On Friday, November 15, Boys & Girls Village (BGV) held a groundbreaking ceremony on their Milford campus for a new Life Skills & Vocational Training Center. The building is another step in the agency’s commitment to the well-being of at-risk youth.
As a statewide leader in providing mental health treatment, permanency planning and educational services to Connecticut’s most vulnerable youth and their families, Boys & Girls Village received a $1,000,001 grant for the building from the state of Connecticut earlier this year. Additional support has been provided by the Werth Family Foundation, community contributions and individual donors.
“This center is going to offer at-risk kids opportunities to get some real experience in some key areas which will give them a leg up in that next step in terms of employment and economic self-sufficiency,” said Dr. Steven Kant, CEO of the organization.
In the center, introductory vocational classes will be offered in the areas of culinary management, automotive repair, computer programming, and manufacturing. To that end, Boys & Girls Village announced a key partnership with Housatonic and Gateway Community Colleges, which will offer curriculum guidance, instruction, and the chance for students to further their education on a path towards independence.
Our team got very excited about this partnership because we’re in the same business; we’re in the business of changing lives,” said Dr. Paul Broadie, President of Housatonic and Gateway Community Colleges. “This is more than an educational center it is a center where dreams will come true.”
A proclamation from Sen. Blumenthal’s office read, “This new center will play a crucial role in helping youth gain valuable life skills and the independence necessary to transition successfully into adulthood…these hands-on educational experiences will allow young adults to advance while avoiding the dangers that can often hamper the potential of at-risk youth during this formative time in their lives.”
The new Life Skills & Vocational Training center will extend the organization’s current Vocational Offerings which include the Culinary Arts (on and off campus), an Automotive Shop, and a variety of placements such as farming, hair salons, and much more. The BGV Work to Learn program also provides on-the-job training through opportunities in youth-run businesses in the areas of culinary arts, retail, graphic design, and internships.
The center is expected to be completed during fall 2020 and Boys & Girls Village is grateful to the many supporters who have provided a start for its reality. Many more funds will be needed to outfit the building with the equipment and resources needed to create a constructive learning environment. To learn how you or your firm can get involved, please contact Marie Pelaccia at Pelacciam@bgvillage.org or call 203.877.0300. To learn more about the organization, visit www.BGVillage.org.