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#008 – 'HELP US BUILD ONTARIO’ - that's a banner headline from a recent full-page advertisement in the Toronto Star newspaper by the Carpenters’ District Council of Ontario. It points to the widening gap and growing crisis that is affecting not only Ontario, but trades all across Canada.

Taking up the challenge to change the tide and seeking the Shalom– the total wellbeing of person, community, and nation – is this episode's guest Shawn Stuart, founder of Organized Kaos (aka OK) - an apprenticeship program for youth 13-17 year olds offering a safe environment in which young people work and learn alongside skilled trades persons from local churches.

Topics discussed in this episode:

In the episode we explore how faith is intersecting with the trades at Organized Kaos, a unique Brantford, Ontario faith-based organization that exists to apprentice young people in life and trades. In our conversation Shawn explains how OK projects create common ground between young people and mentors that break down barriers, leaving space to teach life and employability skills, faith, and the trades, and how it is inspiring hope, purpose, and meaning in their lives.

During the podcast Shawn shares:

• His personal journey to the trades and how OK came about
• What brings the youth to Organized Kaos and why they stay?
• Why is there a stigma about the trades?
• The important role that mentors play: the kind of person they are and what they bring
• How to build connections and the joy of earning rewards
• Ok's training centres and a window view into a typical week
• How graduating out of OK is a way back in!
• How local churches are crucial to the work
• How Organized Kaos is organized: the role of staff and volunteers
• What's the right kind context for sharing the faith?
• A vision for replicating OK's apprenticeship model

[*Please see audio player for chapter markers and time stamps*]

For full show notes and/or If you'd like to learn more about bridging the gap between church and community, head to:

https://in2neighbourhoods.com/trades

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