SITE

Our mission is to use boat building and rowing to provide positive direction to youth by encouraging the development of personal and community responsibility.

Description:
We are a year-round program that offers boat building to at-risk youth after school in the fall, winter and spring. Over a 6-10 wk period, kids build a small dinghy or boat which is launched at the end of the session. Job skills and life skills are incorporated in the program. In spring and summer we offer a rowing/teambuilding program on two 20-foot Grand Banks dories with four rowing stations.

History:
The Compass Project is now in it's fourth year and has just moved into a large boat building shop which allows us to greatly expand our programs. Founded in 2002 by a social worker and a boat builder, the Compass Project has provided over 250 youth with the opportunity to build boats, practical and social skills and develop pride in accomplishing a difficult project. The Compass Project received an award for nonprofit innovation excellence from the Maine Children's Alliance in 2003.

Contact people:

Pat Ryan, Executive Director, (phone), (email) Paige Rutherford, Special Projects Manager, (phone), (email)

Address:

Boatbuilding Shop: 170 Anderson St. Portland, ME 04101 (See a map)

Web Site: http://www.compassproject.org

Directions:

Go to Marginal Way and find the U-Haul, go right there and take the next right which is Anderson St. About a block down on the right is 170 Anderson St. (next to Yerxa's).   Nearest Bus Stop: Franklin Arterial, 5-10 minute walk For maps or information, please see http://www.portlandmaine.worldweb.com/Transportation/PublicTransit

Miscellaneous Information

This agency has United Way funded programs
	No
The agency places volunteers in these categories:
	Court Mandated, Groups, Adults