What are you doing this Summer? Stay tuned for regular updates
Service Learning Service Learning is a teaching and learning strategy in which youth address real-world issues that are relevant to their community. This model allows youth to explore these issues through research, reflection, and action. Summer Service Learning programs organize young people into teams that address complex, community problems in a holistic way; while also offering young people the opportunity to simultaneously serve and learn. As part of their service-learning experience, all participants complete a project connected to the communal activity that enables them to hone both their work-readiness and their academic skills.
Work Experience Work Experience programs are intended for youth with limited or no work experience. Activities blend work experience with work-readiness training in ways that expand participants’ knowledge of workplace competencies and careers while also underscoring the importance of academic achievement and its link to career advancement. Youth participants develop work-based learning projects that demonstrate the knowledge they have gained and provide opportunities to build academic skills, enhance their work readiness and expand their awareness of career options.
Internships Internships offer summer work experience and career-exposure opportunities for youth with prior work experience and a basic understanding of workplace competencies. Interns work independently rather than in groups and participate in a series of professional development workshops which focus on career exploration and aptitude assessment as well as work-readiness. Participants have the choice of completing a work-based learning project or a portfolio.
Youth Enrolled in High School This pathway is designed to offer a multi-year progressively deepening engagement with high school youth enrolled in 11th or 12th grades and are at risk of dropping out and those in need of additional support transitioning to and persisting in post-secondary education or sustainable employment. Upon program completion, successful participants will graduate high school, connect with an appropriate post-secondary option and complete one year of college coursework or retain and advance to employment. Key to the pathway’s success is the integration of career-connected learning and experiences with school-day curriculum and activities.
SUMMER WORKREADY MODELS — Now accepting applications for WorkReady Summer 2017! APPLY NOW
Summer WorkReady models offer educationally-enriched work opportunities to in-and out-of-school young people ages 14-21. Participants complete a six-week (120 hour), paid work experience that fosters the acquisition of the 21st Century skills through work-based learning. Each program is designed to challenge youth to understand the correlations between work experience, skill attainment and high school completion and how those variables impact their potential for college and career success. Additionally, they offer participants a pathway for credit attainment within the School District of Philadelphia. Opportunities are offered through one of four program models: career exposure, service-learning, work experience, and internships. READ MORE Youth Eligibility: Ages 12 – 24 (internships are generally 16-21), Philadelphia resident, Has not enrolled in post-secondary education
College Access and Career Readiness The College Access and Career Readiness Program (CACR) is one of Netter Center’s University Assisted Community School (UACS) programs, focusing on the college access and success of public high school students in West Philadelphia. CACR’s mission is to help students in West Philadelphia to successfully prepare for and connect with postsecondary pursuits that will positively impact their lives and their community. https://www.nettercenter.upenn.edu/programs/college-access-and-career-readiness
Career Exposure (This pilot is currently only available for six weeks during the summer.) Career Exposure programs provide opportunities for rising 8th grade youth to develop the beginnings of a strong vocational identity, understand what careers are available in local, high-priority growth industries, and what skills and experience those careers require. Specifically, Career Exposure programs engage youth in completion of an interest inventory, in-depth research into career clusters (e.g., research projects, guest speakers, job shadowing, work site and/or college visits), and completion of an individualized career plan. Youth eligibility: Rising 8th graders (ages 12 – 14) and Philadelphia resident.
The Career Exposure Program is one of the models created by WorkReady, with the goal of providing opportunities for rising 8th grade youth to explore skills and experience that careers require, and to be exposed to seven key 21st Century skills, specifically focusing on introducing long term and short term goal setting, and providing opportunities to build their social networks. Through this program your child may have the opportunity to be introduced to 21st century skills as well as opportunities for using these skills in structured activities, engaging in the process of mastering important work-readiness skills.
Each work site that hosts a Career Exposure Program may have differences in their application process. Here is a list of organizations that host this opportunity, along with contact information in order for you to reach out directly:
ASPIRA Inc. of Pennsylvania
4322 N 5th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19140
(215) 455-1300
Congreso de Latinos Unidos
216 West Somerset Street
Philadelphia, PA 19133
(215) 763-8870
District 1199c Training and Upgrading Fund
100 S Broad Street
Philadelphia PA 19110
(215) 568-2220
Foundations, Inc.
701 East Gate Drive, Suite 300
Mt Laurel, NJ 08054
(888) 977-5437
HERO, Inc.
1924 West Hunting Park Ave
Philadelphia, PA 19140
(215) 620-1873
New Foundations Charter School
8001 Torresdale Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19136
(215) 624-8100
Sunrise of Philadelphia
907 Cantrell Street
Philadelphia, PA 19148
(215) 952-2730
United Communities – Southeast Philadelphia
2029 S 8th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19148
(215) 468-1645, ext. 200
University of Pennsylvania – Netter Center for Community Partnerships
3451 Walnut Street, Suite P-221
Philadelphia, PA 19104
(215) 898-5351
Urban Affairs Coalition
1207 Chestnut Street
Philadelphia PA 19107
(215) 851-0110