Marybeth Campbell, Executive Director

WCAC's Job & Education Center (JEC) employment programs provide meaningful, work-place based employment experiences for young people ages 16 – 25. Work experiences are typically 6 – 12 weeks long and provide on-the-job learning, combined with work readiness skill training, and case management. JEC staff actively engage with community partners to provide, facilitate or support workforce development training programs throughout the year, but things really kick into high gear when the summer arrives!

This summer JEC is working with a record number of participants placing them at 78 work sites across the City. Our Year Round JEC Staff - Alana, Chris, Charlotte, Eluisa, Dan, Melissa, Todd, Jordan, Colleen and Jenna - are joined by a cohort of Summer Case Managers to help support the program. This summer participants have been grouped into three tiers based on their age and work experience with some of the top tier youth taking on leadership roles, including the following folks we are pleased to welcome to Team WCAC for the summer.

Grace Dowling, 21, is a senior at Clark University studying Sociology. A native of Bronx, New York, this is her first summer at WCAC.

"I've always wanted to work in the service of people. My first job (at age 15) was through at similar program in New York City and it set me on a path of steady employment and growth of both skills and knowledge. This is a really formative part of their lives. Young people can often feel their work is insignificant or that they're not doing anything meaningful. I want to make sure their first work experience is positive and help the youth understand the value of the work they are doing.

Lily Bufalino, 23, just graduated with her Masters in Community Development & Planning from Clark University, and also holds a Bachelors degree in Community Youth & Educational Studies. A native of Oregon, this is her second summer at WCAC.

"I really liked doing this work last summer and WCAC feels like an organization that's trying to help people out through a bunch of directions whereas other organizations serve a very niche need. I like getting to work with people directly while knowing the work is impacting the larger community as well."

"I'm looking forward to getting to go back to many of the employment sites I worked at last summer and seeing some of the returning youth. Often it's the simple, little things like supporting someone to complete their paperwork that changes how many kids got to work this summer. And there's a lot of cool jobs the youth wouldn't have gotten otherwise."

Brian Morse, 46, is a teacher at Abby Kelly Charter School, and now is in his 13th summer with WCAC. He will be managing 100 youth at ten work sites. As the senior case manager by both age and years of experience, Brian jokes that his shirt should read "OldWorks" instead of YouthWorks.

"YouthWorks is a good program. It's important that there are things out there for kids over the summer, it gives them something productive to do with their time - it keeps them engaged, on a schedule and around people - all important values pushed by the program."

"I see more of a desire to work, to be out and be involved that perhaps existed pre-Covid. After being stuck at home they're ready to take advantage of the opportunities the program presents and be out and about doing things."

Daniel Mesa, 22, pursuing his PhD in Clinical Psychology from Clark University, is a native of Queens, New York, and is joining us for his first summer at WCAC.

With an interest in the clinical side of psychology, Daniel's focus is supporting an equitable experience particularly for minority students both in pursuing academics/higher education and within psychotherapy itself. "I enjoy the social aspect of the work so I'm looking forward to connecting with youth. Often time they want to pursue a career but there are so many barriers to achieving that goal. This program lowers the barrier of entry with so many job opportunities in specialized fields. It's the start of a pipeline to those careers - getting a foot in the door is important."

Emma Clark, 23, just completed her Masters in Community Development & Planning from Clark University, and also holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science/Community Youth & Education, Birmingham. An Alabama native, this is her first summer at WCAC serving as case manager for 100 youth employed at five City parks through the “Rec Woo” program under the auspices of the City's Division of Youth Opportunity.

As the oldest of 18 cousins, she's been working to keep young people entertained nearly her whole life but didn't realize it could translate into a career until working at a summer camp through AmeriCorps. "I realized the possibilities outside of a traditional classroom - this is the perfect middle ground where I get to have direct interaction with the youth but also coordinate the important behind the scenes paperwork. I think YouthWorks is important because often young people don't know what it's like to have a job - from timesheets to employer expectations... this helps them learn what is needed and sets them up for success in their second and third jobs."

Olivia Shull, 23, just completed her Masters degree in Community Development & Planning with a concentration in health equity at Clark University, and also holds a Bachelors degree in Community Youth & Education from Clark. She is a native of Sandy Hook, Connecticut, and this is her first summer with WCAC.

"I love Worcester and I love working with youth. I enjoy interacting with the youth and getting to understand what it's like living and working here, it's just fun. Helping the youth get employed and build their skills sets is contributing to WCAC's anti-poverty mission. The new tiered placement system allows youth to build different skill sets and for some, to build careers. There are so many barriers to employment, YouthWorks helps breakdown some of those and helps kids decide what they do and don't like, and narrow down what they might like to do in life."

How does one organize 500+ youth into their placements, ensuring payroll is up to date so everyone gets paid? Enter Kathy Lavergne. As WCAC's Summer Intake Specialist, she is responsible for data entry for the initial paperwork from youth participants, documenting demographics and other critical information for case managers and making sure everything is up to date for payroll. A native of Woonsocket, Rhode Island, she is in her first summer at WCAC.

"I like to give a part of myself to make someone's job easier," she said, noting that the fact that she's bilingual has proven helpful in settling nerves of shy or nervous youth.

Interested in becoming an employment partner?

Interested in enrolling in WCAC's education or employment programs?

Learn more HERE or email

JECInfo@wcac.net to connect with a member of our team.

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