Easter Seals Helps Worcester Students
Prepare for their Future

Easter Seals and the City of Worcester are teaming up to ensure that a group of students with special educational needs has the skills to succeed once they graduate and join the workforce.  The program is funded by a grant for pre-employment training for city youth.

This fall, the first group of six high school-aged students from the Kathleen Burns Preparatory School in Worcester spent six weeks in the Easter Seals pre-employment program at the Brazelton Technology and Training Center.  The school is operated by YOU (Youth Opportunities Upheld) Inc., which provides specialized education and employment services for people in Central Massachusetts.

In hands-on classes with Easter Seals employment specialists, the students learned about Microsoft Office software, how to identify their strengths, interests and skills, and how to research appropriate jobs, set goals and overcome barriers to employment. 

Easter Seals employment specialists taught them job-seeking strategies, as well as how to write resumes, cover letters and thank you letters.  The students also took part in mock job interviews.

By attending classes at the Brazelton Center, which is located within the Easter Seals offices, the students had the opportunity to observe interactions in a professional office.  They learned about office etiquette and proper business attire, among other things.   At the end of the program, the students presented their portfolios and each received a certificate of completion.

“I’ve been very impressed with the work that the kids are doing with Easter Seals,” Worcester Youth Director Jesse Edwards said.  “We see the city’s youth as our future. By providing them with job skills and training opportunities, we’re investing in our future.”

A group of students from You Inc. recently graduated from the Easter Seals Career Training Program.  They developed a presentation highlighting the skills they learned at Easter Seals.  View their presentation.

A group of students from You Inc. recently graduated from the Easter Seals Career Training Program.  They developed a presentation highlighting the skills they learned at Easter Seals.  View their presentation.