This Old House Announces Partnership & Collaboration With YouthBuild USA

As part of its Generation Next program to encourage and empower young people to join the skilled trades, This Old House is pleased to announce a partnership and collaboration with YouthBuild USA, a nonprofit organization that champions opportunity youth who aspire to improve their lives and communities but lack the knowledge, skills, and resources to reach their full potential. Through hundreds of YouthBuild programs in the United States and around the globe, these young adults between the ages of 16 and 24 who are neither in school nor employed pursue their education, prepare for future careers, and grow into community leaders – building brighter futures for themselves, and their neighborhoods.

Two apprentices – Bobbi Jones of Roxbury and Yeren Rivera Cruz (nickname “Jay”) of Jamaica Plain, both 2020 graduates of the local YouthBuild Boston program – were chosen from an impressive lineup of applicants to join Charlie Silva and the This Old House team in Dorchester and the Greater Boston area for a six-week assignment during the 42^nd season of This Old House. Let’s meet our apprentices:

Bobbi Jones: 26-year-old Bobbi found a spark with YouthBuild after she worked in an unfulfilling role as a security guard. After joining YouthBuild Boston, she gained exposure to carpentry, framing, and flooring. It immediately changed her perspective. “YouthBuild made me feel like I can do anything I put my mind to – that my dreams can come true.” She counts her son as her motivation to keep going and urges other women contemplating the trades to just “go for it. Don’t second-guess yourself. These industries want us to be here. Slow and steady wins the race.” Bobbi hopes to gain more knowledge in carpentry and HVAC systems during her apprenticeship with This Old House.

Yeren Rivera Cruz: At the age of 10, Yeren moved from Puerto Rico to Boston. While in high school, he struggled to find his path and didn’t know what to do with his life. But after a high school teacher told him about YouthBuild Boston, he found another family and soon learned professional skills and values. Now, at 18 years old, he sees YouthBuild and carpentry as “the ladder you build to climb up in life.” He counts his mother and her work ethic as inspiration for a better future, one that includes two major goals: joining the carpenters’ union and starting his own business. Yeren hopes to learn all about carpentry and construction from experts during his apprenticeship with This Old House.