“Our students will benefit from learning about manufacturing, finance and banking, and communication skills for years to come,” said Tamar Gloster, Assistance Superintendent of Norwich Public Schools. “Learning these skills not only impacts our current students but also generations of families by providing students with the skills to succeed in a global world.
“Students are not always afforded the opportunity to learn other valuable and transferrable skills,” Gloster noted.
Norwich Public Schools is just one of more than thirty partners who are collectively working together on New Capacities, an effort to increase the number of financially stable households in Norwich from 56-66% by 2030. It’s part of United Way’s impact area called Promoting Independence to help all individuals achieve financial stability.
Much of the initial data was derived from the ALICE Report. ALICE stands for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed. These are people who are working, yet still do not earn enough to make ends meet. New Capacities strives to prevent households from joining the ALICE population in the first place by working closely with the school systems and local employers.
The three key goals to achieve this are:
- Building community-based partnerships through career exploration, exposure, basic employability skills, and mentorships;
- Supporting courses that prepare students for jobs in high growth sectors; and
- Increasing access and/or awareness to opportunities and services.
Initially, a survey was conducted among employers and school districts to identify employability skills gaps. This led to high-level systems change involving a collaboration between Norwich Free Academy (NFA) and Norwich Public Schools with:
- A commitment to transfer student career exploration data; and
- A collaboration between key departments and ease of student transition to NFA.
Other milestones in New Capacities include:
- Translation services for parents and teachers at no-cost;
- Affordable or no-cost internet connectivity;
- Integration of Youth Health Service Corps for all ninth-graders;
- Bridging a relationship between Norwich Free Academy and Hartford Healthcare/Backus Hospital; and
- Hiring a Job Developer who is placed at Norwich Free Academy to work with students and filling a critical gap that exists between graduation and employment.
United Way of Southeastern Connecticut is excited to now be deeply connected with NFA. We are present in department meetings and assist in school trips for career exploration and student career supports.
Want to learn even more about New Capacities? Click here and get involved!
