This eight-week winter apprenticeship provides young people from Railroad Street Youth Project with hands-on exposure to the building trades, grounded in real community projects and mentored by experienced practitioners at Greenagers. The program emphasizes skill-building, confidence, work readiness, and connection to meaningful local work.

Goals

• Offer practical, hands-on building trades experience in a supportive, real-world setting

• Strengthen participants’ confidence, agency, and sense of purpose through making and contributing

• Build mentorship relationships with skilled trades professionals

Program Structure

• Age range: 14-25

• Meets every Wednesday, starting February 4th from 3:15 pm - 4:45 pm for 8 weeks with the exception of March 4th and March 11th

• Dates: Feb 4, Feb 11, Feb 18, Feb 25, Mar 18, Mar 25, Apr 1, Apr 8

• Location: Greenagers at 62 Undermountain Road in Sheffield, Massachusetts

Learning Experience

Participants will:

• Learn foundational building trades skills (e.g., basic carpentry, tool use, materials, safety)

• Work on real projects that benefit the local community

• Practice professional skills: showing up on time, following instructions, collaborating, problem-solving

• Reflect on learning and growth through informal check-ins or brief reflections