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SEBA Center Stage:
United South End Settlements Uniting Community to Strengthen Families
Mission
United South End Settlements harnesses the power of our diverse community to disrupt the cycle of poverty for children and their families.
"We’ve adopted an integrated approach to programming to support the whole family. For example, children can participate in our early education and out-of-school programs, including Camp Hale in New Hampshire, while parents engage in workplace readiness with one-on-one coaching. When families are fully supported they are more resilient and able to cope with life’s ups and downs." - USES President & CEO, Maicharia Z. Weir Lytle
United South End Settlements (USES) was founded in 1891 as the Andover House, the first settlement house in Boston. The 1890s saw incredible change in the South End and in Boston. Emancipated slaves, new European and Asian immigrants, and rural laborers flocked to big cities in search of work, freedom, and opportunities. Many found poverty, bad housing, and fierce prejudice. To address these problems, a new form of engagement emerged: the Settlement House. The founding principle of these organizations was to provide college-aged, upper-class men and women with opportunities to live in impoverished neighborhoods and partner with residents in order to lift their neighbors out of poverty by strengthening families and building community.
Historically one of the poorest neighborhoods in Boston, the South End deteriorated rapidly after World War II due to “redlining” and urban renewal. Despite its poverty, the South End was a wonderful place to live. Children who grew up during this time fondly remember the corner stores, their neighbors, and the great sense of community in this uniquely multi-racial neighborhood. Post-World War II, the Settlement Houses addressed their community’s increasing distress and decreasing resources by consolidating five houses into one, United South End Settlements, in 1959.
As United South End Settlements celebrates its 127th year, we are now reaffirming our founding vision of an inclusive community where neighbors from all walks of life work together so that all can thrive, while implementing a bold, new model designed to promote economic mobility and social capital to break the generational cycle of poverty.
United South End Settlements is teaming up with the South End Business Alliance to train professional, dedicated, and qualified employees!
We know how difficult it can be to find and retain staff that is professional, dedicated, and have the skills necessary in today’s work environment.
United South End Settlements, a neighborhood non-profit organization driven to help families succeed, helps prepare residents with the necessary skills, attitudes, and behaviors for work in entry-level administrative office positions. The program provides 12 weeks of intensive training on office environments and expectations, Microsoft Word and Excel, email and internet etiquette, customer service, while reinforcing critical personal skills related to employee accountability, self-direction, communication, overall professionalism . On-going support and coaching is available to graduates to ensure they remain successful once on the job.
We’re inviting members of the South End Business Alliance to come get to know our students and talk about what it’s like to work at your company, and to become partners in giving our students real-life work experience at local businesses.
Our participants have recently become employed at South End Community Health Center, Citizens Bank, Emanuel Church, Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital, Gentle Dental and Faulkner Hospital in positions such as Front Desk Assistant, Data Clerk, Administrative Assistant, Patient Services Coordinator, Receptions, and Patient Records!
Our Training for Office Jobs program puts graduates on a career pathway to support a successful career, allowing employers to attract and retain a higher quality workforce.
For more information, please contact our Job Developer, Arian Allen at aallen@uses.org or 617-375-8137.
MORE ABOUT USES: USES’s mission is to harness the power of our diverse community to disrupt the cycle of poverty for children and their families. We believe that as families stabilize, become more resilient, and connect to a diverse network, they and their children are more likely to develop the skills they need to succeed and will break the cycle of poverty. To learn more, visit www.uses.org.
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