TradeWorx program aims to train homeless youth for skilled-trades careers
Home Depot Canada has made a significant investment in a new program to help connect youth experiencing homelessness with careers in the skilled trades.
TradeWorx is the Home Depot Canada Foundation’s initiative to work with community organizations across the country who serve homeless youth. The foundation announced seed funding of $1 million for the program on September 27. That money will be used to give 100 at-risk or homeless youth 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. "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."
Pre-pandemic estimates suggest youth make up approximately 20 percent of the homeless population in Canada, and the numbers have likely worsened since.
Meanwhile, more than 60 percent of Ontario contractors say they need skilled workers.
By combining a trade training program that offers critical social supports with increased demand for skilled labour in the trades, TradeWorx aims to help youth seeking employment obtain the skills they need to work in the skilled trades.
One of TradeWorx’s Ontario partners is Blue Door, an emergency housing provider in York Region.
The organization provides extensive social supports such as wages and living allowances, food programming, psychotherapy, childcare, transportation, and emergency assistance to youth as they train.
TradeWorx is also partnering with Quint (Build Up Saskatoon), Building Up (Ontario), Choices for Youth (Newfoundland), Community Builders (Ontario), Durham Youth Services (Ontario), Labour Education Centre (Ontario), Newo Global Energy (Alberta), Purpose Construction (Manitoba), and The RAFT (Ontario).
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.