Massachusetts Connecting Activities

 


Synergy and Employer Outreach

The Connecting Activities programs in each region play a creative role in connecting schools, businesses, community partners and youth.  Business- community-school partnerships provide valuable resources, knowledge and energy to support academic and work-based leaning.   Key partners for Connecting Activities include school districts, businesses, career centers, youth councils, community colleges, chambers of commerce, WIA youth programs, and other youth programs.

A positive synergy is created among partners: the more each set of partners contributes, the more others will come forward with new contributions and new ways of participating.   The work of employer outreach and community outreach becomes easier and easier, as it becomes easier to ask for participation and as partners supply ideas and energy to keep the intiative moving forward.  

Real examples of contributions to Connecting Activities programming by business and community groups include:

• Job and internship opportunities for students
• Fundraising
• Classroom space
• Meeting space
• Financial contributions to support Connecting Activities programming
• Partnership membership dues from schools
• Workshop and seminar presentations
• Classroom speakers
• Field trips
• Career Fairs
• Tutoring
• Mentoring
• E-Mentoring
• Interviewing practice / Mock interviews
• Staffing to support Connecting Activities programming
• Office space
• Office expenses and office supplies
• Participation in planning and strategy groups for Connecting Activities and other youth programming

In many regions, employers and business groups provide workshops for students or teachers, with topics including:

  • Business plan development
  • Business writing
  • Career exploration
  • Career preparation
  • College preparation
  • Customer service
  • Financial literacy / Personal finance
  • Getting the most from your summer job
  • Keeping a journal and writing weekly reports
  • Interviewing
  • Mini-Biographies
  • Mock Trial preparation
  • Presentation skills
  • Stocks, bonds and portfolio management
  • Using a career interest inventory
  • Workplace diversity
  • Workplace safety
  • Writing skills

How does positive synergy among Connecting Activities programs and partners get started?  What makes a difference between a program in which it is hard to ask for participation and a program where everyone in the community naturally wants to participate?  There probably isn’t any ONE formula for success, but some suggestions, both large and small include the following.

1. Start with confidence.  When talking with employers about the Connecting Activities program, be prepared with information about the benefits of providing structured jobs and internships.  Be confident about the value of the Work-Based Learning Plan as one of the major elements of Connecting Activities work-based learning experiences.   Communicate confidence about the youth in your program and provide information about how your program helps to create successful and productive job/internship placements.

2. Develop relationships that are mutually beneficial.  Highlight ways that participation in Connecting Activities is mutually beneficial to employers, schools and youth.  Focus on both immediate benefits and longer-term benefits.  In a recent meeting, one Career Center leader noted that when her group makes presentations to employer groups, they always talk about both what employers can do to suppport youth programming and what the Career Center can provide to employers.

3.  Offer multiple ways to participate.  When meeting with employer and community groups, be prepared with information about the many ways they can participate.   Employers can provide jobs and internships, or can connect in many other ways, from guest speaker programs, workshops, career days and much  more.  Employers may be able to find a niche that meets their needs.  For example, a retail employer may want to help lead a workshop for youth about customer service or about trends in retailing.  A healthcare employer may want to get involved in health and nutrition related classroom programs and provide information about healthcare careers.  A manufacturing employer may want to be a guest speaker in a STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Math) program in the high school.   

4. Be creative and flexible.   Be open to new ideas, as employers and community groups may propose ideas that are new and beneficial.