Friends of Youth’s Issaquah facility received a “little house” this week that will have a big impact on young families in the area.

YouthBuild, a Seattle-based group that teaches construction skills to students who are mostly from underprivileged families, completed a storage shed, or a “little house,” that will enable Friends of Youth to store items for its Healthy Start program, which helps moms or dads age 24 and younger. Healthy Start gets donations from groups such as Eastside Baby Corner, which are then delivered to the families. Friends of Youth is already storing baby goods inside the little house.

Jay Doran, communications and public affairs officer for Friends of Youth, said they’ve partnered with YouthBuild before.

“There were opportunities for them to get involved in construction on our Kirkland campus, so when we were looking at organizations to partner with, it seemed like a natural fit,” Doran said.

YouthBuild, which works with the 18- to 24-year-olds, is based at the Georgetown campus of South Seattle Community College. Students work on projects every other week, and in between they work on getting their high school diplomas or GEDs, said Stephen Hinch, the organization’s construction supervisor. The program provides training in all the trades, including carpentry, electrical and plumbing.

“This crew is working on two little houses,” Hinch said. “They learn all the skills to get into the carpenter’s union.”

The program also builds confidence in its students.

One student, who has been in the YouthBuild program for four months, said he’s learned to be early, not just on time, and about positivity. Another, Wayne Nolte III, moved to Seattle from the East Coast for more opportunities. He said he wants to finish the YouthBuild program before seeking a permanent job, perhaps in the maritime industry. He had never been to Issaquah before.

At the beginning and end of each day, the young men form a circle of love, which they did with the Friends of Youth staff, to recite their pledge: “We are YouthCare’s YouthBuild and we pledge to…show up on time and work hard everyday, make our education a priority, respect our bosses instructors and crew, never leave anyone behind but never let anyone hold us back, conduct ourselves with respect, carry ourselves like professionals, rebuild ourselves and our community and turn our dreams into reality.”

A member of YouthBuild places a wooden plaque on the “little house,” to commemorate the occasion.