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PYN Executive
PYN
From our President and CEO
As the temperatures begin to drop and the leaves change colors, we know that fall is approaching. For many, fall represents a fresh start, and an end to the relaxation and fun of summer. At PYN, instead of a fresh start, we continue! We take the energy and excitement of our summer and year round employment programs, and use that momentum to reflect on our successes, engage with our partners, learn from our mistakes and plan to become better change agents for all we serve. As we look forward, we also reflect on the WorkReady Summer employment program, which provided experiences to more than 7,000 youth, thanks to the support of our committed partners and our dedicated network of providers. The summer culminated with our first WorkReady Celebrations Tour, giving our investors, community leaders, elected officials and partners the opportunity to see the impact of WorkReady summer programs through the eyes of the individuals who benefit the most from our efforts. We are crunching the data and evaluating every aspect of our summer program, and look forward to releasing final numbers later this fall.
As we embark on the transition that accompanies the fall season, PYN is energized with possibility and the opportunity for change. Over the past year, we have been deeply examining our work, our partnerships and the strategy behind our efforts. We recognize the double-threat of poverty and inequity in Philadelphia and across the United States, and we want to do more to change this reality. PYN has always partnered with communities inside our city and beyond to incite change; and that premise will guide our future work! WorkReady, with its continuum of models, is just one way that PYN is addressing systemic poverty and structural inequity through employment and education, but we also do much more! Read on to learn more about the multitude of ways in which we strive to help our young people gain the skills they need to thrive.
In service,
Chekemma Fulmore-Townsend, President and CEO
Reviewers Requested: Learn more about PYN programs
PYN is looking for volunteers to review proposals for one of two programs that the Philadelphia Youth Network is procuring this fall - WorkReady Summer and E3 Power Centers. The role of volunteers is critical to this process, and we are deeply appreciative of the time and effort our reviewers commit to assessing proposals. For WorkReady Summer, we are looking for reviewers that can commit a minimum of two hours for proposal review on October 10th and/or October 11th. For E3 Power Centers, we are looking for reviewers that can commit a minimum of six hours of time between October 7th and November 10th. If you are interested in serving as a reviewer, please contact us at wr-rfp@pyninc.org to learn more about the process.
Youth Hub at CareerLink West opening soon
As the newest CareerLink center prepares for its grand opening on October 11, the Youth Hub housed inside it is also preparing to provide services to young people in the West Philadelphia Promise Zone. Made possible by a grant from the U.S. Department of Labor, the Hub will not only bring together existing community resources to connect youth with summer and year-round employment and education opportunities, but it will also provide individualized supports youth need to succeed. The Hub, located at 3901 Market Street, will be open and providing services on October 4.
Philadelphia receives $1M grant from U.S. Labor Department as part of Obama administration's efforts to end poverty, crime and incarceration
What's next for the 600,000 people released from federal and state prisons annually, millions more leaving county and local jails, and others in danger of falling into the cycle of poverty, crime and incarceration? With the help of $64.5 million in grants announced by the U.S Labor Department, the answer for some will soon be in-demand skills, access to good jobs and a stronger foundation of support within their communities.
Philadelphia was one of seven awardees of the Pathways to Justice Careers initiative, which will provide mentorship and career training to youth ages 16 to 21 that are at risk of dropping out of high school, becoming involved in the criminal justice system or already have juvenile records. Justice and emergency services personnel will mentor students to explore career paths as police officers, firefighters, lawyers, paramedics and other related professions.
Philadelphia Youth Network launches new blog, Voices
PYN is excited to announce the launch of their very first blog, Voices! As an intermediary, PYN works with many partners around the region and country. Voices is a place where all of PYN's partners and stakeholders can share news, opinions and more about how we're all striving to improve the lives of young people. If you would like to contribute to Voices, please contact Communications at PYN.
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Opportunity Youth United Civic Engagement Summit
On Sept. 30, 2016, more than 800 young adults from across the country will come together for a day of dialogue, art and action focused on the 2016 elections and beyond.
Organized by Opportunity Youth United and its partners, the summit celebrates the importance of civic engagement and gives young people from low-income urban, rural and tribal communities access to ideas, information and tools to mobilize their peers to educate themselves and vote.
WorkReady Celebrations Tour recap
To celebrate the young people in the WorkReady program this summer, PYN launched the inaugural WorkReady Celebrations Tour. In past years PYN has had the WorkReady Expo, but this year we wanted to give our stakeholders an authentic feel for what our youth accomplish throughout the summer by taking them to worksites where the magic is actually taking place. The attendees got to visit two sites each on both August 10 and August 11 to interact with the youth and learn about their work experiences and projects.
WATCH MEDIA COVERAGE
GetHYPEPhilly!'s collective impact: The youth health movement is here
During its first year, Get HYPE Philly! has encouraged more than 442 youth leaders to impact their own health and the health of their communities, and has reached more than 4,500 new young people, new communities and new organizations. This has created a true movement. Learn more about this citywide collaboration on our blog, Voices!
Youth participate in Voices of Voting during the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia
In an effort to get young people civically engaged this summer, WorkReady partnered with the Philadelphia 2016 Host Committee for the Democratic National Convention. Over the course of the summer, youth were able to be involved in the activities surrounding the Convention. One of those opportunities titled, Voices of Voting, was a short play written and directed by award-winning Philadelphia artistic director David Bradley, and took place during the week of the Convention at the Science Leadership Academy, a magnet public high school within the School District of Philadelphia.
Voices of Voting, brought to life the stories of those who fought to achieve voting rights in 1965-their personal struggles and political courage. A 20-minute dramatic reading was followed by a 10-minute town hall-style question-and-answer session in which the piece's three performers directly engaged the audience, letting audience members speak their arguments for and against voting. The production concluded with a voter education program presented by the Committee of Seventy.
PYN staff host job shadowing opportunities for Career Exposure youth
Over the summer, PYN hosted rising 8th graders to participate in job shadowing here at the office. PYN staff members got to have two to three students for an hour to give an inside look at the nonprofit sector, and what each job entailed. PYN also created a scavenger hunt that allowed the students to engage with even more staff members. It was an exciting opportunity for young people to get new ideas about different career paths.
E3 Power Center City GED graduation ceremony receives national media attention
This year, 39 students received their GEDs in Philadelphia through E3 Center City run by JEVS Human Services. All of the graduates received their GED to further their education and careers. Luckily, Voice of America, got to film the graduation. During the filming they collected stories from young motivated adults who had overcame great amounts of adversity to get their GED. Voice of America also talks about the Obama's My Brother's Keeper initiative and how Philadelphia was one of the first cities to implement it, which has helped further the success of the E3 centers.