Community Vitality 2022

Pathways Employment Help Centre and Chippewas of the Thames First Nation

Building New Futures Together

Grant: $342,000 across 2 years

Jeannine Cookson (left) and Chief Jacqueline French (right) at the site of the housing development.

There are currently no college-level skills training programs available on site at Chippewas of the Thames First Nation (COTTFN). The Building New Futures Together program will see Pathways Employment Help Centre partner with COTTFN to offer Construction Technology Training on-site, overcoming barriers that currently prevent members of the First Nation from taking part in training, and resulting in the building of new affordable housing.

Pathways and Chippewas of the Thames First Nation have received a $342,000 Community Vitality grant to help fund two years of the innovative Building New Futures Together project, which builds new skills in participants, helps them overcome employment barriers while having an immediate and direct positive impact.

“The Building New Futures Together project is a welcome opportunity for the Nation. It brings two important things to the Community - skills training and housing. We see this project as a step to building relationships, decreasing homelessness in our Nation, and providing members the opportunity to gain confidence which will result in employment opportunities for future generations. It will pave the way for our members to develop skills that will help the Community to grow and perhaps inspire them to start their own businesses, passing on their learning,” said Chief Jacqueline French.

“Our visioning for creating a micro home village is to reconnect our families in an environment where they can flourish socially, emotionally physically and spiritually. These homes are about having our members feel they are a part of our community and to welcome them back to their homeland.”

Through hands-on experience, participants will create 400 square foot affordable single unit dwellings at COTTFN, providing more homes for single people who might not otherwise have the resources to live on their own.

"The Building New Futures Together project is the first of its kind in our region, combining 12-week hands-on skills training in construction with affordable housing. Participants will learn residential construction by building a home from the ground up," said Jeannine Cookson, Pathways' Employment Help Centre Chair.

"It is our hope that this project will train the next generation of builders, while creating a community of 400sq ft micro-homes. We are honoured to be a part of this exciting project in partnership with Chippewas of the Thames First Nation. We are grateful to the London Community Foundation for the Community Vitality grant that is the steppingstone needed to launch this innovative initiative."

The $342,000 grant pooled with funds from Pathways and COTTFN and supplemented by corporate donations, will be used across all aspects of the projects, including staff salaries and the equipment needed to build the dwellings.