Build Belonging for Youth like Bella this Year-End

“My own loneliness was only soothed when I stepped foot on the shop floor. The instructors carried my hope for me, and the instructors continue to do the same thing for other youth every single day.” - Bella

Build Belonging for Youth Like Bella

Your support empowers youth like Bella to find success they never knew possible. 

Urban Boatbuilders has had an inspiring year of witnessing youth apprentices seek and find direction, opportunity, and belonging. Across both the apprenticeship and partnership programs, young people are welcomed into safe environments where instructors and mentors guide their learning as they gain technical and transferable “STEM” skills, build confidence, and uncover the potential within themselves while seeing the joy of their projects come to life.

For many, Urban Boatbuilders is the first place where young people realize that their ideas matter, that their voices are heard, and that they have unique gifts to share. Our work is more than building boats, kayaks, longboards, or even cajóns–we are building belonging and launching lives; you are our partner in this work. 

Education is the primary and most consistent driver of sustained upward mobility; many youth in Urban Boatbuilders’ programs face barriers to education and workforce training.

With 94% of all apprentices completing our training program, 98% of graduates are furthering their education or career training, breaking cycles of generational poverty and beginning to secure meaningful and family-sustaining employment. 

As Bella, now an instructor with Urban Boatbuilders, reflected on her time as an apprentice:

“My biggest fear was whether I could overcome the feelings around and the barriers to starting a job. Once I realized other young people felt the same way, I no longer felt alone. We all supported each other, learned little and big things, and were never really stressed. I got comfortable at asking questions, trying new things, and asking for help. I have learned more than I ever thought I would, and have grown more than I ever expected.”

Your support and belief in young people’s potential make stories like Bella’s possible. Your gift will continue to provide safe and welcoming learning environments where young people can explore careers, grow in leadership, and, through skill development, build futures full of opportunity. Thank you for being a part of their journeys.

P.S. - Donors making their contribution to Urban Boatbuilders before December 31st will have their gifts matched, up to $12,500! Click the button below or visit bit.ly/building_belonging. Thank you for your generosity!

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How Saron Found Her Confidence

Meet Saron! Saron is a youth instructor who first joined Urban Boatbuilders this past spring after learning about the program at school. Dreaming of becoming an engineer and knowing the STEM skills that come with learning woodworking, she applied for the apprenticeship program. 

“I liked using tools, and I wanted to try something new.”

Since joining the apprenticeship, Saron has discovered her favorite tools (the drill and the block plane), as well as her favorite boatbuilding steps: lashing and, most especially, lacing seats. When Saron was asked by the apprenticeship instructors to become a youth instructor, she was at first skeptical. English is not Saron’s first language, and she was initially concerned about how that might affect her role when it came to teaching tasks and leading lessons. However, the apprenticeship coordinators made sure to help Saron feel confident in herself. 

“They’re so helpful…they explain things to me in an easy way and help me with everything.”

Since stepping into her leadership role, Saron’s favorite part of her job has become “teaching people how to make something for the first time.” 

“The first time I started this program, I thought nobody was gonna talk to me, it would be just work and doing what they tell you to do, but it’s not like that. It's a good place to make friends, to be a good leader, and to learn new things.”

Like many apprentices who are just starting out, Saron never expected she would be able to build a boat one day. Flashforward to now, after three cohorts at Urban Boatbuilders, she finds boatbuilding to be a breeze. 

“My first time, I was wondering ‘how can I do this?’ Now when my brothers ask me ‘how are you making a boat? It seems hard,’ I tell them, ‘It’s not hard, come learn with me!”

In terms of the future, Saron hopes to graduate high school and attend college. Engineering is still one of her top interests, but she’s not sure yet where she’ll land. She knows she has lots of time to figure it out.  Her advice for those just starting out? 

“Dont be afraid, be yourself, and make new friends.”

Support Youth Like Liam this Give to the Max!

As Give to the Max Day approaches, we’re highlighting the voices of the youth who are at the heart of our work. Throughout the week, we’ll be sharing a few of their stories: what they’re learning in the shop, how they’ve grown, and what belonging at Urban Boatbuilders means to them.

Liam is a junior apprentice who first learned about Urban Boatbuilders in his advisory class at school. He was “already interested in doing hands-on work and didn’t know where to start" until he was introduced to the apprenticeship program.

“It was pretty convenient timing.”

Since starting in the fall, Liam, who initially never expected himself to build a boat, has learned several skills, including how to use a drill and woodburning. His favorite step in boatbuilding thus far is lashing, and the step he’s most excited for is skinning.

In addition to the skills, Liam highly values the relationships and trust he’s building in his cohort.

“I like the people here. They have a really nice vibe, and they never show up with any kind of attitude…Urban Boatbuilders is a community where you’re working with people who have the same goals as you, so you're always communicating and teambuilding with each other. It’s fun connecting with people doing this.”

His favorite team-building activity? The apprentices partnered up and were given the challenge to make anything out of wood in a short amount of time. Liam and his partner came up with a panda armed with a sword. (The panda, pictured, did originally have two arms, but one comically fell off.)

“Everyone here likes being hands-on, and they're also doing their own thing. Everybody likes to work with each other. It’s very nice to have people that like the things that you do. In that way, you all have a mutual connection already.”