Overview
Constructing a Brighter Future (CBF) is a collaborative initiative in Lane County that addresses housing shortages by constructing single-room transitional shelters for individuals experiencing homelessness. This project brings together Career and Technical Education (CTE) instructors, school districts, community organizations, transitional housing providers, industry partners, and workforce development organizations to align student learning with real-world community needs.
By June 2023, CBF had successfully built 30 temporary shelters, providing both critical housing infrastructure and hands-on learning opportunities for students. The initiative reflects a sustainable approach to integrating education with community impact, preparing students for future careers while addressing urgent local challenges.
Origins and Evolution
CBF began as an introductory project in response to the Holiday Farm Wildfire of 2020, where partners collaborated to build 54 sheds for families displaced by the disaster. This initial effort gave students, educators, and community partners the experience and confidence to scale up the project, transitioning from emergency response to constructing more complex transitional housing solutions.
CBF has since evolved into a sustainable model for engaging students in meaningful work that aligns academic learning with community service. What started as a short-term wildfire response has become a long-term effort to address housing shortages while equipping students with practical skills for careers in the construction industry.
Alignment with Team Oregon Build (TOB)
CBF is closely aligned with the goals of Team Oregon Build (TOB), reinforcing the shared mission of merging education with community impact. Both programs integrate hands-on construction with academic learning, offering students opportunities to earn industry certifications and develop practical skills for high-wage, high-demand trades.
Through collaboration among industry, education, and community partners, CBF exemplies the collective action approach that is central to TOB. This approach ensures that multiple stakeholders—each with their own goals—work together to meet both student development needs and community priorities.
Student Learning and Community Impact
Students involved in CBF benefit from career-connected learning opportunities that
extend beyond the classroom. Key learning outcomes include:
Construction techniques: Students gain hands-on experience building shelters.
Project management: Students develop skills in organizing and managing real-world projects.
Problem-solving: Students learn to address challenges on-site and in real-time.
Beyond technical skills, students experience the personal fulfillment of contributing to their community. As they help build transitional shelters, they see firsthand how their work impacts individuals experiencing homelessness, reinforcing a sense of purpose and social responsibility.
This practical experience not only prepares students for apprenticeships and careers in construction but also gives them an opportunity to develop work-readiness skills that apply across industries.
Scaling Impact through Collaboration
Together with Team Oregon Build, CBF demonstrates how applied learning initiatives can be scaled to address critical community challenges. These programs serve as models for how education can act as a bridge between student development and community well-being.
Both CBF and TOB reflect a shared vision:
Empowering young people to build a better future for themselves and their communities
Leveraging collective action to solve pressing challenges
Providing practical skill-building opportunities that lead to career readiness
Conclusion
Constructing a Brighter Future exemplifies how applied learning initiatives can address local housing shortages while preparing students for careers in construction and other high-demand industries. By aligning education with community needs, CBF creates meaningful opportunities for students to contribute to their communities through hands-on work.
In partnership with Team Oregon Build, CBF highlights the importance of collective action in education, demonstrating that real-world learning can have a lasting impact on both students' personal development and community well-being. Together, these initiatives showcase how applied learning can transform education and empower the next generation to make meaningful contributions to society.
As TOB continues, the initiative stands as a beacon for how state agencies, Tribes and industry can work in synergy, addressing pressing challenges while building a stronger and more resilient future for Oregon.
Please contact Jim Taylor: [email protected] for more information about agency engagement to support Team Oregon Build
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