Habitat Canada is pleased to announce a new partnership with Scotiabank to grow the Every Youth Initiative program with a commitment of $900,000 over three years through their ScotiaRISE initiative.

Habitat Canada’s Every Youth Initiative engages youth in volunteerism, education and skills building – helping them gain experience in the trades that will lead to better employment opportunities and a more stable financial future. Youth like Meghan, who spent her Grade 11 fall semester building a Habitat Saskatchewan home. From concrete pouring, framing and installing subfloors and trusses, to the final finishes, Meghan had the opportunity to learn all the aspects of home building as part of the Trades and Skills Construction Apprenticeship Program and the Every Youth Initiative.

Launched in 2021, the Scotiabank ScotiaRISE initiative promotes economic resilience by supporting programs, like the Every Youth Initiative, that provide the tools people need to improve their education and employment prospects.

Even though Meghan’s class has ended, she plans to continue volunteering on the build site until she graduates and can pursue her trades apprenticeship. As a national partner, Scotiabank’s commitment will help us involve even more youth, including at-risk and Indigenous youth, get hands-on experience building decent and affordable Habitat homes. This in turn will allow more youth to build confidence in pursuing a successful career in the trades, an industry that is currently in need of skilled workers.