The young people in the program are those who have not been able to hold a job.  Often, they have not completed high school, are homeless, are struggling with a mental condition or disability, or they have no family behind them.  The program offers learning, stable routines, counseling support, and a new sense of confidence.

These youth are now being put to work in the shop; building planter boxes, picnic tables and much more. They are growing skilled with their tools and displaying pride in their work.

In a new innovation, the youth are also getting cooking lessons through ‘The Chef’s Table‘, a Montreal based group of skilled volunteer chefs.  And the young people love it!

This week the group relocated to the workshop site where they will soon be learning to use a variety of tools and they will be applying their math skill (recently refreshed).  These young people will also be put to work building picnic tables, sheds and other goods manufactured for sale at the Fab Shop.  Help support these young people and turn some business our way if you can!

Supported by Service Canada and the RONA Foundation.

RONA has a vision developing other ‘FabShop’ projects in other Canadian cities over time. At this time, the intention is to focus on at-risk youth employment through some common curriculum elements. Tradeworks and RONA know that there is potential stable employment in manufacturing, construction and related industries, if these youth can build the skills and the confidence.

The concept of work experience is at the heart of our two social enterprises – the Fab Shop and Tradeworks Custom Products.  And our youth and women’s programs are now the core of Tradeworks activity (with the major changes in employment services introduced in April by the Provincial Government).

Tradeworks was originally created to sponsor youth training, now we have the Fab Shop, which is much more than a training program because it adds 14 or more weeks of work experience in a manufacturing business. The program goes beyond skills building – to changing habits, to establishing positive peer relationships, to achieving success, and to renewing self-confidence.  For many people living on the street, or in poverty, depression, malnourishment, anger and fear present the real barriers to sustainable work.  Our social enterprises provide an extended work experience that gives them a solid boost.

Tradeworks Custom Products offers women casual work opportunities that are a bridge to futures in the trades and other careers.  The flexible and supportive business environment gives women a chance to progress at their own pace.   Women can work for up to six months taking on a wide variety of duties.

Work experience is key to our youth and women’s programs and we thank all of you who choose to do business with us.  We have recently submitted a proposal that will try to do something similar with unemployed older workers too.  And we are keenly exploring  projects related to recycling and reuse under the Greenest City Action Plan, that may add other work experience opportunities.

In September, our current programs will all be consolidated in a large facility at Cordova and Campbell, now under renovation.  We invite you to come visit us when we are settled – 882 East Cordova.  This is a time of many changes, we are also revising our web sites and looking forward to other programming opportunities.   Check out our blog and web site when you can!

This spring and summer RONA stores in Greater Vancouver are selling an array of products manufactured at the Tradeworks Fab Shop.  RONA has been keen to support the Fab Shop directly through their retailing channels.

Planters, Adirondack chairs, saw horses, and benches are on sale at the flagship Grandview Highway store in East Vancouver and in the North Vancouver store.  Other stores are selling planters only.  All goods are made from BC forest products and are beautifully finished. These are fabulous items.

The Fab Shop provides basic skills training and entry-level employment to at-risk young people. A legacy project of the 2010 Games, the social enterprise provides the youth with employment related skills, carpentry skills, and a chance for these young people to attach to the workforce. We have employed 40+ youth in the last two years.

The Fab Shop can also do custom work for other purposes and we invite inquiries; Tradeworks Fab Shop

RONA and the RONA Foundation have been major supporters of this project in the run up to the Games and since.  Other donors have been important to the project as well.  But we’d love to have a larger number of steady donors and customers!

In several US cities successful recycling centers have been set up.  These not-for-profit operations facilitate the collection, sorting and resale of usable materials. In most cases the “green jobs” created are part of complementary employment and retraining programs.  In essence, a win-win on environmental and social fronts. One such operation is in Portland, the Rebuilding Center.

Tradeworks is now pursuing discussions with the City of Vancouver on such a concept.  From the Tradeworks perspective, we want to create entry-level work opportunities in the green economy.  This can be done in the fields of deconstruction, hauling, sorting, logistics, and manufacturing.  In particular, our existing social enterprises, Tradeworks Custom Products and the Fab Shop, would welcome the challenge to manufacture more goods from recycled wood.

The City of Vancouver’s ‘Greenest City’ plans create a way to enhance our living environment and to benefit marginalized populations as well.  While the project is still only conceptual, we want to encourage the City as we move forward.  For a glimpse of the pilot ‘deconstruction’ project sponsored by PCRS in 2011, in which Tradeworks played a secondary role, click here.