Workforce Board announces regional youth grantees for free programs to benefit youth on the South Coast

The MassHire Greater New Bedford Workforce Board announced youth grants this week for eight organizations totaling $274,528.

The organizations funded will provide programs for over 75 youth on the South Coast. The organizations include EWorkStyle Institute, Inc. PAACA, Groundwork SouthCoast, PACE YouthBuild, Community Boating Center, Artible (SoCo), Bob’s Sea and Ski and Old Colony Regional Vocational High School.

This funding allows youth who meet the qualifications to enroll for free into these programs. Youth from the towns and cities of Dartmouth, Acushnet, New Bedford, Fairhaven, Marion, Mattapoisett, Rochester, Wareham, Freetown, and Lakeville may be eligible to enroll.

Four of the programs are for out of school youth – youth ages 16-24 who have either dropped out of school or who have graduated from high school and are basic skills deficient and meet other enrollment qualifications. The trainings are free for youth who meet the eligibility criteria.

Three of the programs are for in-school youth, youth who are actively enrolled in an area school are also free for those who meet the eligibility criteria.

Youth interested in these programs can contact the MassHire Greater New Bedford Career Center at 508.990.4000 or visit them at 618 Acushnet Avenue, New Bedford.

“These grants are an important workforce strategy to get youth on a career or college pathway,” said James Oliveira, Executive Director.

The youth grants are funded annually through the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act through the Department of Labor administered locally by the workforce board.

The grantees and their programs for Out of School Youth are:

  • EWorkStyle Institute: $49,852 for ACCESS (Another Course to College Educational Services) which is a one year Community Fellows program where youth will receive leadership training, communication and broadcast training, and mentorship in addition to service learning and an interrelated work program. All youth will during the program build skills to meet their educational goals and apply and succeed in a career path leading to college related to print and broadcast media.
  • PAACA EMT Training: $17,415 for The INSIGHT EMT program which will provide 110 hours of education and an internship over 13 weeks which will include EMT training by a state certified training, a paid job internship and engage in services leading to applying for employment.
  • Groundwork SouthCoast $44,250 for the GreenCorps Educational Exploration of Aquaculture, Environmental Science, Urban Agriculture and Landscaping which will support youth in a combination of tutoring, training, work experience and supportive services to develop skills in aquaculture and other related agricultural and environmental careers on the South Coast.
  • PACE Youth Build $72,000 for The Youth Work Experience Program (YWE) will provide youth with a combination of academics to prepare for HiSET testing, financial literacy, job development and career coaching. The youth will all engage in Blueprint to a Healthy Financial Life and follow a two-week rotation program of education and employment success training. Youth after completion of career coaching will engage in a 6-week paid job experience.
  • Community Boating Center $27,100 for a Marine Technology training and paid work experience program for out of school youth interested in career pathways in the marine sciences field.

The programs for In-School Youth are:

  • Artible (SoCo) Arts Entrepreneurship: $25,000 which will engage in a learn, create, sell arts entrepreneurship program learning about arts and entrepreneurship for the arts, creating visual arts, and then learn about selling and marketing their work culminating in a program gallery show.
  • Bob’s Sea and Ski SCUBA and ROV program $25,000 which will engage in a training program to earn SCUBA credentials and ROV and uROV training, learn about careers and marine skills, and engage with jobs and career speakers and programming.
  • Old Colony: OCTV Coming to You Live. Real Work. Real World. $13,911.63 which will engage students in  programming based off of a successful previous pilot to enhance writing, research, and presentation skills by leveraging the television production, computer science, and graphic design skills as a before and during school program for youth of various backgrounds including at risk and other populations.

For more information on the MassHire Greater New Bedford Workforce Board, please visit their website at massgreaternewbedford.com or for more information about the youth grant program please contact Kaisa Holloway Cripps at kaisa@masshiregreaternewbedford.com or 508.979.1504 x111.