Shaping the Future Sponsorship Program

- same program, bigger impact. 

Many of you may be familiar with ABEEL, the employee-led movement that aspired to give a unified voice to EllisDon's Black community. This endeavor was led by Samuel Ajobo, and other likeminded employees, in 2020 with the goal to educate and raise awareness on how we can all be part of the change to stop anti-Black racism within EllisDon, our industry and our communities. Sam was joined by a core group of leaders and committed volunteers determined to raise awareness and push for change. ABEEL provided inclusive platforms and opportunities to discuss key topics such as equity in the workforce, creating safe spaces, representation in communities, mentorship and more.   

Last year, the EllisDon ABEEL team launched the first Shaping the Future Program; reaching five cities, three provinces, 16 neighbourhoods, over 25 schools, about 113 students participated in the annual competition and mentorship. More than $40,000 in bursaries were awarded to about 46 students, 71 students began participating in the mental health program, and some of these students might assist your teams (via co-ops) in the next month. The team was inspired by the hard work and dedication demonstrated by participating students through their profound and incredibly creative submissions. They came in as artwork, photography, video, music, poetry, original writing and more. Each submission was unique, but they all shared the same goal: to illustrate and define a vision of the future without hate, with space for cultural pride through the embrace of the Black experience.   

Late last year, ABEEL had the incredible opportunity to branch out as an independent not-for-profit: The ABEEL Foundation. Our goal continues to be creating awareness and promoting education on how society and industry can combat racism within both organizations and the communities they serve. We will continue to work within communities across Canada, providing connections to opportunities for youth in under-served and underrepresented BIPOC communities (with a particular focus on Black youth) and creating space for cross-cultural dialogues within communities, schools and the partnering organizations. The program will continue to provide layers of support to participating students with a focus on youth advocacy, employability, and access to mental health programming.   

With the support of our charitable partner, Raising the Roof, and our key industry supporter, EllisDon, The ABEEL Foundation will be hosting the second annual Shaping the Future Sponsorship Program Award Ceremony in February 2022. As of early January, we had 95+ students registered across all our partnering schoolboards in Canada, and we couldn't be more excited to delve into their submissions and share in their visions.   

For more information about The ABEEL Foundation and the Shaping The Future Sponsorship Program, or if you're interested in making a donation, make sure to check out our website: www.abeelfoundation.com, and follow 'The ABEEL Foundation' on Linked In and Instagram for updates and registration details on our Shaping The Future Event this February 2022!