When Team Kinexus got word last fall that the United States Department of Labor's Employment & Training Administration had awarded them more than a million dollars to support their YouthBuild program for the next three years, the rally cry was amazing. Work began immediately to plot strategies for getting real life skills into the hands of young people in the community hopeful of channeling their energy into productive work for the community.
This week, the Kinexus YouthBuild program embarked on an ambitious mission to fully remodel a home located on Pearl Street in the City of Benton Harbor. The house had been acquired from the Berrien County Land Bank, and will undergo a complete remodeling job for a local low- to moderate-income family. Target completion date for the project now underway is Spring of 2017.
Back in September the U.S. Labor Department awarded Kinexus a $1.1-million grant for use by YouthBuild crews over the next three years. The execution of that grant has been ongoing through the Kinexus Bridge Academy, a vocational training center dedicated to preparing refocused youth aged 16 to 24-years old.
Todd Gustafson, Executive Director of Kinexus, says, "The Kinexus YouthBuild program has been teaching refocused youth personal effectiveness, academic, workplace, and industry technical competencies necessary to excel in high-demand industries while giving them a hands-on experience." He adds, "YouthBuild has proven to be a nationwide solution to youth-unemployment and the talent pipeline."
While education is crucial, Gustafson notes that the construction side of YouthBuild allows students to build themselves while revitalizing the community. The students have learned a variety of construction skills, including framing, plumbing, electrical work, dry-wall, and siding skills prior to beginning the renovations on the Pearl Street home.
