Gillette and Lay-Up Partner to Power the Next Generation of Role Models

Gillette is partnered with Lay-Up Youth Basketball, a Toronto-based charity that harnesses the power of basketball to develop skills and confidence in young people from Toronto’s Neighbourhood Improvement Areas.

This partnership is rooted in Gillette’s global ambition to make an impact with millions of boys through the power of role models. Together, Gillette and Lay-Up aim to provide the children and youth Lay-Up serves with access to positive role models while fostering the development of young basketball coaches, shaping them into impactful leaders both on and off the court.

Through this partnership, Gillette is supporting Lay-Up’s Coach Development Pathway—an evidence-based approach grounded in best practices in sport-for-development. This pathway helps the young people Lay-Up serves develop and transition into coaching roles within the program, providing year-round employment, certification, experiential learning opportunities and mentorship. The pathway equips coaches at all experience levels with the skills and resources needed to make a lasting impact in their communities.

“At Gillette, our mission has always been to provide the men of today and tomorrow with the tools they need to be their best selves,” said Jennifer Seiler, senior vice president, grooming Canada at P&G. “Coaches do more than teach skills on the court; they help young people develop confidence, resilience, and a sense of belonging, shaping their path both in sports and in life. By supporting Lay-Up’s efforts to develop more coaches, we’re helping to create greater access to positive role models, ensuring that youth have the guidance and inspiration they need to succeed.”

Molding Role Models

A new survey by Gillette Canada highlights a need for more positive role models for boys in Canada. Nearly 40% of Canadians believe boys don’t have enough access to positive role models, and 91% agree that having a role model benefits boys in the long term. Yet, only 55% of Canadian men had a role model growing up, and 81% of those who didn’t have a role model believe having one would have helped them.

Gillette says it believes the bond between a coach and a young athlete is a relationship grounded in trust, guidance and inspiration—qualities that make coaches some of the most natural role models for young people. Similarly, 80% of Canadians said that sport coaches in local communities can serve as positive role models for boys.

“At Lay-Up, we look forward to partnering with Gillette and creating lasting, meaningful change for both youth and coaches,” said Chris Penrose, executive director, Lay-Up. “With Gillette’s support, we’re not only expanding access to positive role models for the young people we serve, but also creating opportunities for them to stay involved as they enter the next phase of their lives.”