Initial $1
million commitment provides one hundred youth with trades
training and social supports
TORONTO, Sept. 27, 2021 /CNW/ - The Home Depot Canada
Foundation announced today the launch of TradeWorx, a new targeted
investment to combat youth homelessness by creating opportunities
for career education and skilled trades training.
Through its initial $1 million
investment, one hundred Canadian youth who have experienced
homelessness or barriers to employment will receive the training
and social supports necessary to work in the skilled trades.
"TradeWorx builds upon our work with community partners that
provide emergency housing and social supports for youth, by
connecting them with the training needed to establish lasting
careers and acquire stable housing," said Pamela O'Rourke, board chair, The Home Depot
Canada Foundation and vice president of merchandising, The Home
Depot Canada. "We've invested heavily in research and housing
initiatives over the last eight years and we know helping to break
the cycle of youth homelessness requires an integrated approach,
which we're proud to start building with leading partners in this
sector."
Youth make up approximately 20 per cent of the homeless
population in Canada, and these
numbers have only grown during the pandemic. Furthermore, in the
construction industry alone, Buildforce Canada forecasts that the
industry will need to recruit more than 307,000 workers over the
decade to keep pace with demand. Combining a trade training program
that offers critical social supports with increased demand for
skilled labour in the trades, TradeWorx is working to ensure that
youth seeking employment have all they need to thrive in their
chosen trade.
The employment social enterprise model will include initial
partnerships with ten community organizations across Canada: Blue Door (Construct) (Ontario), Quint (Build Up Saskatoon)*
(Saskatchewan), Building Up
(Ontario), Choices for Youth
(Impact Constructions) (Newfoundland), Community Builders*
(Ontario), Durham Youth Services
(Construct)* (Ontario), Labour
Education Centre* (Ontario), Newo
Global Energy* (Alberta), Purpose
Construction* (Manitoba), The RAFT
(Fresh Paint) (Ontario).
To-date, The Home Depot Canada Foundation has invested more than
$42 million in support of preventing
and ending youth homelessness in Canada, including investing in research,
housing and life skills development programs.
*Funding provided through Blue Door.
About The Home Depot Canada Foundation
The Home Depot Canada Foundation is a Canadian registered
charity that is committed to preventing and ending youth
homelessness in Canada. Since
2009, the Foundation invested more than $42
million and worked together with community partners across
the country, to remove barriers, break cycles of inequity, and
enable youth at-risk of or experiencing homelessness to achieve
positive development outcomes and build brighter futures. For more
information, visit: www.homedepot.ca/foundation.
SOURCE The Home Depot of Canada Inc.