Policy/Advocacy

Reflect and Strengthen (R&S) is a grassroots collective of young working class women from the urban neighborhoods of Boston who take a holistic approach to organizing to create personal and social transformation. Our programming focuses are political education, healing form trauma, creative expression, community building and campaign work to end racial disparities in the juvenile justice system.

Building productive partnerships with our youth, neighborhood crime watch groups, non-profit and government agencies, and community organizations of all kinds continues to be a major focus of the neighborhood policing efforts in District B-3.

Greater Four Corners Action Coalition works to promote neighborhood stabilization in the Four Corners Community of Dorchester, Massachusetts. This is accomplished by adressing the issues of crime and safety, through organizing residents, providing positive opportunities for youth, promoting economic development and collaborating with others. Our priority roles are: Organizer, Service Provider, and Collaborator/Supporter of other efforts.GFCAC is in the forefront of the change in local community organizing. Organizations are collaborating to effect regional planning and create standing policies so as not to have to put out the same fires over and over again. Our current work reflects this new direction. We also aim to address issues of transportation, environmental and economic justice. GFCAC spearheaded efforts to bring improved transportation services to the Four Corners community, advocating for new stops on the Fairmount line.

Mentor, monitor, and minster to high risk youth in Boston's inner city.

Since 2000, Northeastern University has hosted the Massachusetts Promise Fellowship Program. Originally created through a partnership with America’s Promise and the Corporation for National and Community Service, Fellowship members are committed and talented individuals dedicated to building a better future for children and youth. A Program Director and Director of Training and Evaluation located in the Center of Community Service coordinate the activities of 30 full-time Massachusetts Promise Fellows serving in communities across the Commonwealth. OUR SERVICE As a group, Fellows work toward five specific Performance Measures. These are well-defined objectives developed in partnership with our host-sites and funders. All Fellow projects align with one (or more) of the following Performance Measures (summarized): 1) Youth Leadership Development - Fellows will work closely with and support emerging youth leaders as the young people develop and implement a variety of activities, programs, and projects that benefit their community. 2) Mentoring - Fellows will develop new mentoring programs and expand upon current mentoring programs in an effort to establish and support new mentor/mentee matches. 3) After-School Enrichment - Fellows will develop and lead out of school enrichment activities (i.e., adventure programming, service-learning projects, tutoring, athletics) for young people. 4) Youth Outreach and Education - Fellows will coordinate and lead education and outreach efforts (i.e., newsletters, websites, seminars, summits, workshops, dances) to inform and educate young people on a variety of issues and topics (i.e., sex education, health care access, nutrition, substance abuse prevention, diversity awareness, conflict resolution, HIV/AIDS, legal rights, mental health). 5) Volunteer Recruitment and Coordination– All Fellows will actively recruit, train, and manage volunteers that will serve to support their project and the mission of their host organization.