Delta Garage is a space where High-School aged youth from low income households in north Everett are provided with the opportunities, resources, and support necessary to access and succeed in the mechanical trades. Mechanical tradespeople are those who design, use, or understand tools or machinery (e.g. Auto mechanics and technicians, electricians, elevator technicians, HVAC installers and technicians, locksmiths, plumbers, machinists, and welders).
Career-focused mentorship helps foster skill development and provide on-ramps to employment, while also providing the building blocks of healthy development required to transition to adulthood successfully. We believe our brand of career-focused youth mentorship will be instrumental in breaking cycles of poverty in our community. Learn more below...
Our Community
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Across the demographic areas of age, ethnic diversity, and unemployment Everett is a representative Washington city. However, when levels of higher education and household income are considered, the picture of the average Everett resident diverges significantly from the state averages.
When examining rates of higher education, fewer Everett residents possess bachelor’s degrees and further graduate degrees compared to the rest of the state. The average annual household income for an Everett household also falls well below both state and county averages.
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These disparities appear even greater in north Everett. Of the 31 schools in the Everett School District, six were designated as ‘High Poverty Schools’ for the 2020-2021 school year. All six of those schools are located in north Everett, with four located in the Delta and Riverside neighborhoods in northeast Everett alone. North Everett schools also reported significantly higher rates of student homelessness when compared to the rest of the district.
Discipline and absenteeism rates are also higher among north Everett schools when compared to the rest of the district. Additionally, north Everett High Schools have significantly higher dropout rates–and fewer students meeting grade level standards–when compared to High Schools elsewhere in the district.
Our Challenge
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Far from an indictment of the students and outstanding staff of the Everett School District, we believe this to be further support for research that indicates a strong correlation between socioeconomic status and educational performance.
Coupled with research that demonstrates the clear connection between educational attainment and future earning potential, breaking this pattern is a critical element for families to break the cycle of poverty.
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Educational attainment is only one part of the equation however. Youth from low-income families benefit from exposure to a broader range of career options than their immediate experience may provide, along with having adequate guidance and similar opportunities to access those careers as their peers with higher socioeconomic status.
Our Work
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At the heart of our program are the motorcycles. Participants work alongside experienced mechanics at the Delta Community Center to restore and customize vintage motorcycles (and anything else with an engine and wheels we can get our hands on). Each year participants will have the opportunity to showcase their skills and their work at local motorcycle shows and other community events.
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Critical to the success of our program will be the development of effective partnerships with local employers in the mechanical trades. Each month an industry partner will join us on-site to provide participants with a company overview and employment opportunities in that field. Industry partners will also host participants for site tours throughout the year. It is our hope that these partnerships will yield prime opportunities for internships, apprenticeships, and employment as student's approach graduation.
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More than simply tinkering on old bikes, our program is designed to approximate a real world shop environment. Participants will learn about best practices in workplace safety, team work, goal setting, as well as equipment and time management. As participants begin seeking full-time employment after graduation, our team will assist with job searches, resume creation (building on their experience in the program), as well as interview preparation. For participants seeking post-secondary education we will provide additional guidance and support as well as scholarship and tuition assistance.
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All these activities take place in the context of steady, safe, and supportive relationships with our team of screened adult volunteers. Beyond skill development and career guidance, mentors also serve as role models for leadership, interpersonal, and problem-solving skills. Mentoring relationships provide valuable support to youth as they navigate the transition into adulthood and contribute positively to Social and Emotional Learning development across a broad range of domains.