely as those without to not be in employment, education or training programs.

The primary goal is to help change the conversation around disability in Canada, Flaman says, with “More Than You See” positioning young people around their abilities, ambitions and potential rather than the barriers associated with their disabilities.

The strategy also creates a larger role for brand partners. RBC’s philanthropic Purpose Framework and DEI goals made it a natural fit as title sponsor, Flaman says, while Air Canada, Motion, Hotel X and Sofina Foods also contributed services and support. Rather than treating those relationships as conventional event sponsorships, Shine sought partners that could contribute directly to the experience and its broader accessibility mandate.

“Shine set out to find like-minded partners in the accessibility space to co-create the summit with,” Flaman says. “We started a conversation to find what suited their goals and vision. We didn’t simply want to slap a logo on a sign; we set out to engage our partners knowing that they would have access to the right audience that would leave a meaningful impact.”