A Celebration of Leadership, Learning, and Community Impact
From November 6th to 8th, Habitat for Humanity Guelph Wellington and the Grand River Raceway in Elora hosted an extraordinary event—the Hands On For Housing Youth Conference. This event brought together nearly 150 students and youth from across Wellington County, fostering leadership, hands-on skill-building, and community engagement in addressing the region’s housing challenges.
Key Highlights and Activities
The conference featured the participation of the Beyond Borders Leadership Class from the Upper Grand District School Board. Known for their focus on leadership development and communication, these students prepared for effective management in today’s changing world. They engaged in housing workshops, developed peer surveys, and presented their findings at the community celebration, providing recommendations for the future of housing. We want to thank them for their incredible contributions to this initiative. Your voices were heard and are valued!
Students were also educated by an impressive lineup of guest speakers:
- Mike Schreiner, Leader of the Green Party
- Chelsey Edwards, Educator at the Guelph-Wellington Poverty Task Force
- Ryan Deska, Director of Community Partnerships at Habitat for Humanity Guelph Wellington
- Barb Lustgarten Evoy, Centre Wellington Councillor
The hands-on portion of the event was truly remarkable. Students from UGDSB (John F. Ross and College Heights), an all-women’s team from Conestoga College and Starling Employment Services, and students from the Wellington Catholic District School Board (Bishop Macdonell and St. James) joined forces. Over three days, they worked tirelessly to build backyard structures under the guidance of Habitat for Humanity’s dedicated volunteers, who provided mentorship and carpentry instruction. We even had REAL building inspectors come and check out their work!
These structures were proudly showcased during the community celebration, where some were auctioned off, contributing to a total of over $14,000 made at the event. The remaining structures returned to Habitat for Humanity to support our future initiatives, so keep your eyes peeled in the spring for youth-built sheds. Interior Design students from Bishop Macdonell also contributed their custom pieces to the silent auction. Their unique works were celebrated! This outstanding outcome was made possible by the enthusiasm and strong attendance of our community. We are truly grateful for everyone who showed up and supported the event. Your involvement helps us continue building a more secure housing future for families in Wellington County.
Awards and Recognition:
- The Best in Shed Award was won by the Pink Panthers team from Bishop Macdonell.
- The People’s Choice Award was given to the all-women’s team, the Lady Lions.
The event featured notable lunchtime speakers, including:
- Jason Ashdown, Skyline
- Ben Polley, Evolve Builders
- Barb Lustgarten Evoy, Centre Wellington Councillor
- Craig Baxter, TTI Canada
- Skyjack lift demos were a crowd favourite!
- The Grove set up a station daily for youth who needed a break to relax, chat, or find out more about their program
The celebration culminated with powerful presentations. The Beyond Borders students shared their survey findings, Ed Gleeson outlined the changes Habitat has made in an ever-changing housing landscape, and Carla Gawley, a Habitat partner family member, delivered moving insights on the importance of affordable housing and how it changed her life. The sense of inspiration and collective purpose was palpable.
Impactful Observations and Feedback
The positive feedback from participants and celebration goers underscored the event’s success. Karyn Boscariol, Habitat organizer, was honored with a plaque from both school boards, highlighting their gratitude and the tangible benefits the students gained from the initiative. Nicholas Brown, WCDSB Program Coordinator, made notable observations of students during the 3-day conference:
- The rapid transformation of students from initial trepidation to confidence and skill proficiency was incredible to witness.
- The “Lunch and Learn” sessions with community partners added depth to the event, integrating social justice themes and emphasizing the broader purpose behind the hands-on work.
The event was much more than just a construction project; it was an opportunity for youth to grasp the significance of affordable housing, engage meaningfully in social advocacy, and cultivate a love for the skilled trades. The collective efforts and learning experiences left attendees beaming with pride and a renewed sense of purpose.
As planning begins for 2025, Habitat for Humanity Guelph Wellington is excited to continue building partnerships and empowering youth to be leaders in their communities. This conference exemplified how hands-on education, community collaboration, and a shared commitment to social justice can pave the way for meaningful change.
A Heartfelt Thank You to Our Volunteers and Sponsors
At Habitat for Humanity Guelph Wellington, we thrive on the dedication and energy of our volunteers. Their commitment fuels every project we undertake, making transformative events like Hands On For Housing possible. We extend our deepest gratitude to the incredible volunteers who brought their time, talent, and enthusiasm to this event (thank you, Sarah for your leadership)
Our Volunteers: Dale, Deb, Uche, Robin, Nancy, Saveena, Gabriele, Samantha, Jim, Prash, Stuart, Gerry, Ian, Tolossa, Goitom, Hanna, Nicole, Sirak, Beth, Ryan, Phillis, Tara, Alessia, Stephanie, Barb, Kathryn, Ed, Claire, Sarah, Deb, David, Wilma, Matt, Nafeeha, Stu, Marty, Kevin, Ed, Otto, Robert, Michael, Bob, Greg, Kieran, Kelsie, Ryan, Sandi, Paul, Ralph, Tait, Deanna, David, Lorraine, Carol, Ernst, Gerry, Simon, Lucas, Benjamin, Owen, Jim, Fergus, Seble, Gord, Matt, Dita, Edric, Stephen, Charlie, Randy, Suzan, Shewit, Kelly and The Home Depot Crew. Shout out to Stu Currie, for overseeing the amazing carpentry crew leaders!
Thank you to our wonderful photographers Jonathon at Dilettante Hospitality and Austin at Austin Gibson Photography.
Thank you to our beverage donor, Royal City Brewing, who offered non alcoholic sodas and drinks that we all enjoyed.
Without the support of local businesses, this would not have been possible. We want to extend a heartfelt thank you to our Generous Sponsors:
- Platinum Sponsors: Hammond Power Solutions, Tacoma Engineers, Cooperators, Rona Guelph and Elora (donation of all lumber for sheds was greatly appreciated)
- Gold Sponsors: Grand River Agricultural Society, The GrandWay, Skyjack, TD Bank
- Community Support: MarketFresh, Granite Homes, Arc Brothers Electric, Bigelow Flooring, Home Depot, and Sagen
- With partial funding from Habitat for Humanity Canada
A huge thank you goes out to the staff at the Grand River Raceway for their patience with so many daily changes, and to Katie and Lindsey of the GrandWay for their warm hospitality. Thank you to the Upper Grant District School Board and the Wellington Catholic District School Board for their support with planning, busing, and lunches!
Your support and contributions help drive our mission and inspire lasting change in housing security within the community. Thank you ALL for making this event a resounding success. We’ll see you in 2025!
*If you were impacted by this event either first-hand or through a child, family member, or friend and would like to make a donation, we would be truly grateful for your support.*
Thank you to our amazing Hands on for Housing Sponsors
