What does it mean that we are now on the other Side of the initial phases of the Coronavirus Pandemic?
Ready To Work has an extremely important role to play in counter-acting the learning and opportunity losses that our Fellows experienced while they were engaging in remote learning during the pandemic.
For Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston members, school and learning issues were compounded by the stress of isolation, the lack of physical activity, and for many, the stress of communities already grappling with health challenges, food insecurity, housing pressures and unemployment.
For the summer of 2023, working in partnership with Boston’s business, healthcare, public, arts and other sectors, we are committed to building meaningful virtual, hybrid and face-to-face experiences and exposures for each of our Fellows and community service engagements for each of our Junior Fellows. Our work providing educational growth opportunities through exposure to workplaces, skill-building opportunities, and mentors is more important now than ever.
partnering with us
Ways to get involved with Ready To Work:
VIRTUAL MICRO-INTERNSHIPS AND JOB SHADOW
Please consider offering a virtual micro-internship or an individual or group shadow experience for anywhere from an afternoon to a few weeks for Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston members and RTW Fellows, ages 15-21, during the school year to provide exposure and learning experiences that will get them ready for more in-depth summer opportunities.
Engagement with employers includes (we support each of these elements):
- regular communication with the intern;
- entry level work that contributes to the needs of the supervisor;
- a project outlined with a beginning, middle and end – some examples include research projects, social media mining, data entry;
- a final paper and/or presentation to be delivered by the intern to the supervisor.
We ask each employer to:
- perform a virtual tour of the workplace
- provide the big picture: explain the overall mission of the workplace and how the intern’s department fits in to that mission
- allow for some form of networking – examples include, meeting others in the workplace, having a q & a session with someone from human resources about career development.
SUMMER INTERNSHIPS
Please consider offering a summer internship to a Ready To Work Fellow. Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston members ages 15 – 21 apply and undergo a competitive process to become a RTW Fellow and work hard all year in job readiness and professional development activities to get ready for summer job experiences. Our goal is to work through multiple years with each Fellow to engage them in work and mentorship opportunities that will assist them along their career pathway.
Please consider offering a face-to-face opportunity or virtual internship. While we understand that an online internship cannot provide the same experience as a face-to-face experience, we believe that all opportunities are hugely impactful.
Engagement with employers includes (we support each of these elements):
- regular communication with the intern;
- entry level work that contributes to the needs of the supervisor;
- a project outlined with a beginning, middle and end – some examples include research projects, social media mining, data entry;
- a final paper and/or presentation to be delivered by the intern to the supervisor;
- work time frame: minimums of 5 weeks, 20 hours per week, $12 per hour;
- We refer to each Fellow according to their employer’s name, ex: “Jamie is a Schneider Company Fellow,” and Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston will include names of our partners on all of our media platforms referring to BGCB’s RTW program.
We ask each employer to:
- perform a virtual tour of the workplace
- provide the big picture: explain the overall mission of the workplace and how the intern’s department fits in to that mission
- allow for some form of networking – examples include, meeting others in the workplace, having a q & a session with someone from human resources about career development.
SPEAKER SESSIONS
Speak with BGCB members and Fellows! We are always seeking to create opportunities for Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston members to hear from a diverse group of speakers from a wide variety of backgrounds and sectors about their career pathways.
Please consider speaking to our members either virtually or in-person to teach them about your field or create a skill building opportunity. Examples of past sessions include: What is the stock market?; Why interest rates matter; How to ace a job interview; Managing stress through meditation; How to break through creatively (even if you are not creative).
SPECIAL EVENTS
We are always interested in partnering to create a special event. Past events include: Resume Review Day, Interview Practice Day, Improv Night, Book Club and a Public Speaking Exhibition.
PODCAST INTERVIEWS
Be interviewed for our podcast! Fellows interview community leaders to gather their reflections on leadership and work together to deliver each episode. The podcast is streaming on the BGCB and RTW websites and on all BGCB social media platforms.
COMMUNITY SERVICE
Your company can engage with Ready To Work Fellows in one of these ongoing community service projects – be a guest blogger, be interviewed for the podcast, join in on the World Connect learning days – OR create a new virtual or face-to-face community service opportunity with us.
Podcast on Leadership
Be interviewed for the Ready To Work podcast on leadership! RTW Fellows are learning interviewing skills and interviewing community leaders to gather their reflections on leadership then working together to deliver each episode. The podcast is streaming on the BGCB and RTW websites and on all BGCB social media platforms.
Ready To Work Blog
Be a guest blogger or work with a Fellow to write a post! Fellows write about their experiences with Ready To Work and reflect on events happening in the world.
World Connect
Join the Fellows for a day of learning or launch a new World Connect project together! Twice a year, Fellows pick a project to support from a group of proposals submitted to World Connect by community leaders from around the world. RTW funds that proposal and Fellows learn about the region and its needs and meet via Zoom with community leaders.
Currently, Ready To Work has funded the building of a Center for Wellness and Economic Mobility in Ngangi, Uganda. We invite you to learn more about the project, read the proposal and watch the Zoom meeting between the community and the Fellows.
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
Are you a company or organization interested in partnering with Ready to Work? We need a diverse group of volunteers to achieve our goals and are always seeking volunteers who can get involved (virtually or in-person).
Is your company or organization interested in creating an opportunity for employment or mentorship?