Special to the Times
Mayor Michelle Wu and Boston Centers for Youth & Families (BCYF) announced that registration is open for a variety of summer teen programs. Building on Mayor Wu’s commitment to make Boston the best city in the country to raise a family, these programs foster youth employment and life skills while providing youth with fun summer activities. Boston teens can register now for the BCYF Snap Shot photography program through the City of Boston’s Summer Jobs Program, SuccessLink. Registration for the BCYF SuperTeens pre-employment program for young teens opens today. The BCYF Girls Leadership Corps is also now seeking participants for this year’s programming.
“These summer opportunities enable teens to learn crucial life skills, while enjoying the company of their peers,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “Summer programming, especially opportunities like these that provide a paycheck, help prepare our teens for the future and I encourage any interested families to apply and take advantage of what BCYF has to offer.”
“We have put together a diverse menu of options for young people of all ages this summer across all our centers and we are looking forward to providing these enriching and engaging summer programs,” said Marta Rivera, Commissioner of Boston Centers for Youth & Families. “We encourage interested families to sign up as soon as possible to guarantee a spot.”
“Summer workshops, programs, and employment are fantastic opportunities for our young people to stay engaged, make new friends, and learn new skills,” said Council President Ed Flynn. “I want to thank the BCYF team for putting together a variety of different programs for our young people. Summer programming brings tremendous benefits to our young people’s physical and mental well-being, and I encourage our families and young people, especially young women, to join leadership programs to learn about community service, teamwork, accountability, and financial literacy.”
BCYF’s Snap Shot Teen Photography program is a unique summer job program for ages 16 to 18 that introduces participants to all aspects of photography. Teens receive a paycheck while participating in the program. Led by a professional photographer, the program includes opportunities to conduct photo shoots, visit museums and art galleries, learn digital photo editing, engage in online personal development workshops, and serve as a staff photographer for BCYF. Interested youth should apply to Snap Shot through the SuccessLink Summer Jobs Program at Boston.gov/Youth-Jobs. Select “BCYF Snap Shot” from the summer job spreadsheet on the website. The program will operate from Monday, June 26 to Friday, August 25, 2023.
BCYF SuperTeens program teaches teens ages 13 and 14 life readiness and resiliency to help prepare them for their upcoming academic year and future employment. The program focuses on opportunities to enhance communication, collaboration, teamwork, and problem solving. The SuperTeens are mentored by BCYF staff throughout the summer, and they participate in both online workshops and in-person job shadowing activities that highlight employment skills. The SuperTeens also participate in weekly social and recreational activities, including a Learn to Row crew program on the Charles River, leadership workshops, job shadowing, community service projects as well as field trips to museums and institutions around the City of Boston. Participants earn a paycheck in the form of a stipend, and they will also be provided with opportunities that encourage civic engagement and physical health and wellness. Registration began today at Boston.gov/BCYF-SuperTeens. The program will operate for 6 weeks from Monday, July 10 to Friday, August 18, 2023.
BCYF Girls Leadership Corps (GLC) provides girls ages 11-14 with workshops and activities. Workshop topics will include self-defense with Girls LEAP, leadership skills, empowerment with the YW F.R.Y.E. Initiative, and more. The Girls Leadership Corps program participants will plan activities that Boston girls will be invited to register for, including Summer Girls Nights and various workshops and special activities. Interested program participants should email [email protected]. The program will operate from Tuesday, July 18 to Friday, August 18, 2023.
These teen programs are in addition to many activities offered at BCYF community centers across the city. Registration for center programs can be found at Boston.gov/BCYF-Registration. In addition, BCYF is currently seeking full-time, part-time, and seasonal lifeguards for BCYF pools and swim lessons. Sign on and retention bonuses up to $1,000 are available, depending on date of hire and remaining employed though September 4th. Training is available and equipment is provided. Visit Boston.gov/BCYF-Aquatics for more information or apply directly at Boston.gov/Lifeguard-Jobs.
Boston Centers for Youth & Families (BCYF) is the City of Boston’s largest youth and human service agency. BCYF operates 35 community centers in Boston that offer a variety of engaging and enriching programs for people of all ages created through community input and need. BCYF also oversees many citywide programs.