Middlesex County
CHAPTER
SERVICES TO YOUTH
Through national initiatives and programs, the Services to Youth facet supports its mission to enrich and enhance the lives of black youth.
The Links, Incorporated created the program facet, Services to Youth, to equip black young people to use their intellect and goals for achievement to become successful and productive global citizens. Today, we continue to implement aligned, integrated and transformational programs that are responsive to the academic, health, cultural, social awareness, career development, and mentoring needs of our youth. The Services to Youth facet uses an integrated approach to prepare young people to forge a way of life as healthy citizens in the global workforce and to promote healthy lifestyles within families and communities.
Mary McLeod Bethune’s “My Last Will and Testament” urges still today as a mandate to guide our youth to become informed, full participants in social and economic forces that shape the future. The Links, Incorporated created it's first program facet, Services to Youth, to equip African-American children to use their intellect and their spirit of achievement to walk alongside their fellows in leading the way to successful choices and pathways.
The Middlesex County (MA) Chapter of the Links, Incorporated implements this facet under its Gifts of Education. The Middlesex County (MA) Chapter's core program consists of five modules covering: financial literacy, health improvement (nutrition) art expression, life style skills-resume writing and interviewing and international awareness/cross cultural interactions. Trainings occur once a month for two hours with approximately 17-35 youth, ages 13-18. Training evaluations and follow up talks with the participating students indicate that the youth are very pleased with the programs and instructors. All programs to date have been rated four out of five, with five being excellent. The financial literacy module, also known as “The Gift of Money” assist youth to achieve an understanding of money, explore the meaning of financial literacy, develop awareness of the “psychology of money,” dispel myths about money, and provide information that will enable better financial literacy.
Nationally, the primary goals of this facet are to:
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Close the achievement gap from pre-K through college, with the intent of preparing our youth for the global workforce as healthy citizens
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Promote the integration of a health and wellness component focused on youth, families and communities in our Services to Youth facet programs
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Develop training modules for local pre-K through college mentoring programs, to ascertain a high level of support for youth in our communities
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Expand and support science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education and promote the integration of the arts (STEM to STEAM)
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Promote and support Historically Black Colleges and Universities for ensured sustainability
Education remains one of the black community's most enduring values. It is sustained by the belief that freedom and education go hand in hand, that learning and training are essential to economic quality and independence.
-Marian Wright Edelman
In collaboration with our community partner, We Belong, the Middlesex Chapter of the Links, Incorporated delivers interactive workshops with adolescents of color promoting the importance of attending school regularly, improving academic standing, increasing self-esteem and engaging in healthier lifestyles.
We have placed tremendous value in establishing meaningful engagement opportunities with the students.
College Preparedness on the esteemed campus of Northeastern University
Graduate and Undergraduate students gave testimony of their personal journeys to college. Through candid and transparent shares, the We Belong students identified with the college students - shared their own stories, goals and aspirations - 37 students in attendance.
College Q & A Zoom Workshops
Undergraduate students sat on a distinguished panel, each telling their high school story and now their college tales. With a diverse group represented - College Freshmen, Sophomores, Juniors and Seniors. Big Tens, HBCUs, All Men's, All Women's, Small Jesuit, Community College - in state and out of state school, private and public. Link Sister (Newscaster) served as the moderator - 31 students in attendance
College Readiness Webinar - In Partnership with AKAs
How to choose a major, how to choose a college, how to stay in college, how to afford college - work study, scholarship and student loans were covered.