Collaborative partnership moves forward on Tiny Home pilot project

 

Habitat for Humanity Grey Bruce and Bruce-Grey Catholic District School Board are excited to announce the formation of a new collaborative partnership to engage students and faculty at St. Mary’s High School in building a Tiny Home for Saugeen First Nation.

Under the direction of teachers and with guidance from Habitat, this pilot program will provide students with a hands-on learning experience over the course of the school year. By engaging youth, Habitat Grey Bruce and Bruce-Grey Catholic District School Board will also be educating students about the need for affordable housing that has reached a crisis level and encouraging them to consider pursuing a career in a homebuilding trade.

Further, this pilot program give students and faculty of St. Mary’s High School the opportunity to take an active step of reconciliation with Saugeen First Nation.

The approximately 250 square foot Tiny Home will serve as an emergency shelter for individuals and small families. Once completed in the spring, the home will be site serviced and operated by Saugeen First Nation as part of their housing strategy. Through this program, students will be encouraged to consider pursuing a meaningful career in a homebuilding trade.

Habitat Grey Bruce hopes that this pilot program will lead to more homebuilding opportunities for students in other high schools across Grey and Bruce counties. Quotes

“Our community embraces the Tiny Home program and the opportunity it provides to educate youth about the trades in homebuilding and the need for affordable housing within Grey-Bruce. The youth will be the facilitators of change. We look forward to the relationship building, the knowledge to be learned, opportunity to grow together, and continued partnerships in our journey forward,” said Conrad Ritchie-Chi Nimkii, Chief of Saugeen First Nation #29.

“The Tiny Home program is an innovative solution that will help meet Saugeen First Nation’s housing need. We are thrilled that our partnership with Bruce-Grey Catholic District School Board will provide students at St. Mary’s High School the opportunity to learn and experience homebuilding first hand through this pilot program,” added Greg Fryer, Executive Director, Habitat for Humanity Grey Bruce.