Presenter – Chalo Barrueta

Chalo will speak in I Am Canadian? on October 25th

program serving youth in St. James Town. Chalo is also the co-founder of Banyan Youth, a 5 year old youth-led grassroots organization that engages young people in hands-on environmental education experiences including green building projects and trips. Banyan Youth is currently a partner in YouthBuild Toronto – a green jobs training program for youth who have dropped out of high school and are living on social assistance.

Chalo’s passion lies with the integration of social enterprise, green business development and community building towards making the planet a better place. His commitment to involving youth in the design and building of creative green spaces led him to co-found BAAU&Co, a unique consulting and creative ideas company, that provides expertise on innovative property development, space design and build, with the mandate of youth engagement.

Chalo is a graduate of the Construction Engineering Technology Program at George Brown College. In 2007, he was hired as Studio Manager to help launch George Brown’s award winning Institute without Boundaries – World House Project. He is an associate member of the Ontario Institute for Quantity Surveyors and has completed his Construction Health and Safety Representative training from the Construction Safety Association of Ontario. In working towards his certification as a Certified Engineering Technologist, Chalo has successfully served
as a project manager for various demolition and general contracting firms.

Chalo is also a youth leader with The Ontario Youth Matters Campaign, which advocates for an outcome-based Youth Policy Framework. In a speech at The Ontario Legislature in 2010, he galvanized hundreds of youth from across the province to pressure the Ministry of Children and Youth Services to commit to the development of a youth policy framework. Following the event, The Ministry formally committed to developing a Youth Policy Framework. The Ministry has since carried out research, engaged 25 Ontario Youth in an Advisory Committee and is about to conduct province wide community consultations.