The Sky’s the Limit at Launch Pad with a New Vision and Mission, the Welcoming of a New Executive Director and Two Donation Campaigns Launched.

Launch Pad Skills Training & Technology Centre is relaunching our core vision and mission as we welcome a new Executive Director and set in motion two donation campaigns to ensure our programs have the resources needed to help dreams take flight.

The Sky's the Limit on Giving Tuesday! Donate today and help dreams take flight!

Launch Pad empowers Hanover and area residents to unleash their potential through skills development and training. Just Imagine young chefs honing their skills in our industrial kitchen, aspiring welders mastering their craft in our welding shop, carpenters-to-be crafting their dreams in our woodshop, or future tech gurus flourishing in our mac learning lab.

We can’t do it alone.

For the month of November, we have partnered with Gemini Canada's Neustadt Manufacturing Facility, who will match donations dollar for dollar, up to $5,000!

We need YOU to help by reaching for the stars and empower the learners of our community to reach their full potential by donating this Giving Tuesday, November 28, 2023.

Launch Pad is thrilled to announce our new Executive Director, Rebecca Broderick. Rebecca exemplifies the mission of Launch Pad that provides opportunities for our young people so they can build their future in the community they grew up in. A graduate of École John Diefenbaker Senior School (JDSS), Rebecca currently resides in Mount Forest and brings with her experience in not-for-profit resource development and university alumni advancement, where she was responsible for facilitating connections between students and alumni and coordinating events, programs, communications and managing stewardship activities.

“I am thrilled to join Launch Pad as the Executive Director during this time of renewal. I look forward to empowering local youth through training and skills building. There are many exciting opportunities to build relationships and grow Launch Pad to better serve our community.”
Rebecca Broderick - Executive Director - Launch Pad

“The Board of Directors is excited to have Rebecca join our team at Launch Pad. Complementing our other staff at Launch Pad, Rebecca brings the skills to take us forward. The future is bright at Launch Pad and we are excited to serve our local community with skilled training close to home!”
Adam Olivero - Chair - Board of Directors - Launch Pad

Rebecca’s start is also in coordination with the relaunch of Launch Pad’s vision and mission. As a community hub we create opportunities for young people to EXPLORE their curiosity, DISCOVER their interests, and ENHANCE their skills through training programs and partnerships. The vision is to ensure that all youth and young adults can discover and develop their strengths, skills and passions to prepare for their future.
Launch Pad is an innovative facility for youth and young adults (ages 12-29 years) located in Hanover that equips young people from across the region with the skills they will require for future employment opportunities. We provide fun and inclusive skill building programs that allow young people to explore their interests, develop their strengths and prepare themselves for their future career. In partnership with HIPP Apprentice, Hanover’s Innovative People Program, our facility is a hub for employers, young adults and service providers to promote the pathways to apprenticeships and deliver skilled trades training. Through strong community partnerships, we lead a team of experienced instructors and volunteers who help our young people succeed.

Hanover and surrounding area homes can also expect to receive a Christmas Appeal letter in the mail within the coming week. We have seen what is possible here at Launch Pad and we need our community's help now more than ever to ensure that our programs can continue to run successfully long into the future.  We are grateful to donors for their gift, no matter the size, and for the impact they are making in our community.

Now, more than ever, we are dedicated to supporting youth and adult programming at Launch Pad but we acknowledge that everything comes at a cost.

Groceries for our after school culinary programs, hiring skilled tradespeople to lead programming, Canadian Welding Bureau Certification fees, and other annual subscription fees, program supplies, and so much more, all add up to create a great deal of pressure on our organization.

Your donation of $125 fills up the tank of gas required to teach youth Foundations in Welding.

Your donation of $320 provides groceries for a 6-week after school culinary program for a class of six.

Your donation of $675 provides the annual subscription for students to access the programs required to learn fundamental skills in digital art and graphic design.

Your donation of $850 buys a complete set of ten mini robots which can be used to teach the principles of coding and robotics for an entire year!

Launch Pad has seen so many success stories that have resulted from youth participating in our programs. 

A Grade 12 youth was interviewed and hired based on the welding skills he received through a course taken at Launch Pad allowing him to pay for his post-secondary education entirely.  Nine girls across three high schools were able to plan, code, and pitch mobile applications to our local Mayors for a cash investment to continue to build their apps.  A group of youth in our woodworking program made 18 wheelchair accessible picnic tables for a neighboring municipality.  Countless program participants have gone on to pursue careers and post-secondary education in the sectors that they have trained in at Launch Pad, bringing numerous trades workers back to our region.

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