Youth Boat Building Program - ELO

Tacoma Boat Builders creates transformational opportunities for marginalized and underserved youth through positive mentorship, woodworking, and traditional wooden boat building. TBB pairs youth with craftspeople, together they create objects of functional beauty.

Tacoma Boat Builders offers one-on-one mentorship with hands-on learning programs. We use woodworking, wooden boat building, metal machining and rowing/sailing to develop a range of life changing emotional and hands-on skills. We emphasize relationships and choice for all who join us, youth and adults. This positive climate allows youth to develop empathy, competency, and strengthened ability to advocate for themselves. The experience often leads participants out of crisis and onto more intentional purposeful paths.

The boat shop programs started as an alternative to incarceration. Now we are part of a larger effort to short circuit the school to prison pipeline by offering a place for youth in need of a safe place to learn and grow in different ways. The need for community-based support and intervention is imperative and we are here to answer that call.