Community Action News
March 2022
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MAKING A POSITIVE IMPACT THROUGH STRENGTH & RESILIENCY
I'm proud of how WCAC worked hard to maintain our core services and support our community by using resources to increase access to housing, food and vaccines. WCAC's 2021 Annual Report, available by clicking the image to the left, highlights the positive impact we have made. I’d like to offer a special thanks to PENTA Communications for their design assistance.
This year arrived with guarded optimism. As we began making plans to open WCAC's doors again to the public, our building was struck by a major power outage. The timing could not have been worse as it came at the height of our home heating assistance program, the opening of our tax assistance program, and recruitment for youth summer jobs program. The strength and resiliency we so frequently admire in those we serve, became our own agency mantra. At this writing we remain displaced from our main office, but phone lines have been restored and our staff is working remotely. I am grateful for the support of so many within the community who have offered us temporary office space to restore our operations. I am grateful for the public's patience as we continue to navigate these challenging times together. Above all, I am grateful to my staff for their determination and commitment to serve our community in need.
As we enter our 57th year of service, we will continue to put a human face on poverty, advocate alongside our partners and clients to amplify their voice and provide opportunities for all. This month's newsletter spotlights our Job & Education Center and our programs focused on providing positive educational and employment opportunities for young people.
As announced at our Resiliency Awards ceremony in February, we are also kicking off a series of community conversations. Please join us (virtually) for the first of our four planned Community Conversations - Early Education & Care on Friday, March 18th looking at the state of early education and care, and the critical role the industry plays in our collective economic success. Our work is not easy but together, we do better.
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APPLICATIONS OPEN FOR YOUTHWORKS SUMMER 2022
The calendar hasn't officially registered spring, but WCAC's Job & Education Center (JEC) is already focused on summer! Applications are open for 2022 YouthWorks Summer Jobs program. The seven-week program will run June 27th-August 12th, providing young people, up to the age of 24, seven weeks of paid short-term work placements at nearly 70 public, private, and nonprofit work sites throughout the City.
YouthWorks is a state-funded youth employment program that helps teens and young adults develop skills and experience needed to find and keep jobs. As part of the program, participants receive training in core essential skills, practice work-based learning, and learn how to communicate effectively with supervisors, co-workers and customers at their work sites, as well as how to take the next steps in their education and career pathways.
Participants must be residents of the City of Worcester and meet certain income eligibility requirements. Additional details and online application available here.
DEADLINE TO APPLY IS APRIL 1ST.
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MAKING THE GRADE
WCAC’s JEC Education programs offer individualized education pathways for young people outside the traditional school environment, with the intention of instilling the values of lifelong learning, providing career pathway exploration, and making connections to post-secondary and certificate training programs leading to employment opportunities.
Formerly known as GED, WCAC’s JEC offers High School Equivalency Test (HiSET) preparation for ages 15-24. The academic classes utilize an English curriculum that concentrates on grammar and essay writing skills, while the math curriculum includes word problems, basic math, decimals, proportions, algebra, and geometry. Participants also review issues relating to the world of work through computer training, classroom readings, discussions, and writing. programs focus on individual progress in small, classroom style settings. Classes concentrate on the core components of the HiSET certification exam.
The program features open entry and exit – meaning that participants can enter the program at any time and remain enrolled as long as they need to successfully complete the program requirements. Despite the office's closure, WCAC's classes continue virtually. Those interested in enrolling should complete a pre-application available here.
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POSITIVE YOUTH DEVELOPMENT
A big piece of the work that takes place within WCAC's Job & Education Center is building relationships with young people to provide mentorship, offer guidance and lend support. Our positive youth development framework provides referral-based, comprehensive prevention and intervention work, connection to education and employment opportunities, referrals to mental health, and providing intensive case management and wrap around supports to Worcester’s most vulnerable youth, with most participants facing barriers related to substance use, gang involvement, and as victims of violence. Additionally, JEC staff work to lead systems change in the city, collaborating with integral partners and government leaders. Learn more here.
WCAC recently awarded its first ever Iggy Strong - Providing Youth Opportunities Award, posthumously honoring Worcester Police Officer Ignacio "Iggy" Garcia, who passed away last September after a courageous battle with pancreatic cancer. He was a 17-year veteran of the department and known for his positive impact on city youth. The award will be given out annually in Officer Garcia’s name to an individual or organization demonstrating exemplary commitment to WCAC's youth development programs, supporting and nurturing a dynamic environment to foster positive educational and employment opportunities for area youth.
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NEW TO THE TEAM
WCAC's Job & Education Center has welcomed several new faces over the past several months. We're thrilled to welcome them to our team and are please to introduce them to you:
I’m Tobias Carrero. I am coming into WCAC as a case manager for the JEC where I will be helping multiple programs serve our young people. I previously worked at the Worcester Youth Center where I had been for the last five years as the leadership employment advocacy and development coordinator/case manager. What drew me in to work for WCAC was the team aspect that I saw when I wasn't working here.
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My name is Alana Celestino. I am one of the case managers here at WCAC in the Job and Education Center. I was brought on in the Spring of 2021 as a seasonal hire and have been privileged to be offered a permanent position here serving the youth of our city. What drew me to work at WCAC is the heart behind our mission and the opportunity to work alongside others in addressing the disparities throughout the local community through safety-net services and solutions. On a typical day, you can find me listening to a good podcast, playing the guitar, or on the hunt for a new coffee shop to visit!
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My name is Jordan Reed. I am the new Career Pathways Coordinator in the JEC! I’m a recent graduate of the Boston University School of Theology, the alma mater of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., whose commitments to social justice and economic transformation, values instilled within me during my studies, are shared by WCAC. Prior to coming here, I worked as both a Research Intern for the Center for Mind and Culture, studying religious experience, and as a Ministry Admin at Liberty Church in Shrewsbury. On any given day you can find me trying espresso shots in random beverages, listening to theology or video game related podcasts, and browsing bookstores to fill my shelves with more books that I’ll never read.
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Interested in joining Team WCAC? We are presently recruiting an Intake Specialist as well as Case Managers for our summer jobs program. Learn more about these and other available positions here.
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www.WCAC.net Info@WCAC.net |
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