At The Shop at Youth Unlimited, donated vehicles help fuel a better future for vulnerable young people at risk of homelessness, addiction, and mental illness. This program offers youth hands-on training in the automotive trades, along with essential life skills. Y
outh Unlimited, Program Director, Mark Dean says, “For many young people, life can be unpredictable and filled with challenges that seem insurmountable. Whether it’s unstable housing, mental health struggles or the lack of a strong support system, their path to adulthood can feel like a dead end. But at The Shop, youth are given the tools to steer their lives in a new direction.”
Life-changing skills
Youth Unlimited has been working with vulnerable young people in Newmarket and Cambridge since 2003. Dean says, “We do skills mentoring by training youth between the ages of 15 and 25 in the automotive trade. We also do life skills mentoring by helping them with the challenging circumstances they may be facing.”
The Shop’s Vehicle Donation Program gives youth valuable technical experience working on vehicles alongside mentors while it opens the door to meaningful employment in the automotive industry. Dean adds, “We help youth through life issues while they learn t work in the automotive trade. Our program is more than about fixing cars, our program is about fixing young lives.”
Success Stories
Over the past decade, Youth Unlimited has touched the lives of hundreds of at-risk youths across Newmarket and Cambridge. One of the program’s most recent success stories in a young lady who gained experience on the tire machines and doing mechanical work. She is now registered as an apprentice and works in the mechanic shop at a top tier vehicle dealership in Newmarket. Dean says, “We provided this young lady a professional counsellor who has helped her sort through her family challenges and get to a place where she can hold a steady job.”
Like so many others who go through this program, because this young lady’s life circumstances improved, she then had better employment opportunities. Dean says, “We’re helping her to seek peace and transformation in her life which allows her to concentrate, receive counselling, and find the steady employment that she needs.” Each participant has an advocate in their life who cares about and supports them. Dean adds, “Having that advocate be your cheerleader can make all the difference in the world in terms of finding stability.” A success story might also be a youth serving community service hours, going back to school, staying out of jail, or not making another suicide attempt.
Vehicle Donation Program
Youth Unlimited is a charitable organization that is not funded by the government. The Shop and the incredible work their team does is funded through donations of used cars from individuals. Deans says, “People donate cars which can be refurbished and then those cars are re-sold to fund The Shop. Youth work alongside us in refurbishing the cars while receiving valuable skills training. The vehicle donations help transform young lives.
Because The Shop is a licensed tow company it can pick up the donated vehicles. The Shop is also a licensed charity so that donors receive tax receipts for the fair market value of their vehicle. If the car is worth $10,000 donors will receive a tax receipt for that amount. If it’s a scrap vehicle, they will get a tax receipt for $700. The Shop would prefer vehicles it can refurbish and re-sell. Dean says, “That’s how we fund the program, so we are quite eager to get the word out about our vehicle donation programs in Newmarket and Cambridge. The Shop is different from other vehicle donation programs in that the cars fund the program.”
The Shop is also registered and licensed as a car dealership so that individuals can buy the cars and drive off the lot with a valid license plate. There is a waiting list to buy the refurbished cars.
A used car can turn a young life around
By donating a vehicle to The Shop, you’re not just getting rid of a used car; you’re fueling a young person’s future. With every car that rolls into The Shop, youth in the program gain the tools to create a better life, while mastering a skilled trade that can open doors to brighter opportunities. Your donation is more than a vehicle; it’s an opportunity to improve the life of a vulnerable youth.
The Shop is a program of Youth Unlimited, a registered charity, and has been operating in Newmarket since 2003. Reach out at (905) 836-1433 or (877) 315-SHOP. For more information on how you can help visit here.