The REnEW Program is Transforming Lives in the Okanagan

An amazing program is taking shape in the Okanagan as several organizations come together to help people overcome barriers.

The latest participants in the Residential Energy Efficiency Works (REnEW) program are busy in Peachland helping to build a social housing project. Partnered with the John Howard Society, Habitat for Humanity, and FortisBC, the students are getting hands on education while gaining self-confidence.

The REnEW program was developed in 2010 with FortisBC, BC Hydro and the John Howard Society to meet the growing need for skilled trades people in energy-efficient construction. During the six-week program, participants learn the fundamentals of construction and receive a number of safety certificates.

One such participant is Dorian O’Donnell. O’Donnell has Asperger syndrome and was first told about the program through a woman who had heard about it. The friend connected O’Donnell with the right people and soon he was registered to take part.

“At first I was scared of the program because I didn’t know what to expect,” explained O’Donnell. “Then all of a sudden I started to smile and things got brighter for me.”

O’Donnell says he currently works as a general labourer and spends two weeks in the classroom and two weeks on site. Despite his wariness about joining the program and barriers he had faced in the past, O’Donnell decided to take the risk and get involved.

“I said to myself, no I can do this,” O’Donnell added. “It got better for me and I recommend anybody to do it. As someone with Asperger I’m not normally accustomed to something like this. But it brought me out of my shell and I’m really happy about that.”

While O’Donnell’s barriers have been difficult for him, he’s not the only person to have a daily struggle. Fellow student Rod Stewart works diligently every single day, and doesn’t let the fact that he is homeless stop him from learning and growing.

Stewart lives on the streets in Kelowna and sleeps at the Gospel Mission, but he does not make that an excuse for not learning and trying to obtain work.

“A friend told me about the program and he had great things to say about it so I thought I would give it a try,” explained Stewart. “I have experience in concrete restoration work back when I lived in Winnipeg.”

Getting his hands dirty and doing construction work comes naturally to Stewart who is eager to learn new skills to add to his ever growing skill set. Stewart says living at the Gospel Mission and being homeless is no excuse and proves it every day.

“I’m motivated and really enjoy doing this work and I want to learn new stuff and this will help me get on the right foot to get out of there (the Gospel Mission),” added Stewart.

Stewart says that once he is done the program he hopes to pound the pavement and take his new skills to potential employers and hopefully obtain full time employment and get his life on the right track.

Ron Brewer from UK Trades’ has worked with the REnEW program over the past few years after being approached by the John Howard Society (JHS). The relationship grew and eventually Brewer was asked to lead the field training for participants in the REnEW program.

Brewer has now done six projects in the Okanagan with the REnEW program, but the others had mainly been renovations. This new social housing project in Peachland is brand new from the ground up which means students get to learn very different skills such as insulation, roofing, and windows.

While some may scoff at the idea of using students to create the project, Brewer says they always hit their deadlines.

“They know we are here for two weeks and we have to get everything we say we will do finished,” said Brewer. “If the students don’t get time to finish it my guys have to stay on and finish it. But, the students always finish on time and they do really good work. It was all passed by the city inspectors.”

Brewer says the biggest challenge he faces is organization and making sure materials arrive on time. Since Brewer began working with the program he has hired four students after they completed their training. While some of the graduates require a bit more training than other employees, Brewer says once they have got it, they are model employees.

“I had one guy who had been living on Hastings Street in Vancouver for 15 years, got his act together and went to AA and got clean,” Brewer says of his most memorable REnEW participant. “He got into the REnEW program, got himself a truck, got himself a house and worked for me for two years. Then he got offered a job and I told him to go for it because it was more money and experience. He did it and I think he is in Calgary now with his own crew.”

Students not only learn new skills, they are also given interview prep to help with meetings with future employers. To learn more about the program, visit the FortisBC REnEW website.