YOUTHWORKS SUMMER EMPLOYMENT
YouthWorks is a state-funded youth employment program that provides funds to pay for wages to eligible youth aged 14-21 residing in 31 targeted cities and towns. The mission of the program is to support youth and young adults in the development of marketable skills needed in a competitive economy. Employment placements are made in a wide range of positions in public, private and nonprofit sectors.
BENEFITS OF THE PROGRAM
Youth who take part in youth employment programs like YouthWorks will come to the job ready to work. Pre-employment training includes a combination of work readiness, life skills, and career exploration skills geared to help young people learn transferable skills that can help them in any job. Work-readiness skills and professionalism are the focus of the employability curriculum all participants take part in—Signal Success. Participants MUST complete the necessary hours of Signal Success work-readiness training during employment. Program staff members help young people understand how professional behaviors and a positive interactive style will help them get ahead.
In addition to pre-employment training, the program helps young people develop a learning plan and assess progress on the job. This may be done with a tool called the MA Work-Based Learning Plan designed to structure the job responsibilities, to help organize conversations about how the job is going, and to assess performance with career skills such as time management, customer service, or project management.
