Students in our Pre-Apprentice (PA) Program are honing their skills in carpentry, renovation and repair on an office build-out project for the Multicultural AIDS Coalition (MAC) in the heart of Dorchester.

This month-long project is a great example of how YouthBuild Boston empowers youth through hands-on vocational training; strengthens neighborhoods through community-based construction projects; and impacts the industry by helping diversity the workforce, close the skills gap, and fill labor demand.

The partnership will help provide the physical space needed to guarantee that individuals within the community have access to testing, preventative counseling, education, and client advocacy services to help end the HIV epidemic. While the Coalition has purchased the supplies and materials needed to complete the build-out, YBB is donating staff time and student stipends through our operating budget.

Meaningful work such as this demonstrates to our students that they have the capacity to help thousands of individuals receive specialized services within their own community, in addition to helping them learn the responsibility of getting to work on time, how to stay safe on a construction site, and vocational skills including flooring installation, drywall, framing, insulation and painting.

On this particular project, 6 PA students are creating two offices with electrical receptacles and ceiling lights with switches. The students will also renovate the existing kitchen area by installing plywood on the existing floor, ensure the floor is level by using leveling compound, installing wood grained vinyl plank flooring and also installing countertops on the existing kitchen cabinets.

Click here to learn more about how you can get involved or support our work to ensure that we are able to continue empowering youth, strengthening neighborhoods, and impacting the industry through meaningful projects in the community.

Visit our projects page to learn more about our other community-based construction projects.