Our 3rd annual LEAPS Academy has ended, however the movement inspired by those invigorating three days continues! Click here to read more...
LEAPS 2010 was an exciting event that brought together youth for an intensive 3 days geared towards increasing their capabilities of becoming active and engaged leaders in their community. Coming from different backgrounds, work level experience, and parts of the State, the teens were introduced to themes that currently impact their lives and job safety.
The youth engaged in workshops led by the TL@W peer leaders on health and safety in the workplace, workplace violence prevention, worker safety, workers’ rights, sexual harassment in the workplace, youth & union organizing, and community action. There were stories of shared work experiences, interactive role plays, and dialogue about the issues and what linked all teens present at LEAPS.
This year, workshops were also provided for the adult advisors which provided professional development capabilities that could be used at their home programs. Among the presenters, were Carol Bates from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Peggy Barrett from the Boston Area Rape Crisis Center (BARCC), and Laurie Jo Wallace from Health Resources in Action (HRiA) who covered topics from current labor law rights and expected changes in the 2010-2011 year, making adjustments to current programming due to decreases in funding, and creating opportunities for the youth programs and program staff to be a safe haven for the teens. The adult advisors were especially engaged in workshops on how best to open conversation around any personal challenges that could affect their youths working mindset as well as academic and career preparatory tools that could be offered as teens exit programs.
“LEAPS is important because what we share impacts teens and the community,” said TL@W Senior Peer Leader Laurie Paris. “By teaching them their rights in the workplace, teens are better informed and they also walk away knowing how to get themselves out of bad situations at work.”
The youth spent the month of May finalizing Community Action Projects, which they used to engage other youth and community members about the importance of workplace violence prevention, worker safety, workers’ rights, sexual harassment in the workplace, youth & union organizing, and community action.
“The most important piece of information that I will take away from LEAPS and these workshops is that every teen has rights in the workplace,” said Rikeira Hinds, a LEAPS participant from Roxbury.
Following LEAPS, at the request of the Teens Lead at Work (TL@W) peer leaders, Governor Deval Patrick proclaimed May "Young Worker Safety Month". This closely ties to LEAPS, as the goal of increasing the awareness of child labor laws as well as health and safety issues young workers face in the workplace is at the heart of the Academy. This was a learned lesson for Rohy Monegro of Holyoke, who at the end, said of LEAPS "I learned what are safety hazards and how to identify them at my program and even how to prevent them."
On June 12th, participants rejoined one another at the LEAPS Summit to share the resulting successes of their community action projects. To learn more about the Summit, click here.
