Campaign Will Promote the Importance of Workforce Readiness for Young People
WHITE PLAINS, NY – Westchester Children’s Association (WCA) has received a $20,000 grant from The Westchester Bank, to be distributed over 4 years. The grant will aid WCA in rolling out a public education campaign encouraging young people to develop the attitudes and attributes (soft skills) needed for success at work.
WCA is launching this public awareness campaign to coordinate with the county’s READI initiative, led by the Westchester Putnam Workforce Investment Board (WIB). READI stands for the key workforce attributes that employers seek when hiring: Respect, Enthusiasm, Articulate, Dependable, and Initiative.
Using various media, such as public service announcements, posters, and social media, WCA will help young people, especially those in underserved communities, understand the importance of these attributes, and will give young people, families, employers, and youth workers a common language for talking about workplace skills.
“The Westchester Bank is committed to the financial health of our communities,” said John M. Tolomer, President of The Westchester Bank. “We are pleased to support Westchester Children’s Association’s READI initiative that will help educate young people about key workplace skills that they will need to succeed in work and career. Opportunities to learn these skills give youth a strong start on the journey to financial independence.”
WIB has contracted with the Hospitality Resource Group (HRG) to develop a READI training curriculum to be used by community youth programs, primarily local city Youth Bureaus, to teach these attitudes and attributes directly to young people. WCA has already conducted four focus groups with teens to test the ideas, graphics and language that will be used in the campaign and the curriculum.
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About Westchester Children’s Association
Westchester Children’s Association, established in 1914, is one of the oldest children’s advocacy organizations in the United States. It has remained steadfast in its mission: to improve the lives of Westchester’s children by using data to understand their needs, shaping policies and programs to meet their needs, and educating and mobilizing voters to keep those needs at the top of the public agenda.
About The Westchester Bank
The Westchester Bank is a New York State Chartered and FDIC insured Commercial Bank providing superior service to small and mid-sized businesses and consumers in Westchester County and the Hudson Valley region.
Media Contact: Joan Grangenois-Thomas, media@wca4kids.org.
