Sustaining Work and Life-Long Success
Youth Connections is a non-profit organization committed to providing education, training and employment programs to underserved youth in 43 cities in towns in the Metro South/West Region. Our highly-motivated and trained staff help youth set and reach their educational and employment goals. Funded through the Workforce Innovation Opportunity Act (WIOA), Youth Connections partners with youth, their families, schools, funders and businesses to help remove barriers and foster growth and empowerment that lead to sustainable employment and life-long success.
Our programs are flexible, conveniently located throughout the region and are tailored to each individual young adult, because we recognize that everyone’s needs are different. Whether you are currently in or out of school, our caring staff helps you navigate the next steps needed to gain footing on a path for a fulfilling career. We can help overcome the barriers in your way, whether your goal is to attend post-secondary school or to get job training.
Learn more about our programs.
Who We Serve
Students currently in their senior year of high school
We focus on keeping you on task to graduate. We strive to connect you with education and job opportunities that interest you and can lead to a rewarding job and future success.
Youth who are not currently enrolled in high school
We can help you earn a state-issued high school equivalency through HiSET. Once high school equivalency is obtained, we can focus on securing job training to help you build the skills needed to compete in today’s workforce and gain employment with sustainable wages.
Parents
We connect you to resources that will forge a productive path for your child. Our case managers focus on getting them post-secondary education, if that is their wish, and take the steps needed to help them reach their goals — whether it’s HiSET, job training, internships or employment.
Guidance Counselors and Community Partners
We partner with you to provide the resources and supports required for the students’ growth, job training and employment. We can help with each step of their career search.
Businesses
We help businesses by providing workers with the tools and skills employers seek. Our workforce training, career readiness, internships and SkillsBuild programs are designed to feed the business community with talented employees.
Our trained, caring staff help you set and meet your career goals
Our experienced staff promotes empowerment, develops skills and instills the confidence you need to find success. Our case managers are here every step of the way to help create and launch manageable and reachable career plans designed to meet your individual needs. We know that the key to your success is finding and navigating the many resources available to you. When obstacles pop up, our staff is here to help you problem solve, jump hurdles and push forward on the path to your future. You can depend on our case managers to mentor, check-in and continue support throughout the first year of your career.
Staff contact information:
Tricia Lucier, Program Director
plucier@msweta.org
Direct: (508) 861-7656
Workforce Development Leader with over 35 years of experience in the delivery of employment and training services to a diverse population. Recognized for successfully designing strategies to engage low income, “at-risk” young adults, grant writing and managing budgets up to $1.5 million dollars. Extensive experience in partnership building. Liaison between Metro South/West Employment and Training, Inc. and numerous community based organizations, community colleges, public schools and business professionals in the Metro Southwest area.
Pam Butanowicz, Youth Case Manager
pbutanowicz@msweta.org
Cell: (508) 641-1315
Pam has independently developed the Youth Connections Program, in several school systems over her 21 years of employment with Metro South/West Employment & Training, Inc. Pam’s current assignment is with Bellingham High School and the surrounding towns. Most recently, she has played an integral part in development and operations of a brand new Youth Career Center within the Marlborough High School. Pam is an experienced and reliable professional with a proven ability to provide low income at-risk students with job readiness skills through individual counseling, job readiness assessment, case management, and placement in internships and employment.
Patty Gorman, Youth Case Manager
pgorman@msweta.org
Cell: (774) 258-8237
Patty Gorman has been a Youth Case Manager with Youth Connections since 2016. She has nearly a decade of experience working in educational settings to provide individualized student services. Prior to this position, Patty worked as a Career Specialist at Partnerships for a Skilled Workforce, Inc., providing job-readiness training to youth at the Tempo Young Adult Resource Center and Framingham High School. Patty is dedicated to supporting young adults’ personal and professional growth through helping each person identify and overcome obstacles to success. She currently provides services in the Marlborough/Hudson area.
Lynn Myatt, Youth Case Manager and Educational Specialist
lmyatt@msweta.org
Cell: (781) 915-7280
Lynn is a case manager for in-school youth at Bellingham’s traditional and alternative high schools. She also works with those young adults who have moved beyond high school in the greater Franklin area. Lynn works closely with Tri-County Regional High School, Healthy Families, the Department of Children and Families and other community based organizations to help provide supportive resources. In addition to case managing, Lynn has developed the educational component for Youth Connections over the past two years beyond what had previously existed. Providing one on one assessment and instruction for HiSET, TEAS, Accuplacer and many different trades’ tests.
Ron Andrews, HiSET Instructor
randrews@msweta.org
Cell: (508) 861-6179
Ron Andrews is a HiSET Instructor, and new addition to the Youth Connections team. Ron has his BA in History and MS in Special Education with over 15 years working in Human Services and Education. With a background in Special Education, Ron has experience reaching and motivating all learners. Believing that all students have unique strengths and challenges, Ron enjoys the one-to-one attention the Youth Connections HiSET program offers can offer all its students.