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Funding Education
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| Bottom row, left to right: Karen
Taylor�educational specialist, Jessica Lizotte, Melissa Dreyer, April Boyce, Jennifer
Sullivan, Kathy Simisky�career develoment specialist. Top row, left to right: Jason
Confer, Ruth Acevedo, Michelle Willette, Jennifer Remillard, Pedro Diaz, Brooke Poulin,
Anthony Guzman. |
| Over the past three years, our Worcester Education
for Employment Program has helped 95 youth to obtain their GED and get a job. That's 95
people who now will become an asset to their community rather than a deficit. All youth
entering the program share the following criteria: They are 16-21 years of age, not
enrolled in school, lack a high school diploma, live in families who are below the poverty
level and are considered by definition an at-risk youth. However,
each year we must wait until May to find out if the federal funds to support the program
will be available for a July 1 start-up. Funding for the program has diminished over time
as the national unemployment rate has decreased. From FY '98 to FY '99, Y.O.U., Inc.'s
in-kind contribution to the program increased from 37% to 42.5% of the budget. Fiscally,
it would have made sense for us to discontinue the program as a result of this trend.
However, we are one of the few opportunities left for these dropouts to build the skills
they need to succeed. We have made the commitment to stay with it, and each year we have
managed to find the dollars to fund the deficit.
This is a program that works. Y.O.U., Inc. is the only agency in
Worcester providing this service through this revenue stream. It is an important asset in
the city and it produces excellent results.
Last June the program graduated 16 students. Of those, one was
accepted into CityWorks, a community service program, three are attending Quinsigamond
Community College, and 12 have good jobs with benefits.
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