Social Enterprise - A Family Affair

Ted White, a founding SVPT Partner in 2007, is having an impact beyond SVP Toronto. Through his work with the Phoenix Print Shop at Eva’s Initiatives, Ted saw first-hand the challenges faced by under-housed and at-risk youth and the beneficial impact that vocational training can offer disadvantaged youth. Through his SVPT involvements, and drawing from a career’s worth of business experience, Ted saw opportunities for SVPT to help the Print Shop address some of the complex business issues that constrain their success. (Two of Ted’s sons, Steve and Mike, joined the SVPT Print Shop team and are now providing the much needed sales and marketing expertise to help the Print Shop meets its ambitious sales objectives.)

Ted welcomes big challenges. One day, during a conversation about the Print Shop with his son Rob, whose career is everything-bicycles, Rob saw a connection. Having worked closely with bicycle retailers for more than 20 years, Rob was well aware that bike shop owners face a chronic shortage of skilled bicycle mechanics. “Why not set up a program that teaches at-risk youth to repair bicycles, in the same way that the Phoenix Print Shop teaches youth the fundamentals of printing?”  Bill Young, founder of Social Capital Partners, and an early supporter of SVPT, referred Ted to Peter Frampton at the Learning Enrichment Foundation as a potential partner. In less than six months and with lots of hard work and the cooperation of the cycling community, the Bicycle Assembly and Maintenance (BAM) project became a reality. Additional partners include the major bicycle suppliers, prominent Toronto bicycle retailers and the Bicycle Trade Association of Canada. The third training class finished in early November. That’s 30 more youth off the unemployment rolls and on their way to a fresh start. BAM is now spreading its wings to Vancouver and Ottawa with programs scheduled to start in both cities in the New Year. Hats off to Ted and Rob.