RBC Foundation supports district’s REACH & bike repair programs with $60K donation
The RBC Foundation recently donated $60,000 towards the district's REACH program and the Education Services bike repair/sheet metal pre-employment program, supporting students in finding their career paths after graduation.
Two Surrey Schools programs are receiving a big financial boost, thanks to a $60,000 donation from RBC Foundation.
The district’s REACH program and the Education Services bike repair/sheet metal pre-employment program recently received the contribution from RBC Foundation, focused on preparing youth for the future of work, supporting technology-driven programs to solve pressing environmental challenges, and helping emerging artists thrive. RBC foundation has been a longtime donor to the district and has supported numerous programs over the years.
“Without these donations, we can’t run the program,” said Community-Schools Partnership manager Meredith Verma, whose department oversees the REACH program. “The donations are imperative to supporting our students in our secondary schools in terms of helping them gain access to employment and related skills.”
REACH helps to train Grade 11 and 12 students on a variety of job skills to prepare them for the workforce after graduation, offering certifications in first aid and mental health youth training, as well as High Five for recreation and sport, Food Safe and SuperHost for hospitality. The program also hosts guest speakers and features a hiring fair in the spring, in partnership with the YMCA and the City of Surrey.
“Students have an opportunity to gain interview and resumé writing skills, to get out into the community and learn how to find a job,” said Verma. “Giving kids different chances and opportunities is really the heart and soul of REACH.”
The program is currently offered at Frank Hurt, Guildford Park, Kwantlen Park, L.A. Matheson, Princess Margaret and Queen Elizabeth secondary schools. For registration inquiries, email CSP facilitator Adam del Rosario: delrosario_a@surreyschools.ca
The Education Services bike repair/sheet metal pre-employment program has been running out of Surrey Traditional School for the past six years, providing more than 30 students per year a hands-on environment to learn about bicycle mechanics. RBC Foundation has supported the program for many years, offering training in becoming a bike technician as well as working on BMX bikes.
The program is offered in partnership with Maple Ridge Cycle and the R.E.C. for Kids Society, and also has a charity aspect, with students repairing bikes for kids who can’t afford them.
“The students all get a bike when they leave but they also repair bikes for other people,” said Debbie Holmes with the Education Services School. “It’s neat because some of them volunteer at the Surrey Christmas Bureau and they can see all the bikes they repair there.”
Holmes said she has seen the positive impact the bike repair program has had on students over the years, offering some valuable guidance to students who previously hadn’t found their career path.
“It’s just the beauty of teaching them that they can do it,” she said. “Show them what it is and give them some insight into it and say, ‘You can do this.’
Holmes said she is grateful for the support from RBC Foundation, noting she hopes the support continues as Education Services School expands to include educational opportunities for working with sheet metal, culinary arts, painting and electrical work in the near future.
“I can’t thank them enough,” she said. “I’m hoping this year, we’ll have a day to show them all the areas that they’ve supported and show them everything that their donations have done.”
