Captain's Toolkit
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Jack Ride · Team Captains

Captain's
Toolkit

Lead your team. Move for youth mental health. Pedal for prevention.

Open the 8-week roadmapRegister your team

“My favourite Jack Ride memory was seeing other cyclists help one another. The vision is a metaphor for what Jack.org is giving young people: peer-to-peer support. Youth helping youth. Cyclists helping cyclists. It's inspirational.”

— Anonymous Jack Rider

Welcome, Captain

Thank you for stepping up to lead your Jack Ride team. Captains are our most dedicated mobilizers: you rally friends and workplaces, inspire support and connection, and drive the fundraising that powers prevention programming for youth mental health.

This toolkit brings everything into one place — communication tools, fundraising tips, rewards and support contacts.

The Jack Ride isn't just a movement challenge. It's a symbol of what it takes for youth to overcome mental health struggles: persistence, connection, and the courage to journey toward a brighter tomorrow.

Thank you for being part of this community and showing youth that they're not alone.

Start here

Five steps to success
1

Get the word out early

Once your team is registered, start recruiting. Use the email templates below to send invites today.

2

Mobilize your workplace

Tell an executive about Jack Ride and discuss a corporate team or a corporate match opportunity.

3

Gather your champions

Returning team? Reach out to last year's riders. New team? Recruit a few friendly members, then invite your wider network.

4

Remind people about incentives

From early bird promotions to lead-up contests, there are lots of reasons to get involved. See fundraising rewards.

5

Share your story

Your personal connection to youth mental health inspires people to act. Talk about your why — and encourage your team to do the same.

Eight-week roadmap

Work through it week by week. Your progress is saved in this browser, so you can come back any time.

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Week One
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Ramp up & recruitment

Build your team, set your targets, and make it personal.

Register your team and set your overall fundraising goal
Reach out to your manager or executive team about a corporate match
Share registration link + early-bird reminder
Share your “Why I Ride” story on Slack/Teams and social media
Invite key colleagues personally to join your team
Coordinate group training, perhaps via Strava
Week Two
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Rider onboarding

Set individual targets and get everyone prepped to fundraise.

Host a team kickoff event (virtual or in-person)
Determine each member's personal fundraising goal
Ensure everyone personalizes their fundraising page
Encourage self-donations to jumpstart individual pages
Week Three
0/3

Momentum & engagement

Keep energy high and track progress.

Check the leaderboard regularly and spark friendly competition
Highlight any corporate matching opportunities
Encourage team members to share updates and photos
Week Four
0/3

Mid-campaign boost

Maintain momentum.

Launch mini team challenges (daily or weekly)
Share progress photos and updates
Recognize mid-level fundraisers to keep motivation high
Week Five
0/4

Momentum & engagement II

Sustain energy, focus on untapped donors.

Review the leaderboard and highlight fundraising superstars publicly
Encourage team members to reach out to personal networks
Post mid-campaign impact stories internally
Share reminders about fundraising rewards and milestones
Week Six
0/4

Final fundraising push

Maximize fundraising and ensure all team members are engaged.

Launch final mini challenges (last $50 pushes, friendly competitions)
Share photos and training updates to energize the team
Encourage last-chance donations from colleagues and family
Remind the team about corporate matching and deadline cutoffs
Week Seven
0/3

Ride day prep

Ensure smooth Ride participation and final donations.

Confirm each rider knows event-day logistics
Check that fundraising pages are up to date
Share a motivational message with your team ahead of Ride Day
Week Eight
0/4

Ride week & celebration

Celebrate success, recognize achievements, and share impact.

Send a team-wide celebration email with total fundraising updates
Capture and share photos from Ride Day
Send thank you notes to your donors
Celebrate your accomplishments — we'll see you next year

Captain's tips

Visibility matters

Share updates and recognize achievements loudly and proudly.

Competition motivates

Use leaderboards, mini-challenges and public shout-outs to keep your team engaged.

Keep it simple

Use the email and Slack templates below, plus impact stats from the Participant Centre.

Templates to copy

Copy, swap in the details in [brackets], and send. Keep it personal — your why is what moves people.

Email · recruitment

Invite someone to join your team

Copy
Subject: Join my Jack Ride team

Hi [Name],

I'm captaining a team for Jack Ride this year, and I'd love for you to ride with us.

Jack Ride raises funds for Jack.org's prevention programs — Jack Talks, Jack Chapters and the Be There Certificate — which help young people recognize struggle early and support each other before it escalates to crisis.

[One or two lines about why you ride.]

You can pick a distance that suits you, or get in motion anywhere, anyhow. Join the team here: [team registration link]

Any questions, just ask.

[Your name]
Email · workplace

Ask your workplace for a corporate match

Copy
Subject: Corporate team + matching opportunity — Jack Ride

Hi [Name],

I'm leading a Jack Ride team this spring in support of Jack.org, and I wanted to flag two ways [Company] could get involved: a corporate team, and matching our team's fundraising.

Jack.org works with youth across Canada to teach mental health fundamentals, reduce stigma and build peer-to-peer support. Every $1 invested in prevention returns $4–$10 in societal benefits, and 97% of youth who complete the Be There Certificate report using the skills in real situations.

A match would double what our team raises, and a corporate team is a strong internal engagement moment.

Could we find 15 minutes to talk it through?

[Your name]
Email · donation ask

Ask your network to donate

Copy
Subject: I'm riding for youth mental health

Hi [Name],

On [date] I'm riding [distance] in Jack Ride to support Jack.org.

[Why this matters to me: one or two honest lines.]

1.25 million young people in Canada need mental health support and half aren't getting it. Donations fund the programs that reach them early — $50 supplies a Jack Chapter in a school or community, and $100 supports five or more youth through the Be There Certificate.

If you're able to chip in, here's my page: [fundraising page link]

Thank you either way — sharing it helps too.

[Your name]
Slack / Teams

Rally your colleagues internally

Copy
Hey team — I'm captaining a Jack Ride team this year for Jack.org, and there's room for you.

What it is: a ride (25/50/75/100km, or in motion anywhere in May) raising funds for youth mental health prevention programming.

Why I'm in: [one line.]

Fundraise $500 and you get the custom Jack Ride jersey and water bottle. Join here: [team link] — or donate here: [fundraising page link]
Social post

Announce that you are riding

Copy
I'm captaining a team for Jack Ride this year.

3 out of every 5 young people in Canada who need mental health support go without it. Jack Ride funds the programs that reach them early — youth-led talks, peer communities, and training that teaches people how to be there for each other.

[Your why, in your words.]

Ride with me or support the team: [link]

@jackdotorg

The impact you make

Talking points for your asks. Every minute you dedicate as a Captain helps transform youth mental health across Canada — lead with the change, and let the numbers support it.

The challenge

1.25 million

young people in Canada need mental health support — and half aren't getting it.

1 in 5

young people will experience a mental health problem before age 25.

Suicide remains the second leading cause of death among youth, behind accidents.

Prevention works

Jack Talks

24,000+ youth inspired annually by youth-led talks that break stigma and teach practical skills for getting support.

Be There Certificate

97% of youth who take the training report using the skills in real-life situations to support peers.

Jack Communities

Youth-led groups that equip young people to recognize struggle early and reach out for help.

What a donation does

$50

purchases supplies for a Jack Chapter to break down barriers of mental health within a school or community.

$100

supports five or more youth through the Be There Certificate, equipping them for supportive conversations with struggling peers.

Every $1 invested in prevention returns $4–$10 in societal benefits.

Isaiah's story

3 out of every 5 young people who need support go without it

Isaiah was a university athlete who thought he had to push through no matter what. When anxiety attacks and suicidal thoughts began to surface, he didn't know how to name what he was feeling, or where to turn for support.

Knowing how to reach out transformed his life: he opened up to his coaches, teammates and family, and got the support he needed. Today he advocates for a world where mental health is treated with the urgency it deserves.

“To lean on others can feel like a burden, but community and connection are key for mental health. Through my experience with Jack.org, I discovered that the only way forward is together. That's why I share my story — because mental health struggle is manageable when you have a community there to support you.”

— Isaiah, Jack.org youth advocate

Resources & support

Everything you need

Participant Centre →FAQs →Scoreboard →Fundraising tips & rewards →Corporate teams →Routes →

Social media templates, “add your logo” templates, Jack.org logos and the one-pager live in the Participant Centre.

Stay in touch

We're here anytime and would love to hear from you.

ride@jack.org(416) 425-2494jack.org/ride@jackdotorg
Download the PDF version

This is not a site for disclosure of suicidal thoughts or behaviours. If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis, call the national Suicide Crisis Helpline at 988. If the crisis results in a medical emergency or someone's safety is at risk, call 911 and explain that you need support for a mental health emergency.