YouthBuild-Lawrence (continued) Additionally, to ensure that participants are able to afford post-secondary training, YouthBuildLawrence staff offers participants assistance with identifying federal loan approved institutions and filling out the Free Application Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). As part of YouthBuild-Lawrence’s career development component, participants are required to research several career pathways and participate in at least one Job Shadow Day. Once students identify and research a career they want to pursue, they are matched up with a professional to spend a day shadowing at their place of employment. During this process, students are able to practice communication, listening, personal presentation and interviewing skills. The following businesses provided participants the opportunity to job shadow: Polartech, Lawrence Fire Department, Smith Motors, MAACO, Andover Veterinarian Hospital, Butcher Boy and RM Technologies. YouthBuildLawrence staff develops new employer/agency partnerships. YBL was invited and attended the Merrimack Valley Central Labor Council Meeting and was given the opportunity to discuss the YB program and network with numerous potential employment prospects. Other business partnerships that were developed include Enviro staffing, RM Technologies, Polartech, ValleyWorks Career Center and Lawrence Staffing Agency. These partners offer various opportunities to YB participants regarding postgraduation job placements. In the area of other services, YouthBuild-Lawrence with Blue Skies Wellness, Inc., signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with YouthBuild-Lawrence. Blue Skies Wellness is a 501(c)3 non-profit bullying prevention agency that is committed to ending school violence, specifically bullying, by providing a myriad of services to victims, families of victims, aggressors, school systems, youth-based recreational clubs, and other agencies. Blue Skies Wellness services include consulting, referring, educating, advocating, supporting, providing training, and tracking the progress of our efforts. Blue Skies Wellness provides onsite counseling, life coaching and mentoring to YouthBuild participants in conjunction with the YouthBuild-Lawrence staff team. Greater Lawrence Vocational Technical High School (GLVT) invited YouthBuild-Lawrence to be a partner in their grant application to the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) created by the Green Jobs Act of 2008. MassCEC is dedicated to accelerating the success of clean energy technologies, companies and projects in the Commonwealth—while creating high-quality jobs and long-term economic growth for the people of Massachusetts. If successful, GLVT will use the grant funding to develop a Solar Photovoltaic Summer Pilot Program. The program will allow four YouthBuild-Lawrence students the opportunity to obtain professional development and vocational training in the installation of photovoltaic panels on three types of venues: 1) residential slanted roof, 2) commercial or institutional flat roof, and 3) solar farm ground array. Sovereign Bank also provided three 1.5 hour workshops to all YBL students and covered the following subject matter: basic banking, understanding credit, financial budgeting and opening a bank account and opened several no fee accounts for interested participants. Professional Staff Development YouthBuild-Lawrence will continue to accomplish its objectives through classroom teachings, career counseling, leadership development and construction training as outlined in our DOL contract. To ensure effective program development and success, YouthBuild-Lawrence staff were required to participate in the following professional development opportunities: a 3-day YouthBuild YB USA Instructional Leadership Institute, Massachusetts YouthBuild Coalition Learning Academies, a MA Workforce Alliance Conference, a Walmart grant-funded Regional Pathways to Credentials and Careers staff development, YouthBuild-Lawrence Black-Out Fridays, allowing staff project based curriculum 14
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