Our membership is made up of individuals, organizations and coalitions from across the state. Our coalition members include:
The Boston Youth Service Network (BYSN) is comprised of 23 Boston-based member organizations providing full-time educational services to youth ages 14 to 21 in an alternative classroom setting. The purpose of BYSPN is to support and promote educational services to out of school youth and at risk youth, and to strengthen the agencies, programs, and schools that supply full-time educational services to youth in pursuit of a high school diploma or a GED. Contact: Heidi Hall, Program Director, 617-423-3755 heidi@bysn.org.
The Job Training Alliance of Massachusetts (JTA), founded in 1986, is an association of Boston CBOs and community college workforce development programs offering vocational training and job placement programs that prepare adults for successful entry or re-entry into the workforce. Alliance members are committed to working with those who have had the most difficulty and least success in entering the job market. The Alliance provides a monthly forum for discussing program and policy changes in the public workforce development system. Contact: Marianne Mastrangelo, 617-274-5360, mastranm@usa.redcross.org.
The Massachusetts Alliance for Adult Literacy (MassAAL) is an organization of over 300 current and former adult basic education students advancing the cause of adult literacy in the state. Established in 2001, MassAAL encourages adult learners to play a major role in informing public policymakers about the power and importance of adult literacy to our society, fosters student leadership, and assists adult learners in becoming active and effective citizens, and making a positive impact on their communities. Contact: Ernest Best, 617-287-4077, ebest@WorldEd.org
The Massachusetts Association for Community Action (MASSCAP) was founded to enhance the ability of each of its 25 member agencies to better serve its clients across the state as they strive to reduce poverty and its effects. MASSCAP's Education, Training, Employment, and Economic Development Committee works to increase members' knowledge and capacity in workforce development. Contact: Joe Diamond, 617-357-6086, joediamond@masscap.org.
The Massachusetts Association of Community Development Corporations (MACDC) is the policy and capacity-building arm of the community development movement in Massachusetts. We support and advance the affordable housing, economic development, and community-building strategies of our 60+ members. We work to build the power of low and moderate income people to achieve greater economic, social, and racial justice. Contact: Allison Staton, 617-426-0303, allisons@macdc.org.
The Massachusetts Coalition for Adult Education (MCAE) boasts more than 1,000 individual members across the state including educators, adult students, volunteers and others interested in promoting equal educational opportunities for adults. MCAE's primary purpose is to: (1) provide professional development opportunities for those who work in adult education; and (2) disseminate information regarding current and emerging adult basic education policies to its membership, policymakers, public officials, and the general public. MCAE's policy leadership is evidenced by a seven-fold increase in adult basic education funding, and a statewide network of well-informed and active advocates. Contact: Kenny, Tamarkin Executive Director, ktamarkin@mace.net.
The Massachusetts Family Economic Self Sufficiency Project (The Women’s Union’s Mass FESS) works to increase the economic security of low-income women and their families throughout the Commonwealth and to help all families thrive. This collaborative effort of over 100 organizations and individuals across the state uses the Family Economic Self-Sufficiency Standard to provide a framework for developing, implementing, and evaluating human investment, workforce development, and welfare-to-work strategies. Contact: Marisela Gomez at 617-536-5651, mgomez@liveworkthrive.org.
The Massachusetts Worker Education Roundtable, is a statewide network of 40 labor-management and union-based education and training programs. Our mission is to promote and provide high quality education programs for Massachusetts union members. To this end, we are engaged in workplace learning policy, and we provide technical assistance to unions and their employer partners who seek to establish learning programs at the workplace. Although our focus is on basic skills for employed workers, some programs include career ladders, technical and/or leadership skills and some serve pre-employed or dislocated workers. Contact: Connie Nelson, 617-983-3667, connie_nelson@hotmail.com.
The Massachusetts YouthBuild Coalition is comprised of the 12 YouthBuild programs (and sponsoring non-profit agencies) in Massachusetts that are part of over 200 programs in 43 states. YouthBuild programs rebuild young peoples' lives while rebuilding communities. YouthBuild participants have built or renovated hundres of units of low-income housing, providing families with a quality home. YouthBuild programs are located in Attleboro, Boston, Brockton, Cambridge, Fitchburg, Holyoke, Lawrence, Lowell, Quincy, Fall River, New Bedford, Springfield, and Worcester. Contact: Rick Noll, 781-936-8263, mybc@comast.net.