BOLT program provides boost to under-resourced youth

Given the important role trades play in the housing industry – at the best of times, let alone during the pandemic – any program that provides a boost is worthwhile. Even better if it affords an opportunity to under-resourced youth.

Such is the goal of the Building Opportunities for Life Today (BOLT) Charitable Foundation, launched by Tridel in 2009 and established as a charitable foundation in 2013. With a mission is to assist under-resourced youth to connect to careers in construction, the program has helped raise more than $3.1 million towards 420 scholarships and engaged more than 1,300 youth in community events.

It began as a simple concept – to provide awareness and learning opportunities for youth associated with The Children’s Aid Society of Toronto to the field of construction. By establishing additional community, government and industry partnerships, BOLT has since expanded to reach an even broader range of youth.

“Being the founding sponsor of the BOLT Foundation goes to very core of Tridel’s values of family and integrity and building the communities we work in,” Jim Ritchie, COO of Tridel Group, told Condo Life. “Everyone deserves to have a chance to succeed. And through BOLT’s programs, we can create employment pathways into construction for youth that may not have otherwise had one.”

The work BOLT does is more important than ever in the current context, according to executive director Raly Chakarova. “Those aged 15 to 24 remain the most affected by the current economic downturn, with visible minority youth being particularly impacted,” she told Condo Life. “While many youth have seen their employment prospects plummet this year, there are numerous recession-proof careers in the construction industry.”

Awareness and stigma

Such efforts face two significant challenges right from the start, she adds – awareness and stigma.

“Many people, youth included, are simply not aware of the diverse and innovative career options in the construction industry.

Recently, while visiting (Tridel’s) The Well construction site, I counted no less than 50 different types of professionals on site, to say nothing of the numerous others behind the scenes. Tridel’s leadership on innovation and sustainability also helps showcase the exciting new careers that are emerging in those fields.”

Stigma persists about construction jobs and can be a powerful deterrent for those considering entering the field, she says. Youth are even sometimes actively discouraged by their parents, teachers and peers from pursuing these meaningful and rewarding careers.

“There is an entrenched stereotype that they are somehow ‘less than’ a university degree,” says Chakarova. “But while people perceive more prestige in a university education, the market often rewards tradespeople with higher wages, especially when starting out their careers.”

Life-changing

The fact is that these jobs are well-paid with benefits, with skills-security and portability in a disruptive and quickly changing world, they are in-demand and will be for the foreseeable future, she adds. In addition, there is a clear upward career mobility. For many youth, their involvement in BOLT becomes life-changing.

“The youth we work with find a meaningful and rewarding career that supports them and, in many instances, helps support their families,” Chakarova says. “We have seen them find their purpose and become more confident, complete their apprenticeships and become journeypersons, grow into more senior positions and take on more responsibility, and even start their own businesses.”

boltonline.org