Connecting with Opportunity: BYSN Youth Fair a Success!

Member organizations of the Boston Youth Service Network organized a successful Youth Fair on Thursday, March 13, 2008. 170 youth from 12 community-based youth programs across the city came together to participate in the event. Youth completed an interactive workshop to strengthen their interview skills and learn about summer employment opportunities in Boston. They then connected with nearly 30 summer worksites, employers and postsecondary college and training programs at the fair. The goal of the event was to give youth a head start on their summer employment opportunities and learn how to be proactive in this process.

One of the highlights for youth was the “Speed Hire” workshop, based on the concept of speed dating. Youth participants had two minutes to answer interview questions posed by their peers in the role of hiring managers. When the bell rang they quickly moved to the next hiring manager and a new set of questions. At the end of the workshop, both groups reflected on their top choices to hire and why. For one participant, the speed interviewing was helpful to “prepare us to meet employers and training programs.”

The Youth Fair was possible through funding support from the Teen Initiative at Boston After School and Beyond. The event was a collaborative effort of all 13 BYSN member organizations and partners such as the Boston Youth Workforce Collaborative, Boston Private Industry Council and Youth Opportunity. Participating employers included Stop N’ Shop and work sites from the Boston Youth Fund, as well as UMass Boston, Benjamin Franklin Institute of Technology and NSTAR training program at Bunker Hill Community College.

The Boston Youth Service Network is a group of community-based organizations providing alternative education and career exploration programs for youth. As a network, we serve struggling and out of school youth from all neighborhoods and provide multiple pathways to re-engage disconnected youth. We are committed to sharing and developing best practices, prioritizing referrals within the network, and increasing capacity to measure and account for quality services and outcomes. Additional information is available at www.bysn.org.

Contact:
Heidi Hall
Boston Youth Service Network
617-488-1348
heidi@bysn.org

Sponsored by members of the Boston Youth Service Network:

Action for Boston Community Development (ABCD)

Boston Asian YES

Bridge Over Troubled Waters

Crittenton Women's Union

EDCO Youth Alternative

El Centro del Cardenal

Federated Dorchester Neighborhood Houses

GED Plus at ESAC

Hull Lifesaving Museum

Hyde Square Task Force

Notre Dame Education Center

Sociedad Latina

YouthBuild Boston

Images available to view at http://picasaweb.google.com/bostonyouthnet/YouthFair