Summer 2015
Building for a Better Future UPCOMING EVENTS YB Alumni Meeting September 15 8:30 AM – 9:30 AM Closing Awards Ceremony September 24 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM Mental Toughness Training October 5 - 9 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM Make a Difference Day October 24 -----------------------------------
Contact Us: YouthBuild North Shore Felicia Pierce Program Manager 978-825-4005 Felicia@northshorecdc.org www.youthbuildnorthshore.org 102 Lafayette Street Salem, MA 01970
YouthBuild North Shore @YBNorthShore #YBNorthShore Sign up or learn more at www.youthbuildnorthshore.org
YouthBuild North Shore Highlights
YouthBuild North Shore: Making an everlasting impact This summer has been very busy for the YouthBuild North Shore program. This summer the YouthBuild par;cipants con;nued to work towards their educa;onal goals and as well as their commitment to comple;ng 450 hours of community service. Included in that service were the NSCDC Build Days which consisted of work repairing 10 homes, landscaping 2 homes, building a retaining wall, pain;ng 5 porches and building 6 fences. We also helped out by collec;ng 48 bags of trash, cleaning 27 streets, and plan;ng 8 flower gardens. This was a collabora;ve effort with many partners. As a result of the busy summer and program year, many members have reached the point of comple;on for the program and have begun their placements, with a few more working on comple;ng their creden;als. As a result, the YouthBuild North Shore program is gearing up for our 1st Annual Closing Awards Ceremony where par;cipants will be given special awards for their accomplishments while in the YouthBuild Program.
SUMMER 2015 PARTNER HIGHLIGHT: Marblehead Zen Center The Marblehead Zen center has been a very impactful partner with whom the YouthBuild program has had the pleasure of working. The Zen Center, under the leadership of Joan Amaral, has generously worked with our YouthBuild participants providing them with monthly opportunities for meditation and reflection workshops. This summer, our YouthBuild Students had the opportunity to go on field trips to both Plum Island and the Lynn Woods, where they were able to take meditative hikes. These therapeutic tools help participants find balance and break away from personal challenges. The participants have also been able to give back to the Zen Center by helping them on their farm in Newbury.
They were able to build a fence as well as provide gardening, weeding, and planting. We admire the Zen Center for the dedication and passion they demonstrate while working with our young adults and look forward to continued partnership.
Hike in the Lynn Woods
New Salem Power Plant Visit
On August 13th, Steve Falvey, in collaboration with the Carpenters Local #26, Iberdrola Energy Projects Inc., and Footprint Power gave the YouthBuild participants and staff a tour of the new Salem power plant being built on the old power plant site. During the visit, we had a hands-on perspective of a very large work site with all the hazards and planning strategies involved. While we were there, we saw piles being driven, foundations being formed, and rigging and trucking. This trip was a great way to expose YouthBuild participants to an actual construction site that can turn into a potential job. It provided them with an insight in to what a typical day on the job would be like and allowed them to apply their Occupation Safety and Hazard Administration training to real life scenarios.
YOUTHBUILD ACCOMPLISHMENTS • • • •
New Salem Power Plant Visit
90% of members have completed PACT Certification 9 participants completed Driver’s Education 3 members passed the HiSet credential exam 3,510 AmeriCorps Service Hours completed by current cohort of participants
SUMMER 2015 YB Participants take on the road… As a major milestone on the road to self-sufficiency, YouthBuild students participated in a week long Driver’s Education course at Olbash School of Driving. This intense, full-day, week long course taught our participants the laws of driving in Massachusetts and proper techniques to becoming safe and knowledgeable drivers. The Olbash staff did an outstanding job working with our participants and we are grateful to them for their hard work and top-notch education program. Watch out world, here come the members of YouthBuild North Shore, ready to get their licenses!
STAFF DEVELOPMENT : MOCKINGBIRD EDUCATION The YouthBuild North Shore staff, alongside our partner educators from Catholic Charities, attended an intense 3-day world-renowned training with Mockingbird Education. This extensive training provided YouthBuild staff and partners with the tools to develop curricula and implement Youth Development best practices for YouthBuild participants both inside and outside of the classroom and construction site. With a strong emphasis on program enrichment, YouthBuild staff created foundational Core Values for the program’s structure and culture to guarantee a higher potential for developing the success we need to grow. Mockingbird Education is a unique program that provides professional development training and many other resources for education programs that serve low socioeconomic and marginalized populations. Shannon Sims, the training instructor, has a strong background in teaching and training and previously worked for a YouthBuild program for nearly 10 years.
YB Placement Coach Tara and Skills Trainer Doug at Mockingbird Training
SUMMER 2015 MEMBER HIGHLIGHT
Sean Dalton hard at work on a construction site
“YouthBuild taught me to support myself so I can have a better future"
Sean joined YouthBuild North Shore in March and in the 6 months he’s been with us, he’s accomplished so much! In May, he completed the Building Performance Institute’s course on green residential insulation, earning him valuable job skills and training. By July, Sean had moved on to the Home Builders Institute PreApprenticeship Certificate Training, becoming one of the first YBNS members to earn their certification. He also secured part-time employment with Moynihan Lumber, which he loves. And in August, Sean passed his HiSet exam! Sean hopes to complete his AmeriCorps hours soon and intends to enroll in a Carpentry Certification Program at Wentworth College in January. Sean is a dedicated member of YouthBuild North Shore and we are overjoyed at his success! We can’t wait to see what the future holds for him!
YouthBuild North Shore is currently accepting new applicants!!
Sign up or learn more at: www.youthbuildnorthshore.org