The 25-year-old, award-winning Dunedin film-maker and entrepreneur has been given New Zealand Film Commission funding to continue helping young film-makers create movies about people making a positive difference.
"The NZFC partnership adds so much to our capacity and reputation," Mr Ryan said after the Wellington funding announcement last week.
"And we're really grateful and excited about the journey ahead."
Mr Ryan is chief executive of Dunedin-based charitable trust Inspiring Stories Trust.
Last year, the trust staged workshops in 13 centres throughout New Zealand, bringing together young change-makers, young film-makers and mentors.
The resulting short films were screened at a national youth leadership festival organised by Mr Ryan in Wellington late last year.
Speaking at the funding announcement, Film Commission chief executive Graeme Mason said he was impressed with the ambition and achievement of the project in 2011, and "proud to support" the next series of nationwide workshops.
During the next three months, Mr Ryan and Lu Davidson, a Wellington-based film-maker, will tour 23 centres running workshops in secondary schools, holding community film screenings and promoting the Inspiring Stories film competition.
The Film Commission is providing $40,000 of funding and "in-kind support" for the $60,000 project.
Mr Ryan would like to hear from any Dunedin secondary schools that wanted to host a workshop.
In 2010, Mr Ryan and fellow Dunedin film-maker Nick Holmes won local and international recognition for their Carving the Future documentary about five young New Zealand change-makers, including Dunedin city councillor Jinty MacTavish.
Last year, Mr Ryan won the New Zealand Community Economic Development national social entrepreneur competition.
