COMMUNITY TO COMMUNITY: POLICY EQUITY FOR ALL
Transformation and Opportunity are at the Center of C2C’s 2nd Successful Summer Youth Employment Program in Boston and Oakland
“On behalf of the Oakland Workforce Development Board we thank Northeastern University or your commitment to providing these essential opportunities for young people through your C2C Summer Youth Employment Program… These programs play a crucial role in personal development, economic stability, educational success, and overall community well-being.” – Sofia Navarro, Executive Director, Oakland Workforce Development Board.
The success of the C2C Summer Youth Employment Program underscores the profound impact that enriching job opportunities can have on young people, owing largely to the support of dedicated partners across the University. Staff from more than 30 departments across both the Boston and Oakland campuses supervised and mentored youth with meaningful projects and dedicated time and resources toward exploring potential career paths.
In Boston, students were supported by Human Resources, Payroll, ITS, the Center for Study of Sport in Society, Undergraduate Admissions, Husky Card Services, Student Financial Services, the O’Bryant African American Institute, Career Design, and Foundation Year the City of Boston Center for Working Families to name a few. In Oakland, Rising high school juniors and seniors from 14 local schools participated at a range of work sites, including The Sustainability Department, The Mills College Children’s School, The Office of Partnerships, The Housing and Residential Life Department, Financial Services, the Mills Institute, Upward Bound, industry professionals, and many other mentors.
Throughout the program, on each campus, participants took part in robust orientations and weekly professional development encouraging youth employees to plan for their future. Workshops included college essay writing, scholarships and financial aid, resumes and interviewing for success, financial education, creating professional profiles, and other leadership skills. C2C also hosted panels about career paths in in healthcare, green entrepreneurship, and construction and engineering, as well as a panel of Northeastern Foundation Year students to speak about their first year in college and joining the Northeastern community. In Boston, Carl Barrows of the Center for the Study of Sport in Society developed and facilitated a workshop series and youth employee handbook, supplemented by workshops created and led by SuccessLink Leaders.
Bridge to Calculus (BtC) is a longstanding partnership with Boston Public Schools at Northeastern, offering a rigorous seven-week curriculum aimed at strengthening students’ math skills. By partnering with C2C, BtC students are paid for their time in the classroom to supplement family income. This year, expansion under the Bridge to Science program added courses in physics, chemistry, and biology. BtC students partnered with SuccessLink Leaders on an innovative Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR) project to helpus gain insights into what young people hope to see in summer job opportunities. Youth learned about research methods, including surveys, interviews, and focus groups.
Program closing ceremonies on both Oakland and Boston campuses celebrated participants’ success by awarding them certificates recognizing their hard work and achievements. Events featured impressive speeches and presentations from youth employees, who shared not only about the projects they worked on and skills they gained, but what they learned about themselves, their interests, and new aspirations to apply to college at Northeastern.
Brave Arimah, a senior and Dorchester, MA resident, presented his contributions to research for developing frameworks for federal government regulation of AI with the Boston Area Research Initiative (BARI). Maureen McGrail, a 16-year-old West End resident, shared about how her internship with Planning, Real Estate, and Facilities (PREF), solidified her interest in the field by giving her new insight into building plans and campus renovations. Sudeshana Sijapati, a senior at Mt. Eden High School from Hayward, CA, reflected on her experience saying, “This program has given us the tools and confidence to pursue our dreams and I’m grateful for the support of our mentors and the C2C staff. I can’t wait to see what the future holds for all of us and I’m excited to continue building on the foundation me and my peers have created this summer.”
The C2C Summer Youth Employment Program exemplifies Northeastern’s commitment to empowering the next generation of leaders through experiential learning. By providing these young people with practical experience, academic enrichment, and professional mentorship, the program lays the foundation for long-term personal and professional growth.
