More than a thousand youth from the City of Worcester and Central MA participated in programming funded by School-to-Work Connecting Activities and/or YouthWorks programs in Summer 2025. Starting with the “Senior Scoop” Job Fair for HS students at Polar Park in May and ending in late August, the Worcester Community Action Coalition, Rec Worcester, the Milford Youth Center, the Center of Hope in Southbridge, and the Blackstone Valley Hub for Workforce Development tapped YouthWorks funds to provide paid career development experiences for youth ages 14-25.
- Rec Worcester: Free, six-week summer program for Worcester youth ages 7-12 operated by the City of Worcester’s Division of Youth Opportunities. Rec Worcester employed more than 30 youth ages 14-25 for eight weeks (two weeks training + six weeks programming) who led 200+ hours of free and accessible recreational programming for 970 youth. Participants received free breakfast and lunch daily from Worcester Public Schools and Friendly House. Rec Worcester’s enrollment grew 10% over 2024.
- WCAC: Hosted about 342 participants at 59 worksites from July 7 – August 15. WCAC’s largest and most popular employer partner, the Regional Environmental Council, hosted 21 youth at its YouthGrow farm. Other employer partners included Refugees & Immigrants Cultural Empowerment Massachusetts (RICEMA) and Exotic King Garage. WCAC’s relationships with regional employers make its YouthWorks program a model for others across the Commonwealth.
- MYC: Employed 19 eligible youth who worked at the Milford Parks Department, Milford Town Library, Milford Youth Center, Nutriforia Nutrition, We All Hoop, Bob’s Marina and Sweet Inspirations. Participants learned what it’s like to have a job, had weekly “Signal Success” job readiness training, and explored educational and career pathways.
