Recruiting for Esperanza Program

El Centro del Cardenal has received funds to work specifically with at-risk and adjudicated youth in the Boston Area, ages 18-24.  The  Esperanza Trabajando grant enables us to provide individuals assistance in obtaining employment, higher education, and/or training.

Our primary goal is to increase our involvement with youth who have been court involved, between the ages of 18 - 24. 

Over the past year, we have set up educational pathways with the Bunker Hill Community College and the Benjamin Franklin Institute of Technology.  We have an in-house job developer, Shira Rakower, who has been hired specifically to work with individuals with their employment search.  She has compiled a list of offender-friendly hiring sites and made contacts at several companies in the Boston Area. Individuals can set up appointments to work with Ms. Rakower for an assortment of services, ranging from resume writing to actual job searches.  Due to increased demands, we have collaborated with other agencies who grant diplomas and/or GEDs.

The majority of our program components are portable.  The Youth Education Counselor and Job Developer are available to visit sites that may have several indivdiuals who could benefit from our program and provide services at your respective site.  

For more information or to get involved in the program please contact Eddie Castro, Youth Education Counselor at 617-542-9292 ext 630 or edward_castro@ccab.org.